The Promise and Peril of Jamaica’s Offshore Oil Ambitions

Jamaica may be following in the footsteps of its Caribbean neighbours, such as Guyana, as it plans to drill for oil, despite being highly vulnerable to climate change. In recent years, Caribbean oil exploration has boomed, following successful drilling in Guyana and Suriname.

But, at a time when the International Energy Agency (IEA) is calling for an end to exploration, will Jamaica pursue a future in fossil fuels? At present, Jamaica imports all its fuel, spending between $1. 5 and $2 billion a year on energy imports.