103260 Stories of Impact - World...
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103260 Stories of Impact A series highlighting achievements in disaster risk management Bringing Disaster Risk Management to Scale in the Eastern Caribbean REGION: LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Islands in the Eastern Caribbean are highly vulnerable to FOCUS: RISK REDUCTION natural disasters and climate related hazards. Over the COUNTRY: EASTERN CARIBBEAN ISLANDS past three decades, more than seven hurricanes have caused economic impacts in a number of these countries equivalent to or greater than 50% of GDP. Disasters play, a signifhcant role in stunting the economic growth and IS development goals of these countries. For almost two decades, the World Bank's disaster- RESULTS: related engagement in the Eastern Caribbean focused In 2009, a $150,000 grant from GFORR enabled on disaster recovery financing. Subsequently, from the World Bank to galvanize over $200 million 2000 to 2009, this activity grew to encompass capacity in disaster risk reduction investments in the Eastern Caribbean such as coastal protection, building for emergency preparedness measures and the strengthening of schools and health clinics, piloting of risk reduction investments in the Caribbean. improved drainage systems, and slope stabilization. A pivotal moment occurred in 2009 when a $150,000 Increased capacity in using geospatial data grant from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction management tools to improve disaster preparedness. In Dominica, for example, engineers from the Ministry of Public Works and Ports partnership with other development organizations, to collect an amplified catalog of vulnerability data establish a comprehensive program targeting disaster toward wind hazards during yearly emergency shelter assessments. This data is being digitized risk management (DRM) and resilience in the region. to be made available to other actors such as the These islands have since taken major steps to enhance Ministry of Education and local governments. their capacity to mitigate the effects of natural disaster A regional data management Community of and climate risk. Practice (CoP) was also established that allows these Eastern Caribbean island countries to share experiences in collecting and implementing data and managing data platforms for DRM purposes. This CoP now includes close to 200 data managers from over 10 countries in the Caribbean, including Guyana, Belize, and Jamaica, along with regional developmentequvaen tnce ord greater thaners 50% ba Faclt GDP. Disasters pltinanReory Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized
Transcript of 103260 Stories of Impact - World...
103260Stories of ImpactA series highlighting achievementsin disaster risk management
Bringing DisasterRisk Managementto Scale in theEastern Caribbean
REGION: LATIN AMERICAAND THE CARIBBEAN Islands in the Eastern Caribbean are highly vulnerable to
FOCUS: RISK REDUCTION natural disasters and climate related hazards. Over theCOUNTRY: EASTERN CARIBBEAN ISLANDS past three decades, more than seven hurricanes have
caused economic impacts in a number of these countriesequivalent to or greater than 50% of GDP. Disasters play,a signifhcant role in stunting the economic growth and
IS development goals of these countries.For almost two decades, the World Bank's disaster-
RESULTS: related engagement in the Eastern Caribbean focusedIn 2009, a $150,000 grant from GFORR enabled on disaster recovery financing. Subsequently, fromthe World Bank to galvanize over $200 million 2000 to 2009, this activity grew to encompass capacityin disaster risk reduction investments in theEastern Caribbean such as coastal protection, building for emergency preparedness measures and thestrengthening of schools and health clinics, piloting of risk reduction investments in the Caribbean.improved drainage systems, and slope stabilization. A pivotal moment occurred in 2009 when a $150,000
Increased capacity in using geospatial data grant from the Global Facility for Disaster Reductionmanagement tools to improve disasterpreparedness. In Dominica, for example, engineersfrom the Ministry of Public Works and Ports partnership with other development organizations, tocollect an amplified catalog of vulnerability data establish a comprehensive program targeting disastertoward wind hazards during yearly emergencyshelter assessments. This data is being digitized risk management (DRM) and resilience in the region.to be made available to other actors such as the These islands have since taken major steps to enhanceMinistry of Education and local governments. their capacity to mitigate the effects of natural disaster
A regional data management Community of and climate risk.Practice (CoP) was also established that allowsthese Eastern Caribbean island countries to shareexperiences in collecting and implementing dataand managing data platforms for DRM purposes.This CoP now includes close to 200 data managersfrom over 10 countries in the Caribbean, includingGuyana, Belize, and Jamaica, along with regional
developmentequvaen tnce ord greater thaners 50% ba Faclt GDP. Disasters pltinanReory
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CONTEXTThe small island states in the Eastern Caribbean are defined by their The government recognizes the necessity tosize, geographic location, isolation from markets, limited financial and better understond our climote ond disoster risknatural resources, limited human capital and technical capacity, and context, ond will do our best to reduce this riskhigh vulnerability to the adverse effects of natural hazards and climate ond improve resilience ocross oil sectors.change. Despite their size, the disaster risk profles of these states arecomplex. A single disaster event could cause damages and losses that -The Honorable Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Ministerexceed the entire value of the country's annual economic activity. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2004, for example. Hurricane Ivan hit Grenada causing catastrophicdamages assessed at approximately 200% of the country's GDP.
APPROACH:GFDRR facilitated an extensive analysis of the disaster-related needsand constraints in Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincentand the Grenadines. This informed the World Bank's developmentof a comprehensive resilience approach that addressed regionalshortcomings, strengthened local capacity, and facilitated behaviorchange through trainings in the area of utilizing risk informationfor decision making. This approach involved fostering partnershipswith relevant entities in the region, like the Caribbean DevelopmentBank (COB), to build capacity and raise funding, reducinginfrastructure vulnerability through streamlined projects includingslope stabilization, improving transportation networks and drainagesystems, developing coastal defences, and rehabilitating publicinfrastructure including bridges, schools, and emergency shelters.
The approach also improved community engagement by initiatingcollaborative solutions for ORM-in Saint Lucia, community residentsworked with government technical teams to map detailed slopefeatures so the cause of landslides could be scientifically confirmed.It also promoted regional knowledge sharing by establishingCommunities of Practice and integrating data management traininginto national-level projects.
For example, with GFDRR support, the World Bank helped to forma regional CoP for engineers to support physical planning andconstruction in the Eastern Caribbean by producing hazard maps LESSONS LEARNED:and promoting the enforcement of building codes. This CoP includesengineers from nine OECS countries and Belize and receives supportfrom partners such as the COB, University of the West Indies, and it is imperative to streamline financing and coordinate supportthe US Army Corps of Engineers, among others. from donors and development organizations. One factor
revealed through country analysis was the institutional
NEXT STEPS: strain hat numerous projects and hinancing from a varietyof donors were having on governments. For government
The Eastern Caribbean is adopting a forward-thinking approach to offices ike Grenada with limited staff and resources, it wasDRM by considering the interventions and policies needed to reduce difficuit to Manage the requirements and implementation ofrisk by 50% within the next 15 years. Achieving this goal requires idividual projects. The team therefore focused on creatingthese countries to assess their infrastructure assets, disaster access to larger projects that offered increased financingrisk understanding, and technical capacity, as well as implement with lower transaction costs and on developing governmentsmeasures to address missing elements. The regional trainings to be capacity to mplement these projects.conducted on the Management of Slope Stability in Communitiesmethodology is one such measure. GFDRR and the World Bank CoPs are an integral tool for building capacity andhelped to pilot this methodology in communities in Saint Lucia. partnerships, as well as fostering regional collaboration. TheBest practices and lessons learned from this project will now be Cos fadiitated knowledye exchange amony the countries,shared with countries in the region by conducting data management providing a platform to share open-source technology reelstrainings involving government officials, community-based volunteers, on data management and best practices learned fromand the Red Cross. and te Re Cros. ifrastructure and engineering projects. In September 2014,
for example, Chief Technical Officers and Senior Engineersfrom Ministries of Works in the Eastern Caribbean and Belizecame togethec along with regional consultens, the COB, andthe United States Army Corps of Engineers, to deliberate on
Contact measures to combart coasta and river embankmen erosionSrhaa Rcan and to discuss ways to share skilled human resources wthinwww.gfdrr.org the region going forward.
