Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says every Jamaican must make climate awareness a priority, warning that the country is already feeling the effects of a rapidly changing environment.

Speaking on Tuesday at the ground breaking ceremony for the Sygnus Lakespen Industrial Park in St. Catherine, the prime minister noted that the past decade has seen a rise in category 5 hurricanes.

He said, the recent impact of Hurricane Melissa in October underscores how vulnerable the island remains.

Dr. Holness stressed that climate change is not only an environmental issue, but one that threatens business operations and economic activity across the country.

He said the government’s key response has been to build climate resilience into national financing, structuring the economy to absorb climate risks and better withstand future shocks.