Caribbean Conference Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Confernce Bahamas. Basedon NASAimage. All rightsreserved. 1818 HStreet,NWWashington,DC20433USA ©2019 byTheInternationalBankforReconstructionandDevelopment/TheWorld Designed byMikiFernández([email protected]),Washington,DC Edited byTayler Friar Washington, DC,November2019 concerning thelegalstatusofanyterritoryorendorsementacceptancesuchboundaries. and otherinformationshownonanymapinthisworkdonotimplyjudgmentthepartofWorldBank The WorldBankdoesnotguarantee the accuracyofdatainthiswork.Theboundaries,colors,denominations, Union arenotresponsibleforanyusethatmaybemadeoftheinformationcontainedtherein. and thesoleresponsibility for thispublication lies with theauthors. The GFDRR,WorldBankGroup, and European findings ofthispublicationdonotreflecttheviewsGFDRR,WorldBankGroup,orEuropeanUnion, Caribbean Conference.ThesesubmissionswerecompiledandeditedbytheWorldBankGroup.Thecontent This publicationismadeupofaseriessubmissionsfromtechnicalsessionleadstheUnderstandingRisk
27–31 May 2019 Barbados
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ii From Risk to Resilience: A Foundation for Action
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Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Contents
vi Letter from Anna Wellenstein, Regional Director, Sustainable Development Latin America and the Caribbean vii Letter from Ronald Jackson, Executive Director, CDEMA viii Acknowledgments xi Foreword xii UR Caribbean by the Numbers xiii Abbreviations
1. Towards Resilient States: Tools and Good Practice 5 Ready, get-set, go! A system Approach to Continuous Community Engagement (CCE) for Emergency Preparedness and Response. 9 Building Regulation for Resilience: Innovation for Risk Reduction and Finance 15 Challenges in Developing Bidirectional Community Risk Communication: An Opportunity to Share Science, Evidence and Technology Solutions 21 The Power of Games: Playing a Game to Understand Risk and Change Organizational Culture 25 Building Resilient Housing in the Eastern Caribbean 30 Launch of European Union Programs to Increase Disaster Resilience in the Region 31 Launch of Canada’s Caribbean Resilience Facility 32 Visualising Risk and Resilience 37 Enhancing Resilient Urban Development in the Eastern Caribbean 43 Financial Planning for a Rainy Day: Using Information to Build Smart Solutions 49 SpatialEdge: From Risk to Real Ttime Insight 55 Weather, Water and Climate Risk Management in the Caribbean 61 Applying A Social Lens to Disaster Risk Management in the Caribbean 65 End-to-End Early Warning Systems—What Does It Take to Avoid a Disaster 71 Letting Nature Protect Us: Nature-Based and Hybrid Infrastructure for Coastal Protection 76 Disaster Risk Financing in Overseas Countries and Territories 78 cRISKet: Hitting Disaster Risk For Six! 80 Visualizing Vulnerabilities in the Caribbean: Opportunities for Applying Earth Observations to Reduce Risk 85 Activating the Sustainable Blue Economy: Promoting Coastal Resilience in the Caribbean
v Dear Understanding Risk (UR) Caribbean Conference Partners and Participants:
would like to thank you for your support and engagement in the UR Caribbean IConference. With over 20 technical sessions and plenaries, UR Caribbean was a successful platform for launching critical dialogues on disaster risk and resilience across the region. These dialogues are crucial to reinforcing the regional collaboration needed to collectively tackle the disaster risk and resilience challenges facing the Caribbean.
Over the last 20 years, natural disasters have caused direct damages amounting to US$1.6 billion per year. Just a few months ago, with the onslaught of Hurricane Dorian on The Bahamas, we were reminded of the devastation these hazards can cause – the lives lost, communities decimated, and the hard-won development gains that can be wiped away in a matter of days. With climate change, extreme events such as these are expected to be the “new normal” for many small island developing states. Given the breadth and complexity of challenges posed, it will take coordination and action from multiple stakeholders to effectively address the threats posed by natural hazards and the effects of climate change.
The World Bank has been engaging in disaster risk management (DRM) in the Latin America and Caribbean region for over 15 years. Initial support focused on post-disaster recovery and has now grown to encompass all aspects of DRM - risk identification, risk reduction and mitigation, preparedness, post-disaster recovery and disaster risk financing – including the pioneering of creative approaches such as the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility along the way. The World Bank is committed to continuing its collaboration with governments, regional organizations, such as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, and international entities to build disaster resilience across the region, and to supporting platforms such as UR Caribbean, that can serve as the foundation for collective disaster risk action in the Caribbean.
To maintain the momentum and capture the wealth of knowledge generated throughout UR Caribbean, the World Bank, with support from the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), compiled these proceedings of the conference. We hope this collation of lessons learned, connections made, and advances achieved during the conference will be a good reference tool for you all.
Thank you again for your support and participation, and I look forward to engaging with you at future Understanding Risk Conferences.
Sincerely,
Anna Wellenstein Regional Director, Sustainable Development Latin America and the Caribbean
vi Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
Ensuring Continuation of the Resilience Dialogue in the Caribbean
n the Caribbean, natural hazards are increasing in frequency and severity. This 2019 Ihurricane season, one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall, Hurricane Dorian, swept through the region, devastating islands in northern Bahamas and claiming over 60 lives. To build a resilient Caribbean, it is imperative that we take collective action, arming ourselves with the best knowledge and technology to help manage our disaster risk.
From May 27 - 31, 2019, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) partnered with the World Bank’s Latin American and Caribbean Disaster Risk Management team, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), and the European Union (EU) to host the Understanding Risk (UR) Caribbean Conference in Barbados. When it comes to the conversation of disaster risk management and preparedness, everyone needs to come to the table and engage. UR Caribbean provided the platform for leading experts and practitioners from a wide range of sectors to do just that. It facilitated plenaries such as “The Resilience Imperative: Charting a Caribbean Development Pathway in a Challenging Fiscal Environment” that enabled CDEMA to partner with actors in the DRM space to have a rich discussion on several key Pillars of Resilience: (i) social protection, (ii) safeguarding infrastructure and (iii) enhancing economic opportunity. It also strengthened the emerging alliance between CDEMA and the World Bank around disaster risk in the region, which is evolving into a strategic partnership through positive advancements made post-conference.
With 18 member states and climbing, CDEMA acts as the Caribbean’s principle disaster management body, working to identify natural and man-made disaster risk issues and facilitate solutions across the region. The core themes covered at UR Caribbean were particularly timely, as they helped lay the foundation for the decisions and actions to be taken at CDEMA’s premier event, the 11th Caribbean Conference on Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM), slated for December 2 – 6, 2019 in Sint Maarten. This year’s conference theme is “Safeguarding Our Communities, Livelihoods & Economies” and aims to bring together all of CDEMA’s member states for five days of intense discussions and workshops to promote disaster preparedness and risk mitigation. It will also help to further cultivate strategic partnerships designed to bolster national and regional capacities for disaster risk management.
CDEMA is committed to ensuring consistent engagement, regional coordination and knowledge exchange across the Caribbean. Thank you to the member states, regional organisations, international entities and partners who collectively support us as we work to build disaster resilience in the region.
Sincerely,
Ronald Jackson Executive Director CDEMA
vii Acknowledgments
he overwhelming success of the Understanding Risk Caribbean Conference has everything to do with the Tengagement and support of all who attended. To all participants, thank you for your valuable contributions to the disaster risk management space and your ongoing dedication to creating a more resilient Caribbean region.
Firstly, we would like to acknowledge and extend our sincere gratitude to our event partners. A special thanks goes to the Government of Barbados, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the European Union (EU), and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for their partnership, with co-financing from the EU-funded Africa, Caribbean, Pacific - European Union (ACP-EU) Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme, managed by GFDRR. We would also like to take the opportunity to thank our collaborative partners including the Department for International Development (DFID), The Government of Canada, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF SPC), H2O Worldwide, Natural Disaster Risk Management in the CARIFORUM, Cloud Carib, C&W Communications, Barbados Tourism and Marketing, LIAT, the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, UWI TV Global, and the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
Special thanks as well to additional collaborative partners such as the Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine; American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine; the Caribbean Development Bank; the University of the West Indies Department of Disaster Management; the British Geological Survey; the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre; the World Food Programme (WFP); the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH); Thorton Tomasetti; UNICEF; Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT); the World Meteorological Organization (WMO); israAID; the United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR); The Nature Conservancy; Willis Towers Watson; NepCol International LLC; NASA; Nova Scotia Community College; the British Virgin Islands’ Department of Disaster Risk Management; the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS); and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI).
We are particularly grateful to our opening, closing, and keynote speakers: The Honorable Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley; Christian Leffler; Ambassador Gail Mathurin; Tahseen Sayed; and Dr. Angus Friday.
We are also thankful to the technical session leads, training leads, and coordinators for their extensive efforts in organizing their respective sessions. These include Pablo Suarez, Janot Mendler de Suarez, Gavin Macgregor- Skinner, Tyler Radford, Amy Macdonald, Hannah Gaventa, Luis Alton, Elizabeth Emanuel, Sumati Rajput, Jack Campbell, Mirtha Escobar, Ewa Korczyc, Bishwa Pandey, Melanie Kappes, Regis Chapman, Kathryn Milliken, Asha Williams, Yohannes Kesete, Eamonn Sheehy, Mark Quirk, Claudia Soto, Cecile Lorillou, Jeremy Collymore, Davide Miozzo, Erouscilla Joseph, John Harding, Andrea Grosvenor, Nora Guerten, Tim Webster, Shanna McClain, Montserrat Acosta Morel, Simon Young, Paul Saunders, Keren Carla Charles, Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, Elizabeth Emanuel, Eamonn Sheehy, Evangeline Inniss-Springer, Anna J. Hicks, Regis Chapman, Naraya Carrasco, Giovanni Michele Toglia, Melody Joy Benavidez, Rashmin Gunasekera, Thomas Moullier, Nicholas Callender, Adrian Trotman, Shawn Boyce, Steven Carrion, Juliana Castano Isaza, Crispín d’Auvergne, Emily Wilkinson, Neal Burnham, Patricia Shako, Carlos Uribe, Maria Kontro and Nahuel Arenas Garcia.
To the persons who facilitated logistics at our various venues, we thank you for your commitment and attention to detail. We would like to specially acknowledge Harclyde Walcott, Carla Springer-Hunte, Nicole Pinder, Paula Mascoll (UWI’s Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination); Ann Wallace, Cheryl Smith (UWI’s Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management); Ruth Aboab-Marshall (UWI Cave Hill Campus’ Solutions Centre); Teresa Nicholls, Gillian St. Hill (Barbados Hilton Hotel); and Blenda Torres (American Express Global Business Travel).
viii Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
A special thank you also to the event planning firm in Barbados, Premier Events; designers Christopher Bantum and Miki Fernandez; and videographers Rachelle Mayers, Chris Cooke-Johnson and Jorge Villalpando Castro for bringing the vision to life. Thank you as well to Carole Beckford and the former and current Cricket West Indies players who collectively “hit disaster risk for six” by raising awareness of disaster risk challenges in the region.
Finally, we are grateful for the guidance and support of the World Bank’s Latin American and Caribbean Urban and Disaster Risk Management Practice Manager, Ming Zhang, and for assistance provided by World Bank teams in planning this event. These include Rosella Della Monica, Cindy Robles, Mirtha Escobar, Eda Parodi, Erika Vargas, Yukako Hiraki, Lorenzo Piccio, David Tucker, Maria Carolina Hoyos Lievano, Christelle Chapoy, Alejandra De La Paz, Brune Andre, Simone Balog and Jocelyn West. Many thanks for your efforts and enthusiasm to make UR Caribbean a success!
The UR Caribbean Core Team: Mary Boyer, Kerri Cox, Joaquin Toro, Tayler Friar, Roberta Lovatelli, Jacqueline Chidothe, Bradley Lyon and Mariel Boden.
ix The Honorable Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, delivers a powerful keynote address to open the conference.
Mateja Norčič Štamcar, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, delivers opening remarks.
“It is our contention that it is only when moral and ethical leadership is given both at the national level and at the international level, that we will summon the courage to fight down these battles. Until such time, it is a form of idle entertainment for those who choose to watch.” —The Honorable Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley
World Bank Country Director for Caribbean countries, Tasheen Sayed, offers opening remarks on the state of disaster risk in the Caribbean region.
x Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Foreword
he Understanding Risk (UR) Caribbean Conference was held in Barbados from May 27 - 31, 2019. Nearly 500 participants representing over 20 countries, both from the region and internationally, gathered to attend. TLeading experts and practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds including government agencies, the private sector, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, research institutions, and civil society had the opportunity to participate in 24 technical sessions, 13 workshops, cultural experiences and risk data exhibits and to engage in critical conversations around disaster risk in the region.
UR Caribbean was organized by the World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Urban and Disaster Risk Management team and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), in partnership with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the European Union (EU); and was hosted by the Government of Barbados. This conference was co-financed by the European Union-funded Africa, Caribbean, Pacific – European Union (ACP-EU) Natural Disaster Risk Reduction (NDRR) Program, managed by GFDRR.
Launched with a provocative opening speech from The Honorable Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, the conference was rich with hard-hitting sessions, presentations and plenaries covering themes across the DRM spectrum, including risk analytics and communication, physical resilience, fiscal resilience, urban resilience, coastal protection, hydromet and early warning systems, community engagement, and emergency preparedness. Some sessions touched on drawing connections between disaster risk and medicine; utilizing nature to improve or replace man-made coastal defenses; engaging with the often-overlooked educational sector; and amplifying the voices of the youth. These issues were tailored to the needs of the Caribbean and are elaborated on in the session summaries including in this Proceedings.
UR Caribbean was also an opportunity to celebrate the best of Caribbean culture with music, art, authentic cultural exchanges and community engagement activities. Art, in particular, was woven throughout the entire week’s events through satellite imagery inspired by regional poets, fractal art and a series of “data-garden” installations – including tableaus, palm trees, bush tea plots, and benches – that were scattered across the University of West Indies, Cave Hill Campus’ Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination, and were designed to represent risk themes such as seasonal rain forecasts, disasters and financing over time.
To close the week, UR Caribbean hosted a “cRISKet” match (Cricket + Risk) that featured key actors in the DRM space and prominent figures from West Indies Cricket including James Adams, Tino Best, Sylvester Athanaze, Nikita Miller, Philo Wallace and more. Held the day before the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, this event raised public awareness of disaster risk across the region, with proceeds benefitting CDEMA’s Regional Emergency Assistance Fund. Throughout the match, metaphors were used to draw connections between the game and how it relates to natural disasters; during one of the “overs”, a batter was even blindfolded to depict the need for adequate early warning systems that help communities better prepare for disaster impacts.
The conversations held during UR Caribbean on the realities of risk and vulnerability in the region were timely. The conference allowed for small island states to share best practices, forge relationships, and reinforce regional cooperation in order to curb the region’s overall risk associated with natural hazards and climate change. The UR Caribbean Conference laid the foundation for further disaster risk action in the region.
xi UR Caribbean by the Numbers
24
Technical Sessions s 5 500+ Days in Barbados Attendees 66
Academic and Research 20+ Institutions Countries and Territories 69
Private Sector From Risk to Organizations Resilience: 127 A Foundation for
Multilateral Action Organizations
20
Non-Profits 1 Resilient Caribbean 8,000+ 125
Global Community Caribbean Government Members Representatives
xii Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Abbreviations
AFAD Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Turkey APSFR Areas with Potential Significant Flood Risk AYII Area yield index insurance CHwB Cultural Heritage without Borders CRI City Resilience Index DASK Turkish Catastrophe Insurance Pool DRAS Disaster Risk Analysis System DRM Disaster risk management DRR Disaster risk reduction DTM Digital terrain model EU European Union GFDRR Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery ha Hectare(s) INSPIRE Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community IPA Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance IPA DRAM Programme for Disaster Risk Assessment and Mapping ISRBC International Sava River Basin Commission IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature MoEU Ministry of Environment and Urbanization (Turkey) NBS Nature-based solutions Multilateral Organizations NMHSs National Meteorological and Hydrological Services OpenDRI Open Data for Resilience Initiative PSI Public Sector Information Sava FFWS Flood Forecasting and Warning System in the Sava River Basin Sava HIS Hydrological Information System for the Sava River Basin SAR Special administrative region SEDESOL Social Development Secretariat (Mexico) SEE CRIF Southeast Europe Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility SEE-MHEWS-A South East Europe Multi-Hazard Early Warning Advisory System SISI Integrated Social Information System (Mexico) SoFPAS1 Study of Flood Prone Areas in Serbia—Phase 1 UNDP United Nations Development Programme UR Understanding Risk WMO World Meteorological Organization
xiii Article title
xiv Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
Towards Resilient States: Tools and Good Practice
Climate change-related impacts are widely felt among Caribbean States and loss of coastal resources is an emergent reality. The total damages to the region from 148 disasters between the period of 1950-2014 is estimated to be $52bn (Acevedo, 2016). Between the years 2000-2017, 13 of the Barrowing Member Countries of the Caribbean Development Bank experienced high rates of loss and damage from natural hazards estimated at $27bn, accounting for more than 50% of losses in the 75- year period (2016).
Climate change has therefore understandably been characterized as an existential threat to Caribbean economies and societies. This has spurred a call for action from stakeholders at the political, professional, academic, community, business and developmental partnership level.
The value proposition of Caribbean Resilient States calls for new ways of thinking and working. This method is fueled by efforts to apply scientific outputs which drive the innovation and social transformation needed to build a resilient state.
Our UR Caribbean session sought to initiate a dialogue about existing research, tools and practices at varying scales and their replicability. Contributors were drawn from academia, national, and regional DRM organizations, and touched on regional model tools, national programming experience, and research on tool application at the community and national levels. This diverse suite of initiatives sought to map community perception
Scene from Codrington town in Barbuda following the 2017 hurricanes. Source: United Nations, Rick Bajornas
1 Towards Resilient States: Tools and Good Practice of vulnerability and risks, create a the International Federation The SVI was developed based social vulnerability index anchored of Red Cross and Red Crescent on five demographic categories: on a risk information platform, Societies and the CDEMA. The Socioeconomic, Gender, Age, enhance community through case study, by Thongs, sought to Special Needs and Property strategic targeting, and use hazard investigate the usefulness of this Type. This comprises eight key impacting events to recalibrate risk community-based risk information census variables and is ranked management policy at the national tool within the Caribbean and to from highest to lowest across level. examine the role of community- all Enumeration Districts (ED) in Barbados. The process is broken What we are highlighting is that an based and local-level approaches. down into the following steps: assessment of existing risk related Using the CRIT, information was collected from the Sangre Grande knowledge and tools is key in the 1. A percentile rank was then Regional Corporation in Trinidad elaboration of community, national calculated for each ED over and Tobago, making it possible or other levels of risk information. each of these variables. In addition, it is critical to combine to identify the peak months of traditional and scientific methods disasters, the hazards with the 2. A count or flag was provided in order to generate the risk highest impact in the regional of the number of individual profiles of our living spaces. corporation, the most susceptible variables with percentile ranks communities, the communities of 0.75 or higher for each of The intent was not to frame that are in immediate danger the five themes and for the ED generalizations, but to explore or crisis, as well as the natural overall issues around research that and man-made triggers of the is responsive to practice and 3. A bidirectional matrix was most impactful disasters. This policy needs. Further, the session used to simultaneously assess information proved useful in explored how this synergy can the results of the SVI and enhancing community dialogue promote new ways of thinking and Vulnerability Flags approaches. on susceptibility and engagement working to advance the idea of towards mitigative and adaptive This Social Vulnerability Index resilient Caribbean states. reflections. provides an opportunity to A key challenge for the Caribbean build resilience by implementing Disaster Management Agency The key challenge is to how targeted vulnerability reduction (CDEMA) was how to enhance to advance from community and risk mitigation programs the lessons learned from the consciousness and engagement directed at the most vulnerable Strategic Targeting Methodology into policy and programmes that geographic areas. The methodology (STM). This was introduced to alter Social Vulnerability. This can is one that is being considered the Caribbean by the IFRC as be characterized as the physical, for replication in other Caribbean a tool that advanced us from economic, political or social states provided that the social awareness of susceptibility to susceptibility of a community to data has been digitized. heightened data collection and damage by destructive events of The Case Study by Inniss- risks assessments, key steps in natural or anthropogenic origin. Springer provide another lens resilience programming. Cumberbatch et al sought to on the approach to resilience apply a Social Vulnerability Index programming where recovery Case Study: Exploring to national efforts in Barbados in planning can provide a platform the Issues order to design a National Coastal for transformational approaches Risk Information and Planning and processes. Catalyzing the In response to this gap, the Platform. This serves as a key recovery to resilience opportunity Caribbean Risk Information ingredient in shaping its adaptation requires an important step: the Tool (CRIT) was developed by agenda. validation of the assessment
2 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference findings to drive the process from existing limitations. On the References and crisis management to one that is other side of the equation is Further Resources more long term in its perspective. how data analytics is used to At the core of this is an evidence map and harvest the volume of Caribbean Disaster Emergency pool built on enhanced baseline information to guide decision Management Agency: Revisiting Community data community resources, hazard making. Engagement. The Strategic Targeting Methodology experiences and interventions that strategically address all elements Dr. Gabrielle Thongs, Department of Geography, FFA, UWI: CRIT: A Caribbean of the risk management cycle. Conclusion Multi-Hazard Decision Support tool to Equally important observations The session has created a develop Disaster Risk Resilience. are that topical terms such dialogue between CDEMA and the Dr. Janice Cumberbatch, CERMES, UWI; as “build back better” need an University of the West Indies on Creating a Social Vulnerability Index for operational definition and must go the National Coastal Risk Information and how these tools can be enhanced beyond infrastructure and finance. Planning Platform in Barbados – A Case and applied to get more granularity Understanding o social dynamics is Study. of the social spatial dimensions of indispensable. Dr. Evangeline Inniss Springer, Department risks in our communities. It has also of Disaster Management, BVI; Recovery challenged dialogue on how this Planning to Resilience Programming. A Lessons For Action may inform resilience policies and process guide. nce Programming. A process programmes. Anchoring resilience guide. These case studies highlight data needs to primary sources of some important considerations data collection, such as the census, for efforts to frame resilience should be explored. Session Contributors initiatives in the Caribbean which It will also be valuable to Jeremy Collymore, University may be applicable elsewhere: of the West Indies (author) examine how the CRIT and the 1. Whilst qualitative assessments SVI can be applied in the same Gabrielle Thongs, University of the West Indies of risks are useful, they may be space, and the options for their insufficient to inform evidence- integrative application in policy and Janice Cumberbatch, based policy and planning for programming. University of the West Indies resilience. Quantitative methods Evangeline Inniss Springer, The Caribbean Disaster may address the evidence gap Department of Disaster Emergency Management Agency Management, British Virgin but can be compromised by in collaboration with selected Islands data quality and availability. Caribbean Islands and territories 2. The synergizing of these are expanding a collaboration approaches may provide a initiative to enhance these tools better blueprint for coordinated and practices to scale. It is action at all levels. Building anticipated that the partnership on existing initiatives and around this initiative will be collaborative partnerships can expanded to other partners shorten the time of our journey. working on the resilience agenda in the region, including the World 3. The data challenge can be a Bank which will be managing a suite major stumbling block if we of recovery to resilience initiatives await idealized availability. It in the Caribbean. will require that consideration be given to examining tool development that works with
3 Article title
“The challenges (natural disasters) are going to come. It’s going to cost us less if we are prepared. It’s gonna cost us more if we are not. That’s the bottom line.” —Sam Raphael, Hotelier, Dominica
4 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Ready, get-set, go! A System Approach to Continuous Community Engagement for Emergency Preparedness and Response
Introduction
The devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 in Sint Maarten, as well as hurricane Matthew in Haiti in 2016 created unconceivable challenges, emphasizing the need to continually improve preparedness for major disasters while also bringing new opportunities for growth and improvement in the Caribbean region.
In Sint Maarten, a systems approach to community engagement for disaster risk preparedness and response has been developed, which focuses on relationship building across diverse sectors and stakeholders concerned with under-resourced communities. This perspective puts community resiliency as a key public health factor and emphasizes collaboration, confidence and engagement as core competencies for disaster preparedness, response and recovery. Good practices in community engagement for disaster mitigation highlight success factors such as empowerment and capability building activities of the community disaster committees and volunteers. A good example of this can be found in the approach of the civil protection volunteers in Haiti.
Municipal Civil Protection Committee volunteers in Haiti. Photo: World Bank.
5 Ready, get-set, go! A System Approach to Continuous Community Engagement for Emergency Preparedness and Response
Background: Haiti Case Study: civil society and public institutions; Overcoming response Volunteers as agents they have multiple roles at each challenges through of change in DRM stage of an emergency that collaboration are essential for population Haiti has taken a participatory and outreach. In times of preparation Hurricane Irma deeply impacted decentralized approach to disaster they promote the creation the mobilization of stakeholders risk management, involving various and use of contingency plans in Sint-Maarten, raising many stakeholders of the National and instruct about evacuation response challenges in a context DRM system, working together procedures. When a disaster of small island states. Roads, to make disaster risk reduction strikes, they are instrumental in ports, airports and telecom a reality. The National DRM reaching the last-mile in terms suffered significant damage. Even system relies on a powerful and of early warnings dissemination, neighboring countries logistic efficient network of volunteers organizing evacuation procedures, lines were disrupted. Response managed by the Civil Protection and shelter management while to health-related immediate Directorate (Municipal Civil helping to reunite families and needs was extremely difficult, Protection Committees or CCPCs). give support to humanitarian leaving health and technical staff Volunteers are coming from the aid distributors. After a disaster, overstretched and exhausted. Such scale of a disaster affected people in the long run, taking lives indirectly in the aftermath of the Hurricane sometimes months later. These consequences question the methodology of post disaster assessments as long- term needs for support must be better considered.
Creating a Regional solidarity network is a way to partially address small island context specific response challenges. This can materialize for example by sending health staff from one country to another when the health sector collapses, overwhelmed by the needs. In terms of preparedness, simulation exercises could be conducted at the regional level. More generally sharing of lessons learnt, training opportunities, and creation of regional operating procedures should be promoted among Caribbean countries. Municipal Civil Protection Committee volunteers in Haiti. Photo: World Bank.
6 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference they provide information about at all levels – local, national community volunteers to respond assistance and reconstruction and regional- is essential. to natural disasters. Strong programs and help with clearing Effective continuous community relationships among system operations. Through regular engagement is founded upon members of the community trainings and simulation exercises, awareness and acceptance of such as government, religion and the Civil Protection Directorate stakeholders’ perspectives and education help build trust and (DPC) generates an ever-growing goals. St Maarten for example, cooperation before, during and cohesion among CCPCs, and with is taking a “systems approach” following disasters. the departmental and regional that will increase a community’s level as well. However, despite the ability to continuously provide, recognition of the importance of obtain, promote and share risk Session Contributors volunteer work, the sustainability information. Educational, public Dr Mark Quirk, Caribbean health, religious and healthcare of this network is uncertain given Center for Disaster Medicine their precarious status and high institutions on the island work Gavin Mcgregor-Skinner, together to deliver consistent turn-over. A regional roadmap Caribbean Center for Disaster to strengthen volunteering emergency preparedness Medicine messages to all citizens including management would be a strong Margje Troost, Ministry support to national efforts to vulnerable populations. The of Public Health, Social reinforce this essential network in Caribbean Center for Disaster Development and Labour, Sint times of a disaster. Medicine (CCDM) that includes Maarten international, regional, and Clemens Buter, Pan-American community experts, educates, Health Organization Recommendations: trains and conducts research to Dr Jerry Chandler, Haiti Civil Community ensure accurate, relevant, timely Protection Directorate Engagement and consistent communication Dr Yolene Surena, Haiti Civil and Emergency on emergency preparedness. Protection Directorate Preparedness In Haiti municipal emergency Claudia Soto, World Bank preparedness and response (Author) In face of increasing complexity capacity has improved with the Cécile Arnaud-Lorillou, World and connectiveness of disasters, commitment of Municipal Civil Bank (Author) an approach based on cultural- Protection Committees, which systems thinking and collaboration have been crucial in mobilizing
Educational, public health, religious and healthcare institutions on the island work together to deliver consistent emergency preparedness messages to all citizens, including vulnerable populations.
7 8 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Building Regulation for Resilience: Innovation for Risk Reduction and Finance
Introduction
How can the Caribbean region become more resilient to a changing climate that is expected to bring more frequent and intense disasters? This was the question on everyone’s mind at the Understanding Risk Caribbean Conference. During the 2017 hurricane season, Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Dominica with disaster losses amounting to nearly 200% of GDP. A major contributing factor to this was the quality of the built environment—a lack of risk informed land use and compliance with up to date building codes. This example so starkly illustrates what is at stake if the built environment is not regulated adequately. To add another layer to this challenge, the Caribbean is made up of small islands with limited financial and technical resources. Solving this problem is going to require regional collaboration to drive efficiencies into building code processes and innovative new approaches to drive cost-effective financing solutions.
New Road Construction on the Mandela Highway in Kingston Jamaica. Photo: Debbie Ann Powell.
9 Building Regulation for Resilience: Innovation for Risk Reduction and Finance Preparedness and Response
for safe siting and construction support a shift from managing disasters to reducing underlying risks. In developed economies, building code compliance is also a factor of growth and sustainability of the property insurance industry. With appropriate coordination, both regulations and property insurance reinforce one another to achieve risk reduction in the physical environment. In countries with effective property insurance systems, the feasibility
Daniel Best of the Caribbean Development Bank presenting at the Building Regulation for Resilience: of underwriting is always Innovation for Risk Reduction and Finance session. Photo: World Bank. facilitated by the competence of The conference offered a and providing incentives for the local regulatory authority in platform for regional Caribbean mitigation investment. The session assuring both code compliance organizations concerned with set the stage for the development and reasonably predictable disaster risk reduction and how to of an innovative mechanism to building performance under prescribed loads. Since neither finance it, convening for a half-day fund mitigation investment, lenders nor insurers have the session to discuss the solution: wherein the future benefits of capacity to manage plan review a regional facility that supports investments in mitigation (e.g. or site inspection independently, the effective and efficient effective implementation of up-to- the presence of a competent implementation of building and date building codes and standards) regulatory system and an land use regulatory standards. The are captured and those gains (e.g. adequate building code makes this session brought together the key deferred losses) are applied to type of leverage for public safety players for identifying the path incentivize mitigation investments possible. forward, including: the Caribbean in new construction and retrofit. Development Bank (CDB), the The session laid the foundation for Currently, in a number of Caribbean Disaster Emergency regional stakeholders to cultivate Caribbean countries, a barrier Management Agency (CDEMA), the regional capacity to develop, to property insurance and CARICOM Regional Organization maintain and support collaboration reinsurance markets is uncertainty for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), between member states on with how to price the market. the Organisation of Eastern disaster risk reduction and finance. Incomplete assumptions regarding Caribbean States (OECS), and loss exposure are a key contributor the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk to this, due to uncertainties about Insurance Facility (CCRIF). To Background climate change implications and finance such an effort, Shalini about the quality of the built Vajjhala of re:focus Partners For context, it is broadly environment in the region. The explored risk financing solutions recognized that building code Building Regulatory project under that ranged from innovative implementation has a crucial role the Caribbean Regional Resilience insurance products to the to play in disaster risk reduction. Building Facility1 will aim at bridging expansion of insurance markets The application of standards this gap.
1 The Caribbean Regional Resilience Building Facility is financed by the European Union and managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery.
10 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
The Caribbean region has a the Caribbean, regional initiatives building regulatory capacity across high percentage of informal need to be intensified to support CARICOM member states3. construction, a factor that makes land use and building code the region particularly vulnerable compliance. The small islands to disaster risks. It is estimated of the Caribbean face unique Recommendations that between 60 to 70 percent resource and capacity constraints. Based on an initial scoping of of construction in urban area In this context, by leveraging the needs and demands in the is characterized as “informal regional bodies to pool and Caribbean, Building Regulation construction.” This means that strengthen building technology for Resilience (BRR) recommends construction is not informed by research facilities, building the development of a regional appropriate standards of siting and standards development and building regulatory framework construction. This factor combined training centers on safe planning and potential establishment of with the increased frequency and and construction practices a regional facility for building intensity of hurricanes, storm should be expanded and further surge and floods in the region encouraged by regional and technology and safety. Through lead to a significant expansion international partners. the support of the EU Caribbean of vulnerable settlements. It is, Regional Resilience Building Facility, therefore important that the this will address better building region prioritizes measures to Case Studies regulation, increased availability ensure safe construction such as of risk information to key multiple referencing updated hazard maps Currently, there is an opportunity stakeholders including re/insurance in local building codes, promoting to utilize the CROSQ as a industry, and capacity building the certification of builders, centralized hub for institutional and training. Anticipated activities supporting improved building and workforce capacity building include: materials and regulatory practice, across the Caribbean region. ●● Completion of Building and ensuring compliance with They are already well-positioned Regulatory Capacity suitable land use and building code for this role with the technical Assessments (BRCA) to provisions. expertise and wide-reaching influence throughout the accompany insurance markets Previous efforts to create a CARICOM countries via the assessments in up to 10 Caribbean-wide approach to network of Bureaus of Standards members (tbd) of CARICOM. building regulations2 have been they oversee through the CROSQ ●● unsuccessful largely due to Based on the recommendations Secretariat. Already, CROSQ has the lack of a robust centralized of the BRCAs, support led a very successful effort to organizational structure that is technical assistance, capacity formulate an energy efficiency able to not only provide training, building and training for building code for the region that accreditation and testing services, increased resilience in new helps reduce CO emissions for but also adapt to complexities 2 and existing building stock both commercial and residential in the built environment and and construction industry in construction. This effort can serve emerging technologies. CARICOM countries. as a roadmap for future regional In the face of increasing building code efforts that aim to ●● Develop a scope of regional vulnerability and disaster risks in facilitate and strengthen national services for technical
2 For example, there was an attempt to develop a Caribbean uniform building code in the 1980’s, but this initiative did not raise sufficient attention and support. 3 BRR is already active in the region. For example, it has been supporting the introduction of a new Building Act in Jamaica, passed by Parliament in January 2017. It currently provides technical assistance in the last phase of the finalization of a new and best practice building code adapted from model building codes of the International Code Council. It is also starting a new engagement in Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.
11 Building Regulation for Resilience: Innovation for Risk Reduction and Finance Preparedness and Response
27–31 May 2019 Barbados
Environmental Resilience #URCaribbean#URCaribbean, #ResilientCaribbean
Photo: ©12 sborisov. Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
assistance on increased data investors, and the insurance and with key regional stakeholders availability and in building and construction industries. When agreeing that CROSQ should be property insurance regulation. these forces work together, they the technical lead on this initiative can incentivize risk reduction in with critical support from CDB, ●● Explore with regional partners the built environment in the public CDEMA, and OECS. Since the UR (e.g. CDEMA, CROSQ, UWI, and private domains (e.g. homes session at the end of May 2019, U-TECH etc.) the possibility or business facilities built to an conversations between these of hosting a regional service agreed upon standard). stakeholders have been ongoing center to support the with support from the World Bank. expansion of building regulatory This workshop successfully built capacity across the region. consensus on a path forward
●● Upon the identification of a regional host organization, Session Contributors provide strategic support through strategic partners Daniel Best, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) such as IBTS, the International Ronald Jackson, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency Code Council, IBHS and ASTM. (CDEMA) Deryck Omar, CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) Conclusions Chamberlain Emmanuel, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Effective building regulations Isaac Anthony, Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) and land use planning are the Jeremy Collymore, University of the West Indies (UWI) key link between: 1) leveraging Melody Benavidez, World Bank (author) the existing body of risk and Thomas Moullier, World Bank (author) vulnerability analytics, 2) applying Rashmin Gunasekera, World Bank (author) this knowledge to guide future investment and infrastructure Frederick Krimgold, World Bank development, and 3) reducing Alison King, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) uncertainties around risk to key Teresa Cendrowska, ASTM International stakeholders, such as building Shalina Vajjhala, refocus owners, building regulators,
“We are running out of time.” —Caribbean citizens and leaders raise their voices
13 Article title
14 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Challenges in Developing Bidirectional Community Risk Communication: An Opportunity to Share Science, Evidence and Technology Solutions
Introduction
Critical knowledge gaps and challenges in channeling communications from individuals and communities to government, and from government to individuals and communities seriously hinder efforts for building disaster resilience and responding to disasters at all levels. Information deficiency is most serious at our local level, especially in terms of spatial information on risk, resources, capacities of communities, and means for bidirectional risk communication. We live and work on islands where broadly communicating risk information to the community and specific information to highly vulnerable populations in a way that is meaningful to them is very challenging.
Background
Our personal experiences dealing with disasters in the Caribbean have identified the need to:
1. Build a culture of preparedness where every segment of our society, from individual to government, industry to philanthropy, must be encouraged and empowered with the information it needs to prepare for the inevitable impacts of future disasters.
Aerial view of the devastation in Roseau, Dominica on September 28, 2017. Hurricane Maria inflicted catastrophic damages and at least 15 deaths in this Caribbean island. (Photo by Jose Jimenez Tirado/Getty Images). 15 Challenges in Developing Bidirectional Community Risk Communication: An Opportunity to Share Science, Evidence and Technology Solutions
2. Ready our islands for we needed to shift the way we hardware-based equipment, catastrophic disasters think about disasters, and how we can be replicated by digital by strengthening working communicate, so that we can be manufacturing techniques. relationships with partners better prepared in the future. This could include 3D printing across all levels of government for water testing, food safety, But to truly foster a culture of within and between island environmental testing, and has preparedness, we must go beyond nations. Small island states the option to share real-time our government programs. We must access new sources risk information using web- are engaging all stakeholders— of scalable capabilities to based forums. including government, quickly meet the needs of nongovernmental organizations, 3. We need to build more resilient overwhelming incidents, taking the private sector, adult citizens communities to reduce risks a multi-hazard approach toward and the youth—to join as partners to people and property. preparedness. Whether the to combine and streamline Cellphones and unmanned hazard falls under natural, activities in this effort. aerial vehicles enable the anthropogenic, or an act of general public to assist in the terrorism, preparation is key. So how do we join together to meet this goal? We began our classification of photos, video, 3. Reduce the complexity of discussion with four areas where and reduces the time needed decision-making and continue we believe we can drive change. to analyze large data. Rapidly to be responsible stewards of restoring bidirectional lines the resources we are entrusted 1. We need to acknowledge that of communication is critical in to administer. We must also during a disaster, individuals saving lives after a disaster. do everything that we can in the impacted communities to leverage data to drive are the first responders. After 4. We need to assist communities decision-making and reduce Hurricane Irma, people had to with their continuity planning the administrative, financial, look after themselves not just to ensure that essential and bureaucratic burdens that for hours or days but for many government services function impede impacted individuals weeks. We need to empower following a disaster. This also and communities from quickly and prepare individuals with includes issuing emergency receiving the assistance they lifesaving skills to help speed alerts and notifications as need. response and recovery efforts. well as bidirectional risk communication to ensure 2. We need to reduce the citizens and governments are Case Study financial burden of disasters informed of what’s happening at to individuals, businesses, and the local level. This functionality On the island of St. Maarten/ governments by identifying will allow all parties to take ways to better understand and St. Martin, as we moved from protective actions before and reduce risk. Communities using immediate response and recovery during disasters. to long term recovery, we crowd sourcing, citizen science, reflected on the lessons identified and volunteer monitoring from September 6, 2017, when can play a key role in helping Challenges Category 5 Hurricane Irma generate data to identify slammed into the island. In doing and understand risk. Citizen In our session we discussed how so, we contemplated not only scientists can build and operate to promote new collaborations how to increase our readiness for their own instruments to and sharing of science, evidence catastrophic disasters, but also gather data by using amateur and technology solutions within how best to reduce impacts from radio. Six Sigma Projects, an and between island states. future disasters. We realized that open-source software and Session participants expressed
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Session Panelists – Jess Beutler, Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, Margje Troost, Joy Arnell, Priyanka Thirumur, Fenna Arnell, and Louis Jeffry. Photo: Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner. a need for formal systems to be and community data generators Identify New established between islands using in filling this gap, leading to better Communication Channels video conferencing, telemedicine, understanding risk. Before a disaster, communities and agreements to support the What information might can contribute local knowledge sharing of resources - both people communities have on the places on assets and vulnerabilities that and things- between islands. All they live which is not available help governments better assess participants agreed that we need to governments? Do you have risk and develop contingency be inclusive, participatory, and a process for systematically plans. After a disaster, when all ensure a transparent dialogue gathering this information through primary communication systems ensues when responding to these community mapping? Social and technology fail, we must think challenges with the following steps: media? Open data projects? Other creatively and adapt to the crisis Build Government- sources? by identifying new communication Community Collaboratives to channels. Develop Key Messages in Better Understand Risk Advance What systems do governments In many locations, there are and communities use to Many key messages can be written serious gaps in up-to-date, share information on risk and before disaster strikes so they can hyper-local data on a community’s preparedness before a disaster? be quickly disseminated before an infrastructure, basic services, What happened when your event, during the response, and in assets, and vulnerabilities. communications systems failed the recovery stages. In disaster or were disrupted? Can people go Individuals and community planning this is known as a “phased “back to basics”? organizations are a valuable, approach” and can save valuable yet underutilized source of this What alternate communication time when in the midst of a crisis information. Collaborative data channels have you used? SMS response. generation and mapping projects Text messaging, social media, using participatory mapping Do you have a key message outdoor speakers to run public techniques (like OpenStreetMap, document to help you quickly service announcements, radio What3Words, and WeMap) are create and adapt communication announcements, mass producing helping unite government agencies products for your audiences? printed materials, signs and
17 Challenges in Developing Bidirectional Community Risk Communication: An Opportunity to Share Science, Evidence and Technology Solutions billboards, or relaying messages by How can we best work with 3. Implement an emergency word of mouth? partners to disseminate communication system appropriate, accurate, and between Government and Create Culturally timely information to the public? Community Based Organizations Appropriate Materials What ways can we engage that meets the need of Cultural norms influence how non-government organizations, existing cultural, education, and people behave, so culture has community groups, volunteers, and language challenges. important implications for individuals to ensure their actions emergency communication. Our are coordinated and effective? island societies are multicultural What platforms do we have or Conclusion and multilingual, and for St. Martin/ need to ensure what we learned is Joy Arnell closed our session by St. Maarten more than 100 captured and shared? stating, “Our vision is to create a nationalities officially reside with comprehensive community-based a population of about 77,000. emergency preparedness system Therefore, it is important to use Recommendations that stands aligned with national widely understood terminology and Next Steps strategies and utilizes community and to provide clear and localized mobilization as a means to language messages, particularly for 1. Establish and strengthen encourage community jollification audiences with low literacy. capacities of Community Based Organizations so that they and resilience of individual Partner Up may be partners and assets in community members.” Emergency Preparedness and How did we collaborate to Our session presenters were Disaster Management. determine our number one associated with the islands of priority, which was reaching the 2. Create a platform for Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, most vulnerable communities? direct dialogue and mutual Bonaire, Aruba, Curacao, Saba, Sint These groups include those that understanding of expectations Eustatius, Guadeloupe, Martinique, had chronic medical conditions, between Government Saint Barthelemy. required daily medications, needed and Community Based a source of electricity, were unable Organizations. to access transport, families with young children, or those with no access to clean water or food.
How can Island Nations adopt and use technology with limited access to expert knowledge and determine which technology would be most applicable in identifying resources to train locals? Boots on the Ground After the 2017 hurricane, talking with people face-to-face gave us a better understanding of the reality’s survivors were facing. It also helped identify public health information gaps in our materials Participatory mapping by school children provides local data and detailed understanding of locations so we could make adjustments. and their risk. Photo: Tyler Radford, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap.
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Well-designed disaster risk financing strategies are developed before a disaster strikes, integrated into core public finance systems, and combine risk retention and transfer instruments in the context of an effective legal framework. —World Bank Caribbean DRM Team
19 Article title
20 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference The Power of Games: Playing a Game to Understand Risk and Change Organizational Culture
Introduction
The estimated 44 million people of the Caribbean live on up to 100 islands in at least 28 island nations and must make decisions about many health, safety, financial, and environmental risks. There are many different kinds of risk and clearly “risk” is a very broad topic. The islands share similar challenges, including small but growing populations, limited resources, remoteness, susceptibility to disasters, vulnerability to external shocks, excessive dependence on international trade, and fragile environments.
People rely on platforms for sharing experiences and lessons learned between different sectors, languages and cultural groups across the Caribbean in order to facilitate improved disaster risk reduction. Greater awareness among actors in emergency management, disaster medicine, and risk management of the diverse sources of local expertise in their region is always a topic of conversation. Fortunately, many people are engaged in risk reduction activities, and in some cases, they can exert direct personal control over the risks they face. In other cases, they can only act indirectly by influencing social processes. In all cases, they need a diverse set of cognitive, social, and emotional skills in order to understand the information they receive, interpret its relevance, and articulate their views to others. The Caribbean Center for Disaster Medicine helps people acquire these skills through formal education, workshops, exercises and simulations, and applying lessons learned from personal experiences.
“Friday Night at the ER” was played for one hour, managing a hospital emergency department. The objective was to keep costs low and the quality high – in a simulated time span of 24 hours. Source: Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner.
21 The Power of Games: Playing a Game to Understand Risk and Change Organizational Culture
Background empower decision-making and risk setting is familiar to people in management by facilitating game all industries and cultures, so it Simulation games, like “Friday play and using participatory, game- works well as a universal learning Night at the ER” have the capacity based processes for accelerating tool. All participants that played to shift mental models. Mental learning. This process fosters “Friday Night at the ER” were models are frameworks that we dialogue and promote action introduced to principles of construct subconsciously, which through real-world decisions with Systems Thinking and how to apply help us to understand and predict an emphasis on strengthening the concepts and understand how the world around us. They are disaster risk management. We to share accountability through dynamic, and change based on use simulation games to provide interdisciplinary teamwork. our understanding of reality. Our a hands-on opportunity for There are many other simulation mental models serve as useful demonstrating the importance games that cover a range of tools in understanding risk and of systems thinking, collaboration topics, from climate change and problem solving, but are often across borders, and data-driven clean energy to disaster risk incomplete and can be inaccurate, decision making. Games can reduction and resilience. Simulation because they are a personalized meaningfully engage people in games are usually facilitated representation of reality rather experiencing complex systems to by trained instructors who than reality itself. Playing “Friday better understand their current create a fun and realistic gaming Night at the ER” helps visualize or potential role in transforming environment and guide a post- both the problems we face in them. Elements to such games game discussion to teach players communication, collaboration, include consequences for the systems thinking concepts. All of resource shortages, time players and their community in a the games can be played many constraints, lack of information, way that is serious and fun. Game times by the same participants. and more importantly, the paths to play provides a group learning Other games include: solving them. experience that generates a “Friday Night at the ER” is a hands- collective intelligence that can set ●● World Climate Simulation on experiential learning tool, where the stage for deep discussion and is a role-playing exercise of players interact with one another, truly participatory dialogue. the United Nations climate change negotiations for groups. participate in active learning, and Our workshop, “Empowering It is unique in that it uses an experience a modeled version decision-making and experience interactive computer model reality where they can learn from risk through participating in their actions. They are faced with to rapidly analyze the results a game”, was guided by trained a problem and must find a solution. of the mock-negotiations facilitators. Four players per table During a simulation game, players during the event. You can use each played the role of a hospital face the flaws and gaps in their the World Climate Simulation department manager. It is a understanding, and challenge their to build climate change scenario-based, tabletop exercise mental models. “Friday Night at awareness and enable people that challenges teams to manage the ER” game is capable of not only to experience some of the a fictitious hospital during a yielding a mental model shift but dynamics that emerge in simulated 24-hour period. Patients also to be realistic about the path the United Nations climate and staff arrive and depart, from understanding to action. negotiations. workloads are uneven, events pop up unexpectedly, department ●● The Beer Distribution Game Case Studies managers make decisions has been used to demonstrate and communicate, finances and understand a number of Our approach at the Caribbean accumulate, and quality indicators key principles of supply chain Center for Disaster Medicine is to are measured. The hospital management used to distribute
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a single item, in this case, cases of beer are used. It was developed in the early 1960’s. Each game session is followed by a detailed debrief to teach players systems thinking concepts.
●● A game called Keep Cool is a board game that facilitates experiential learning about the difficulties of international climate politics but also focuses on communication and team building. Players represent countries and must react to climate impacts during game play in an attempt to control Participants gather in a multidisciplinary training opportunity to learn about systems thinking. rising global temperatures. Source: Dr. Gavin Macgregor-Skinner.
Challenges Conclusions immersive training without elaborate set up, is relatively It is important for organizations Experiential learning provides low cost, and beneficial for team to promote a culture of learning a method for presenting vital training and changing attitudes. at all levels but sometimes adults information in a way that Games can provide a simplistic are reluctant to play a board compensates for different model that allows for a focus on game or understand the value learning styles and is adaptable subject matter central themes and of participating in a simulation. for changing environments. It provides a common experience to Barriers to organizational learning provides a unique and specific launch discussion. Games are also include poor communication, experience that can be tailored often visually appealing and viewed weak feedback processes, and a to groups and organizations. It positively by players, which can lack of purpose. Organizational is anticipated that structuring encourage open communication of culture is an important learning experiences using difficult topics. consideration when assessing an games will assist participants organization’s ability to change to successfully assimilate and successfully implement new organizational information into Session Contributors practices. Simulation games their mental models and produce Gavin Macgregor-Skinner, focus on experiential learning, more effective decision making. Caribbean Center for Disaster using a holistic learning model At the Caribbean Center for Medicine, St. Maarten (author) that involves a cyclical process of Disaster Medicine, we strengthen Teri Boese, American experiencing an activity, reflecting capacity using simulations that University of the Caribbean on that activity, applying it to real provide experiential learning, School of Medicine life situations, and then evaluating learning without fear of failure, Greg Plochocki, American the impact of the activity for learner centered, and promotion University of the Caribbean future actions of independence and skill David Adelstein, American development. Role playing provides University of the Caribbean
23 Article title
“We are late, but not too late for action.” —Joaquin Toro
24 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Building Resilient Housing in the Eastern Caribbean
Background
A home can be a family’s biggest asset and a source of generational wealth as parents often give it to children, so with one disaster most of a family’s wealth can be wiped away. The destruction of homes also have major social impacts and can negatively affect childhood learning and development. The housing sector often incurs some of the greatest damage when natural disasters such as hurricanes strike countries in the Eastern Caribbean Region. In the past decade the region has been hit with several major hydro-meteorological events that produced widespread devastation. In 2017, Hurricane Maria caused major damage to more than 70% of the housing stock in Dominica, with damages totaling US$354 million which represents 66% of the 2016 GDP. Recovery costs for the housing sector alone were estimated at US$1,403 million. Sint Maarten was hit by Hurricane Irma in September 2017, and then suffered additional devastation as Hurricane Maria produced heavy rainfall over the island as it passed through the region two weeks later. The back-to-back events left significant damage throughout the built environment. The 2016 floods in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines damaged 189 houses at a cost of US$4.6 million, while the 2013 floods in Saint Lucia left US$2.15 million in damages to the housing sector. These cases represent only some of the more significant incidents of natural disasters which have shocked and distressed small island states in the Eastern Caribbean.
Eastern Caribbean countries are working to improve the resilience of their housing stock through assessing current conditions, enhancing housing stock and improving policies. Poor housing resilience is often associated with low-income households, as high construction cost drives families to build in high-risk zones under inadequate standards. In this session, panelists discussed what Eastern Caribbean countries such as Sint Maarten, Saint
Photo: Anna Bryukhanova.
25 Building Resilient Housing in the Eastern Caribbean
Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint distribution; finance mechanisms; Ministry of Housing in improving Lucia and Dominica are doing to technical capacity; insurance; and the quality of life of low- and improve the resilience of their site-specific hazard screening. moderate-income families in housing programs. More specifically, it incorporates Saint Vincent and the Grenadines revision of building codes, by making available to them ban on importation of inferior affordable housing opportunities. Case studies construction material, training The country’s housing market of construction labor force is characterized by low- to Housing Recovery in the and homeowners on resilient upper-middle-income styled Commonwealth of Dominica construction practices houses and informal settlements Currently, Dominica is facing the (software intervention), hiring of altogether accounting for monumental task of rebuilding additional personnel in government more than 36,000 homes, with its housing stock, and not just departments, and development of principal financing mechanisms replacing or repairing the houses financial assistance programs. being traditional mortgages or that were destroyed by Hurricane As Dominica has embarked upon incremental construction, the Maria, but ensuring that both the endeavor to become the latter being a prime choice of new construction and repairs are First Climate Resilient Country the informal settlements. Within of quality to be resilient against in the world, its interventions the past 15 years, the HLDC has future disasters in order to under the overarching National produced more than 1200 new protect the lives and livelihoods Housing Repair and Reconstruction houses through its collection of citizens. The scope for housing Programme is set to position of housing programs such as recovery efforts entails in the housing sector firmly on the the 100% mortgage facility to integrated systems approach and course of resilience. public servants at the indigenous encompasses ensuring all elements financing facilities; disaster Better Living Standards of the housing construction relocation housing; post-disaster industry are aligned towards the through Affordable Housing housing rehabilitation; the Housing production of resilient structures. in Saint Vincent and the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation The government’s strategy to Grenadines Project; the Lives to Live program resilient recovery of the housing The mission of the Housing and (which seeks to provide improved sector is comprehensive in scope Land Development Corporation sanitary and physical access encompassing examination of the (HLDC) is to facilitate the facilities to elderly, disabled or elements of housing production implementation of Government’s otherwise disadvantaged citizens); such as the regulatory framework; housing program through and the Housing Infrastructure material quality, supply and assistance provided to the Improvement Project (through
Source: Facilities for Resilience in Saint Lucia.
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Figure 1: The CAFF Loan Model
Source: Saint Lucia Development Bank. which roads, water and electricity Bank (SLBD) with funding made agriculture, and 1 towards are delivered to a number of available from the Climate manufacturing/tourism/service. sites). HLDC pivots it operations Investment Funds’s Pilot Program Challenges identified include to not only focus solely on the for Climate Resilience, implemented only collateralized loans offered, house structure, but it also through the Disaster Vulnerability lack of awareness of “climate engages in development of the Reduction Project. It is designed adaptation interventions”, public wider community context in to offer climate change adaptation misperceptions, and challenging recognition that resilience ought loans which are affordable, economic conditions. Going forward, to manifest at various scales and equitable across socio-economic as the program adapts and expands, not just in isolated, disjointed sites, and gendered lines, and which will consideration is being given to in order to improve the overall provide incentives for pre-emptive utilizing credit unions as on-lending resilience of the nation. vulnerability reduction. The CAFF institutions, improving public will provide readily accessible loans communication, targeted expansion In its institutional alliance with the to small businesses and households to other sectors, and targeted National Emergency Management for investments and/or livelihood marketing to businesses. Organization (NEMO) and Ministry activities that support climate of Housing, the HLDC has been adaptation or disaster vulnerability Results of the Rapid Housing involved with the provision of reduction. Again here, an Sector Diagnostic in Sint housing for over 400 low-income integrated systems approach Maarten and highly vulnerable households, to resilience is adopted; one which The Rapid Housing Sector and they benefit from the services seeks to improve resilience not Diagnostic Tool enocmpasses a a of the Physical Planning unit which just in the housing sector, but also methodology for a comprehensive provides active supervision to in the business sector in order to housing assessment that enables all project sites and ensures the reduce vulnerability to business more effective policy and project implementation of Building Codes assets and secure livelihoods. interventions. The tool was used to in new construction, renovations, In its first 12 months of existence, examine both the supply (housing and rehabilitations. the CAFF disbursed 40 loans availability, associated costs, and The Climate Adaptation Finance totalling approximately US$420,000. constraints) and demand (prevailing Facility (CAFF) is the flagship The majority (35) of the loans went income levels, affordability, and resilience-focused product offered towards residential interventions, financing options) sides of the by the Saint Lucia Development while 4 were directed towards housing market in Sint Maarten.
27 Building Resilient Housing in the Eastern Caribbean
It advances a critical step in the hands of few landholders. systems, high inflation, poor direction of establishing a strategic contract enforcement, limited ●● Regulations and Procedures. bridge between housing and access to credit, high perception The permitting process housing finance in that it serves of mortgage risks, little capital is lengthy and uncertain, as a diagnostic/audit/assessment market funding for lenders, and averaging 6 months for a methodology that it links policy lack of income. Though many, these single house and between makers, developers, bankers, challenges are not insurmountable, 10 to 18 months for a larger and end users in both the formal and strategies for their resolution project; the building code and informal housing markets; or mitigation are already underway dates to 1935, and does not identifies the housing demand– in several countries in the region. include hurricane resistant supply divergence across income When it comes to post-disaster building guidelines; residential levels; offers recommendations for redevelopment, benchmark for development is only allowed developing housing and housing resilience is not fixed and varies in land located above the finance products for each income from one country to another, and 50m altitude line thus segment; and empowers cross- although the strategies developed leading to large lots, and high sector discourse and collaboration and implementation thereof will infrastructure costs. for more meaningful interventions differ, common underpinnings encompass the objective that and policies in the housing sphere. Key recommendations arising the (re)construction needs to from the analysis of the results Key findings from the Sint Maarten be strong, so that assets and of the housing sector disgnostic housing sector diagnostic include: livelihoods become less susceptible include: Incentivize development to future shocks; fast, so that ●● Housing Finance. Mortgage of “affordable housing”, improve people can resume their normal loans averages US$250,000, land supply, improve land life sooner; and inclusive, so that and outstanding mortgage management, support rental nobody is left behind during the loans totalled almost 48% of housing market development, course of recovery. GDP. special programs for low income households, improve technical ●● Land. High land prices are driven capacity and financial resources, by institutional constraints Session Contributors and improve data collection. and physical limitations. In Rosamund Edwards, terms of domain (public) land, Ministry of Finance, Commonwealth of lease agreements are not Conclusions Dominica being strategically directed Kenyatta Alleyne, Housing towards the most efficient The challenges to building resilient and Land Development use of land and there is limited housing in the Eastern Caribbean Corporation, Saint Vincent and enforcement of agreed clauses; are numerous: high exposure to the Grenadines many parcels have not been natural disasters, rugged terrain, Gale Cumberbatch, Saint developed regardless of the high land costs, inadequate Lucia Development Bank 2 year development clause, planning, rapid urbanization, small Ming Zhang, World Bank resulting in speculation; and scale, poor land titling, high cost of Keren Charles, World Bank rents have not been updated construction, high import duties, Kristal Peters, World Bank and do not reflect the value lengthy procedures and cost of (author) of land. With regard to obtaining construction permits, Mahlet Tsigie, World Bank private land, it was found that limited housing, inexistant or succession land was often outdated land or urban policy, poor trapped in family disputes, and enforcement of building codes, large land parcels are held in inadequate mortgage finance
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Delegates from across the Caribbean share their stories at the “Voices of Resilience” youth plenary.
“Stories prove to be more resilient than hurricanes and disasters. The buildings may fall but stories will always remain. You just have to be imaginative and hopefully have people who are open-minded enough to tell stories in unconventional ways. They are more impactful than pamphlets and they are more effective than brochures.” —Shakira Bourne, Barbadian writer and filmmaker
Barbadian writer, Shakira Bourne, shares a poem as part of the UR Caribbean “Voices of Resilience” youth plenary. 29 Launch of European Union Programs to Increase Disaster Resilience in the Region
Launch of European Union Programs to Increase Disaster Resilience in the Region
Photo: EU Launch Event speakers including: (at podium) The Hon. Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Leona Romeo-Marlin; Stephen Boyce; Daniela Tramacere; Anna Wellenstein; Isaac Anthony; Fabian McKinnon.
framework of the Caribbean OCTs’ Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity Programme - ReSEMBiD, implemented by Expertise France, the World Bank, and GFDRR with the objective of During the UR Caribbean to mainstream resilience; strengthening environmentally Conference, the European Union leveraging investments to reduce sustainable economic (EU) launched two programs, vulnerability; and expanding development in Caribbean OCTs. financial protection against in partnership with the World Beneficiary countries include: disasters such the 2017 Irma Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Anguilla, Aruba, St. Barthelemy, and Maria hurricanes. Beneficiary Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), British Virgin Islands, Bonaire, countries include: Antigua and that are designed to strengthen Cayman Islands, Curacao, Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, resilience and adaptation capacity Montserrat, Saba, Turks and in the Caribbean region to the Belize, Dominica, Dominican Caicos Islands, St. Eustatius and benefit of the most vulnerable. Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, St. Maarten. See here for more . The programs will support Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, information. Caribbean countries as they Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and plan for long-term resilience and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. See here for climate smart growth strategies, Launch Event Speakers and design and implement more information. innovative policy and investment Ms. Daniela Tramacere, Head TA Program for Disaster Risk initiatives. The two programs of EU Delegation to Barbados Financing and Insurance in being funded are the Caribbean Honorable Prime Minister Caribbean OCTs Regional Resilience Building Facility Leona Romeo-Marlin, Sint Maarten (USD 31 million) and the Technical This TA Program will help Assistance Program for Disaster Caribbean OCTs to understand Ms. Anna Wellenstein, World Bank Regional Director Risk Financing and Insurance in their financial exposure or contingent liability to disasters; for Sustainable Development Caribbean Overseas Countries and for Latin America and the provide an overview of financial Territories (OCTs) (USD 3.4 million). Caribbean protection tools available; assess Caribbean Regional Resilience Fabian McKinnon, ReSEMBiD the feasibility of participating Building Facility Program Director, Expertise in insurance mechanisms; France This Facility will support 15 and facilitate the sharing of Mr. Isaac Anthony, Chief Caribbean countries by providing knowledge among OCTs. It Executive Officer, CCRIF SPC financial and technical assistance will be carried out within the
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Launch of Canada’s Caribbean Resilience Facility
Photo: Launch of Canada’s Caribbean Resilience Facility, held at the Hilton Hotel’s Charles Fort. [From Left to Right: Richard Sutherland, Yohannes Kesete, Benoit Pierre Laramee, Joaquin Toro, Her Excellency Marie Legault, Ming Zhang, Naraya Carrasco, Leah April, Mirtha Escobar, Christine Hogan, Leonardo Iannone]
to-peer knowledge exchange, compile lessons learn and develop other knowledge and learning products, as needed.
GFDRR is the secretariat of the CRF, a single donor trust fund, Given the frequency and severity will be provided across three and activities will be implemented of disasters in the Caribbean, components: by the World Bank. Beneficiary and the impacts of a changing 1. Technical Assistance and countries include Antigua and climate, institutional capacities in Implementation Support Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, the region are often challenged for Recovery and Resilience- Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint to prepare for and respond to Building Programs: This Lucia, Suriname, and St. Vincent disasters before the next one component will provide and the Grenadines. occurs. This is evident in the technical support and build significant delay that exists government’s capacity to between the disaster event accelerate resilience recovery Launch Event Speakers and the start of reconstruction and reconstruction. projects. During the UR Caribbean Benoit Pierre Laramee, Senior Director, Caribbean Conference, the Global Facility 2. Mainstreaming Climate Regional Programme, Canada for Disaster and Reduction and Resilience and Gender Her Excellency Marie Recovery (GFDRR), in partnership across the Public Financial Legault, The Canadian High with Canada, launched the US$ Management Cycle: This Commissioner 15 million Caribbean Resilience component will provide Cointha Thomas, Permanent Facility (CRF) that is designed to technical assistance to Secretary, Ministry of Finance, address these challenges. integrate resilience and gender Economic Growth, Job considerations into core Creation, External Affairs and The CRF will support countries public financial management the Public Service, Saint Lucia so they can respond more functions, systems and Julie Dana, Head of the Global effectively to natural disasters; protocols in order to enhance Facility for Disaster Reduction accelerate the implementation and Recovery (GFDRR) the allocative efficiency of of reconstruction projects and emergency financing. Christine Hogan, The World other resilient activities; and Bank Executive Director implement institutional reforms 3. Knowledge Management for Canada, Ireland and the for public financial management and Peer-to-Peer Exchange: Caribbean that incorporate gender-informed Activities under this disaster responsiveness. Support component will enable peer-
31 Visualizing Risk and Resilience
Art can help us better understand and deal with forecasts, disasters and financing over time, and even disaster risk across the globe. In addition to a fractural hurricanes. variety of launches, technical trainings and sessions, Finally, UR Caribbean partnered with renowned the conference offered a unique way to better Argentinian neo-figurative artist, Santiago Espeche, understand the resilience agenda through community who produced a series of “satellite art” installations engagement initiatives using art. Starting with the Opening Ceremony, UR Caribbean collaborated with inspired by Caribbean poetry. To achieve this, satellite the Barbados Museum and Historical Society to add information—which in its raw form comes in shades of “risk layers” to some of the standing exhibits, resulting grey—was reinvigorated with color. “According to the in one-minute video installations that augmented the artist, just like a childhood memory or a glance at the museum’s collection to consider the effects of natural stars, a satellite image is not only the sum of pixels hazards. In addition, art was woven throughout and colors, but a poetic composition of imaginary the entire week’s events through a series of “data- verses.” Espeche describes his work with satellite art garden” installations—including tableaus, palm trees, as a merging of figuration and abstraction, science and bush tea plots, and benches—scattered across the poetry. This exhibition was displayed throughout the University of West Indies Cave Hill campus, that conference, and added to the growing dialogue on the were made to represent risk themes like seasonal rain connection between art and disaster resilience.
Tell me, without a six is there a seven? Would there be a hell, without a heaven? What about the being of light without dark? Would there have been a flood without an ark? Or would the rain exist without the sunshine? ... —Leslie Alexis
32 Is there an I without being a you? 2019. Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
marine to noon on AméricasAirplane First the dark meer begins to breathe gently into green into light & light green until there are like blue ... —Kamau Brathwaite Natural Mystic. 2019. There’s a natural mystic blowing through the air —Robert Nesta Marley
where they will be mountains & ridges & villages & ozure indigo sunsets of lapis lazuli & white salt marking its finely corrugated edges & stretching out into thousands of tongues. Marine to Noon. 2019. ... —Kamau Brathwaite Tongues. 2019.
33 Visualizing Risk and Resilience
“Risky Timelines” data sculpture and contributor, Alanis Forde.
Top: The CARICOF DataGarden illustrated a seasonal Tayler Friar, communications consultant interviews Pablo Suarez, rainfall forecast. Above: Data sculpture on Caribbean artist-in-residence at the National University of Singapore on the data- tourism landings before and after a major hurricane. garden installation at the University of West Indies, Cave Hill campus.
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Risk visualization was integrated with palm trees to illustrate disaster risk timelines.
Closing speaker, Angus Friday, helps with Kathy-Ann Caesar, of CIMH, helps add to the seasonal planting in the DataGarden. forecast plot of the DataGarden.
35 Article title
Photo: © Randle Martina.
36 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
Enhancing Resilient Urban Development in the Eastern Caribbean
Background
It is known that a well-designed and well-managed city can build resilience, foster economic growth and improve quality of life. Eastern Caribbean countries are actively engaging in improving their cities to make them more resilient, more inclusive, better able to attract capital and address changing demographics. With urban areas expected to grow 100% to 300% by 2050, decisions made now about urban resilience pathways will have implications on development outcomes in the future. This session focused on what Eastern Caribbean countries are doing to build urban resilience and how social media, such as Facebook’s Social Good program, can change how communities engage building resilient cities.
Storm. Illustration: Kharkhan_Oleg Photo: © Randle Martina.
37 Enhancing Resilient Urban Development in the Eastern Caribbean
Case studies Figure 1. Grenada’s Blue Growth Coastal Master Plan
St. Georges, Grenada—The Caribbean’s First Climate Smart Capital City In the last 15 years, an important series of events propelled Grenada to look at Blue Economy as a source of growth. In 2004 Grenada was hit by Hurricane Ivan which caused damages worth over 200% of GDP, leading the Source: Patil, Pawan G.; Diez, Sylvia Michele. 2016. Grenada - Blue growth coastal master plan (English). Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/ country to restructure its debt. en/358651480931239134/Grenada-Blue-growth-coastal-master-plan. Then, in 2005 a second hurricane caused significant damage and further destabilized the country’s with a portfolio of over US$1 into Saint Lucia’s overall planning economy. Following the 2008 billion worth of projects. The strategies. The review exercise financial crisis, increasingly, country is a founding member entailed key factors to realign Grenada could not meet its debt of the Caribbean Climate Smart 2008 objectives with SDGs / obligations, and investments Accelerator which is providing NUA / International Guidelines dwindled, and unemployment rose support for Grenada’s aspirations. on Urban and Territorial Planning to around 40%. By 2013, Grenada The accelerator has 27 member (IGUTP); reconsider overall had to design a structural nations and over 40 international balance between a people- and adjustment program which was private sector organizations, with tourism-centered approach; supported by the IMF and World both the IDB and the World Bank reconsider overall balance Bank. One solution to this crisis as partners. between and car and people- centric approach; reconsider was to develop a Blue Growth Countries interested in interplay between and area- Master Plan- an integrated possibilities for blue growth spatial plan for their marine and based urban policy for core-city, master planning or investment coastal environments and the waterfront/harbor and the are encouraged to approach the economic activities they can wider city-region; adjust to accelerator of guidance on a way support sustainably. The Master new topics that emerged since forward. Plan is based upon existing coastal 2008, including climate change clusters; a total of which 9 were Castries Vision 2030— resilience and socially more identified in consultation with local Saint Lucia inclusive planning; and to shift stakeholders. Blue Growth is seen from a blueprint physical/master- In 2018, a review of the 2008 as one of the key strategies to planning approach to a more National Vision Plan was done generate jobs, and it is hoped that strategic and flexible multilevel through the lens of a new body increased investment in these and multi-actor action planning of science with regards to Urban coastal clusters will stimulate and implementation approach. Development and Planning, as jobs, alternative livelihoods, and expressed by the Sustainable A key component on this economic growth, thus reducing Development Goal (SDG) #11, process was the adoption of a pressure on fisheries. the New Urban Agenda (NUA). Participatory Planning Approach Grenada’s Blue Growth Coastal This approach assured the with a key activity being the Master Plan has been developed mainstreaming of requirements first Castries Urban Forum into an investment prospectus of such international conventions (CUF), which saw widespread
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Figure 2. Map Illustrating 7 Focus Areas for Immediate Interventions within namely for the creation of a Castries Core City Area, Saint Lucia. ‘modern city’ on the 133-acre former airport site in Arnos Vale; and to redevelop the capital city of Kingstown. This program is aligned with the National Economic and Social Development Plan (2013-25) and its vision to achieve sustainable economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction and improving the quality of life for all Vincentians.
The Government has taken steps to advance this ambitious agenda Source: Draft Castries Vision 2030 Report. by developing a working group to focus on the development of participation of representatives Plan is the inclusion of a roadmap Arnos Vale, that has engaged from various national for the implementation. in visioning and other planning organizations and groups within exercises. The Government is Urban Resilience the Castries city-region. The currently advertising for a firm to Considerations for Arnos Forum produced a declaration develop master plans for the area. Vale and Kingstown containing 10 Vision Statements In addition, the Government has that were combined into an Revitalization in SVG reached out to the World Bank Integrated Vision Statement The Government of Saint Vincent Group for technical assistance. To that now serves as a motto for and the Grenadines (SVG) is this end, the World Bank Group, the Castries Vision 2030: “Making currently receiving technical with support from the European Saint Lucia’s Capital a Vibrant, assistance from the World Union’s ACP-EU NDRR program is Resilient and Smart Heritage City Bank with the main objective of engaging in a series of activities for its Residents and Visitors”. A enhancing their urban resilience to enhance the resilience urban key distinction of this Vision 2030 and financial planning strategies, development agenda. The
Figure 3. Aerial view highlighting key waterways in Figure 4. Aerial view highlighting key waterfront sites for Kingstown, St. Vincent. development in Kingstown, St. Vincent. MODERN CITY KINGSTOWN REVITALIZATION Surrounding Topography New Waterfront Development
Source: “Urban Resilience Considerations in the Design of the Modern City at Arnos Vale and the Kingstown Revitalization Project, Saint Vincent” Presentation at Understanding Risk Caribbean.
39 Enhancing Resilient Urban Development in the Eastern Caribbean
Government and the World Bank countries to upgrade climate data Facebook’s Social Group co-hosted a workshop and and services for climate-smart Good Tools stakeholder consultation with project design. representatives from ministries, Facebook is a leader in today’s PPCR has promoted resilient agencies, private sector, world of social media, and since urban development globally in community based, civil society, the the creation of the original social three key ways: Caribbean Development Bank and networking platform, it has the EU. The aim of the event was ●● Integrating—Blue, grey and created its Social Good suite of to describe the principles of urban green infrastructure through applications which aligned with resilience, collect feedback from nature base solutions and Facebook’s mission to bring the stakeholders on the development hybrid approaches to urban world closer together. Social agenda and to build consensus development Good has four main themes of on the way forward. The engagement with users: charitable outcomes from this workshop was ●● Programming—Providing giving, crisis response, health and presented during the session. flexible funding streams mentorship. to maximize finance for Global and Regional Insights ●● Charitable Giving. Though development programmatically on the Pilot Program for Fundraiser pages all US instead of through project-by- Climate Resilience verified nonprofit can create project approaches or donate to a Fundraiser from The Pilot Program for Climate ●● Cooperating— their Facebook Page. Whether Resilience (PPCR) supports Multilateral the goal is to respond to a developing countries and regions development banks have current event, raise money for in building their adaptation and scaled-up prioritized a specific program or generally resilience to the impacts of adaptation & resilience support your cause, supporters climate change. To achieve this, investments jointly with SPCRs can donate to Fundraisers first the PPCR helps governments as leverage platform. directly on Facebook in a few in integrating climate resilience PPCR has promoted resilient simple clicks. What’s more, into strategic development urban development in the Facebook does not charge any planning across sectors and Caribbean through the following: administrative fees for this stakeholder groups. Then, it service, so all monies donated provides concessional and grant ●● Mainstreaming adaptation go directly to the intended funding to put the plans into and resilience into urban recipient agency. action and pilot innovative public development and private sector solutions. ●● Crisis Response. The Crisis ●● Developing governments’ Response tool offers two key The PPCR invests in some of the capacity to update building functions: Safety Check and world’s most vulnerable countries codes, construction regulations Crisis Pages. with particular focus on small and engineering standards for island developing states (SIDS) • Safety Check resilient infrastructure as they are at the frontline of In the wake of a natural or experiencing the impacts climate ●● Innovating financing man-made crisis, a global change. Thus far, 20% of PPCR through first credit lines to crisis reporting agency alerts have been invested in SIDS, with banks in the developing world Facebook. Alternatively, if a US$250 million for nine Caribbean for climate resilience. lot of people in the affected and Pacific island nations. PPCR area are posting about the also invested more than $200 incident, Safety Check will be million for most vulnerable activated and those people
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in the area may receive a people who have the expertise notification from Facebook or experience to help. The Session Contributors to mark themselves safe. platform allows organizations Angus Friday, Blue Innovation to launch a scalable mentorship • Crisis pages Institute program, or provide an Upon the activation of Haward Wells, additional layer of support for National Safety, a dedicated Facebook Integrated Planning and existing mentorship programs. Crisis Page that contains Programme Unit, Saint Lucia information about the active Cecil G. Harris, Ministry crisis is established to help Conclusions of Finance and Economic bring people together, who Planning, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are located in the affected Approaches to urban resilience Raúl Alfaro-Pelico, areas. Individuals, nonprofits must integrated measures at World Bank and businesses can post to various scales, from the individual, a specific Crisis Page to find to the social unit, to community, Kaushik Sethuraman, Facebook and offer help following a to sub-national region, to national, crisis. to global regions. The Eastern Keren Charles, World Bank ●● Health. The health features of Caribbean region being perhaps Kristal Peters, World Bank Social Good help blood banks the most vulnerable in the world (author) recruit and retain donors, help due to the confluence of factors Mahlet Tsigie, World Bank identify health emergencies, such as location, topography, and provide resources and human settlement patterns, alert providers so people can geomorphology, size of landmass, get the help they need. small economies, etc. must seek to employ a range of approaches ●● The Mentorship enable towards achieving urban people in search of support resilience. and advice to connect with
Approaches to urban resilience must integrate measures at various scales, from the individual, to the social unit, to community, to sub-national region, to national, to global regions.
41 Article title
42 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Financial Planning for a Rainy Day: Using Information to Build Smart Solutions
Introduction
The Caribbean region is frequently battered by storms and hurricanes, resulting in greater pressure on public finances and, in many cases, increasing levels of debt. Since 1950, 511 disasters worldwide have hit small states—that is, developing economies with populations of less than 1.5 million. Of these, 324 were in the Caribbean, home to a predominant share of small states, killing 250,000 people and affecting more than 24 million through injury and loss of homes and livelihoods1.
The economic impacts of these events are profound and long-lasting. On average, the annual cost of disasters for small states is nearly 2% of GDP—more than four times that of larger countries2. For instance, Hurricane Maria is estimated to have cost Dominica 225% of its GDP, while the hurricane damage for Grenada in 2004 was 200% of GDP, leaving huge reconstruction needs that cripple economies and take years to fulfill3.
Smart financing arrangements put in place before disasters strike can help national budget holders better weather storms. Risk information plays a powerful role in helping countries decide which pre-arranged financing instruments are best-suited for economies to manage macro-fiscal shocks resulting from natural disasters. This depends on a dynamic combination disaster risk data with macroeconomic models to know where and how to deploy pre-arranged financial risk management mechanisms as part of prudent macro-fiscal frameworks.
1 https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2018/03/pdf/otker.pdf. 2 https://www.imf.org/external/np/pp/eng/2016/110416.pdf 3 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323664225_Bracing_for_the_Storm_For_the_ Caribbean_building_resilience_is_a_matter_of_survival
Session contributors from the public and private sector discuss financial planning and how available information influences policy decissions. Photo: World Bank.
43 Financial Planning for a Rainy Day: Using Information to Build Smart Solutions
Background (SEADRIF) emerging to cover markets. The dialogue also focused Cambodia, Lao PDR, and other on the utility of customized Over the last decade, the countries in the region. contingent debt instruments to World Bank and governments better protect economies from Financial risk analytics empowers globally have worked together impacts of adverse weather governments to take more to develop their financial risk events of different intensities informed decisions by bridging management strategies, which and frequencies. There was the gap between raw risk data enable a shift towards a proactive an exchange on the roles that and information that is useful risk management approach. An different partners such as to policy makers. This is a increasing number of countries the private sector, the donor prerequisite for effective use of are now developing financial community, as well as multi-lateral risk financing strategies and tools. protection strategies— that is, institutions can play in bridging Many governments have chosen a suite of policies and financial information gaps and addressing to include improving the quality instruments—to secure access to implementation challenges while financing in advance of shocks. This and availability of financial risk supporting countries to scale up strategy also helps to protect the information relating to natural risk financing solutions. The session fiscal balance and budget when hazard and climate risks, and highlighted the perspectives disasters strike. By making funding the adoption and adaptation of of Ministries of Finance from more predictable and timely, such financial risk analytical tools in Dominica and Grenada, donors instruments work to further their overall risk financing and represented by Department for improve the resilience of national insurance strategies. International Development (DFID), and subnational governments, United Kingdom, as well as the households, and businesses. Case Studies private sector represented by Swiss Re. The session was jointly The Caribbean countries with chaired by experts from the World their Latin America neighbors At the conference, the session Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster have pioneered the development “Financial Planning for a Rainy Day: Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) of many creative and innovative Using Information to Build Smart and the World Bank Treasury. financial solutions which have been Solutions”, brought in different replicated globally. For example, perspectives from public and The session further examined the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk private sector to discuss how information, tools, and analytics Insurance Facility (CCRIF-SPC), available information influences countries find useful, particularly established in 2007, was the first policy decisions. This discourse in understanding the trade-offs ever multi-country risk pool in explored several issues. Firstly, different financial instruments the world. The success of this it examined how countries make pose when deciding which is most has traveled far and wide with decisions about the appropriate appropriate to protect against the Africa Risk Capacity (ARC) combination of instruments. fiscal shocks following a disaster; owned and implemented by African Such instruments could vary and what are some of the big gaps countries, and the Southeast Asia from contingent finance, risk that if addressed could go a long Disaster Risk Insurance Facility transfer, reinsurance or capital way in enhancing how small-island
The Caribbean countries with their Latin America neighbors have pioneered the development of many creative and innovative financial solutions which have been replicated globally. For example, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF-SPC), established in 2007, was the first ever multi-country risk pool in the world.
44 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference economies make decisions on customized information that procurement rules vary across the right set of instruments. The address individual demand and development partners for post- private sector provided insights on needs. For example, countries disaster funds, and for those some of the new and innovative such as Dominica and Grenada that are more complex, funds products available that can could benefit from further are delivered. support Caribbean countries. Once investment in models that 3. Innovative instruments that the appropriate selection is made, provide information on policy help reduce debt burdens improvements can be applied decisions. For example, the that countries face because to the technical design of the optimal size of a Disaster of frequent events. Given the financial instrument. The session Vulnerability Fund could provide high-level of debt distress also had reflections on the role ex-ante support for risk that the region continues to that the donor community can play reduction and preparedness face, developing information to create an enabling environment and then also be triggered for designing instruments that for Caribbean countries to make to respond to emergencies. could help countries with debt decisions that are best suited Similarly, information needs management is a priority in the for them; and support them to remain to help countries region. This could include, for successfully implement financial improve financial planning. An example, designing long term solutions. example of this could be in debt instruments with inclusion estimating optimal allocations of special ‘hurricane’ clauses; Challenges and for setting funds aside so that negotiate with creditors to Recommendations they can be triggered in years include disaster-triggers in where there are disasters. debt agreements that would The session provided space for 2. Simple design, communication, extend debt service through reflections on challenges different and implementation of financial deferred principal and/or partners experience to effectively solutions: Often the design interest payments; explore contribute to strengthening and implementation of existing debt-for-nature swaps which financial resilience in countries. instruments can be quite allow sovereign debtors to Particularly, the design of the complex, and therefore difficult leverage their debt service session provided an opportunity for country counterparts to obligations in a way that frees for them to think from one understand. There is a critical up resources for the financing another’s perspective on what need for impartial advice and of climate change adaptation they could do differently to information. While designing and conservation efforts, collaborate more effectively on instruments, involving relevant etc. The role of donors and private sector remain crucial in building the right set of financial partners in all aspects is facilitating the development of solutions. The session highlighted fundamentally important. In some challenges and gaps that such innovative solutions. addition, particularly in small pointed to the need for: island states, given capacity 4. Increasing coverage of risks 1. Customized information for constraints, instrument design through existing instruments: designing specific instruments: should be simple and adequate There was discussion on the While there has been a training should be provided on need for information that will significant investment procurement processes to help help determine appropriate in development of risk strengthen country systems. levels of coverage through information to help countries This is particularly important existing instruments as well with making sound decisions for mobilizing pre-arranged as new instruments to enable about financial solutions, financial instruments quickly countries optimal coverage, gaps remain with regard to after emergencies. Often particularly for large events.
45 Financial Planning for a Rainy Day: Using Information to Build Smart Solutions
This would require information data and risk information; while ●● Leverage private sector that will help policy makers public data should be better knowledge. determine what is the optimal integrated into risk profiles to Finally, the key principle for level of coverage through improve accuracy particularly enabling these is stronger existing instruments. For for public assets. Finding ways engagement and collaboration example, increasing coverage in which this data can be made across different partners - ranging under Caribbean Catastrophe open, accessible, and useable from governments, development Risk Insurance Facility by countries and practitioners partners, private sector as well as (CCRIF-SPC) could imply would open new avenues of other stakeholders so that there higher premiums, but would on-ground collaboration to build can be synergies for sustainable ultimately result in a better smart financial solutions. financial management of macro value for money for the upfront fiscal shocks in the Caribbean investment. Other instruments region. such as Catastrophe Bonds, Conclusions while typically more expensive and complex, can be cost The session provided an effective if designed to opportunity for different partners Session Contributors complement other instruments to think about the information Rosamund Edwards, Ministry and to target coverage with needs and gaps in the Caribbean of Finance, Dominica larger payouts for more region and work more effectively Cecil Charles, Ministry of extreme events. to build smart financial solutions. Finance, St. Lucia Over the past decade, a lot of 5. Stronger public and private Rubem Holfiger, Swiss Re progress has been made in the sector relationships for open Simone Banister, Department Caribbean region. However, and effective collaborations: of International Development there remains a need for greater Having an open dialogue among (DFID) information that can: governments, development Julie Dana, World Bank partners, and the private sector ●● Be customized for more Miguel Navarro-Martin, is critical to developing the effective decision-making World Bank right set of financial solutions in Jack Campbell, World Bank ●● Help simplify design and country. Development partners Abigail C. Baca, World Bank can play a key role in providing communication of complex financial instruments Ewa Joanna Corczyc, World incentives for better financial Bank management by investing in ●● Explore innovative solutions for Sumati Rajput, World Bank pilots of innovative instruments debt management (author) so that costs associated with such instruments can ●● Identify optimal coverage be subsidized. Private sector of risks through existing remains ahead of the curve with instruments
Development partners can play a key role in providing incentives for better financial management by investing in pilots of innovative instruments so that costs associated with such instruments can be subsidized.
46 Proceedings from the Julie Reifer-Jones,2019 UR CEOCaribbean of LIAT, Conference discusses building resilience to climate and disaster risk in the private sector.
“Understanding a problem is the first step to solving it... This means: investing in better preparedness; stronger infrastructure; more fiscal buffers for difficult times; strengthened social safety nets; and opportunities to better manage the Caribbean region’s natural resources.” —Tahseen Sayed, World Bank Director for the Caribbean
Panellists Ming Zhang, Julie Reifer-Jones, Jensen Sylvester, Brian Reid, and Keren Charles pose after a plenary on “Engaging the Private Sector.” 47 Article title
48 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference SpatialEdge: From Risk to Real Time Insight
Introduction
The Caribbean region often faces extreme weather events, causing lasting property damage and loss of lives. The cost of response, recovery and reconstruction has been an enormous burden to the governments in the region. According to data compiled by UNISDR, about 40% of the world population has been affected by natural disasters from 2000- 2012, causing 1.2 million deaths and an economic loss of US$1.7 trillion.
The recurrence of such events will tax public spending in post-disaster recovery, reconstruction and emergency support during and aftermath of the disaster. The vulnerability of assets in many countries in the Caribbean combined with its location and associated hazard increases the risk of loss or damage. A clear understanding of potential damage, disruption and vulnerability of exposure will be important step in the disaster risk management process. Quantifying actual damage, loss and disruption in the aftermath of the disaster will help in recovery and reconstruction efforts. To this goal, having accurate exposure and vulnerability data are key to making informed decisions.
St John, Virgin Islands—Hurricane Irma, 2017. Photo: cdwheatley.
49 SpatialEdge: From Risk to Real Time Insight
Background Management Agency (CDEMA) NepCol has also released another to help create a comprehensive product called “MapWoW!”, a The Caribbean region is one of the disaster management information mobile data collection solution most vulnerable in the world, and system that will be helpful for which helps surveyors gather bears the brunt of unavoidable Caribbean governments and geo-referenced photos of assets. natural disasters, exacerbated by stakeholders engaging in disaster The collected data from MapWoW! climate change. Because many of preparedness. The platform being integrates with the SpatialEdge these countries are relatively small harnessed, named SpatialEdge, platform where it can add value and have their main commercial is an innovative solution with a to understand vulnerability of the activities situated near the user-friendly interface designed assets and make decisions about coastline, damage caused by for comprehensive real-time mitigating impacts during adverse natural hazards worsen and impose disaster risk analysis. This tool natural events. large costs on fragile economies. combines the power of geospatial technology, business intelligence, In order to build resilient societies, and a content management Case Studies: The policymakers and the public in the system to empower decision- Use of SpatialEdge in Caribbean region must have access makers with real-time insights to optimal data, information and 2016-2017 and situational awareness from an platforms to inform good decisions. easy-to-use dashboard. Instead SpatialEdge has been used by Data, technology and stakeholder of multiple systems, sometimes CDEMA to monitor and forewarn engagement could result in a at odds with each other, it Caribbean countries and assist good planning tool in all phases of allows engineers, planners, data decision makers. Three concurrent disasters. managers, emergency responders hurricanes were churning along NepCol has been working with the and decision makers to access real- the Caribbean basin on 2017, Caribbean Disaster Emergency time information. which made the situation worse
Figure 1: SpatialEdge dashboard
Source: NepCol
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Figure 2: Vulnerability assessment using MapWoW!
Source: Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) team. in the region already reeling from the Sud Department and left the informed decisions during the Hurricane Harvey. SpatialEdge next day to the Northwest Coast. challenging times. A major programmatically fetched tropical It created unprecedented damage constraint in the Caribbean is storm hazard data from the to a country still recovering from getting optimal data for analysis. National Hurricane Center (NHC) a massive earthquake in 2010. The Data collection and management and created real-time analytics hurricane nearly or completely is not often prioritized as data- during these events. While destroyed around 200,000 homes centric approach is not very there are a few applications that and unleashed a total destruction common in the region. This leads provide visualization of this type, of crops in the Grand’Anse and poor or no data collection and SpatialEdge is further upping Sud Departments. data-analytics. Available data the ante in developing real-time are often not shared among Immediately afterwards, analytics by using dynamic data stakeholders. This lack of data the SpatialEdge application in evaluating the impact and transparency as well as data was implemented to help exposure on populations. As a silos has further added to the the Government of Haiti in hurricane changes its course or complexity to utilization of data in understanding the real-time magnitude, the analysis results decision-making. reflect in real-time to help impact of this disaster and decision makers, rescue and visualize the estimated damage Capacity building on data recovery operations, and actors and loss. collection and analysis is compiling post-damage need another area that needs further assessments during the evolving investment. situation. Recommendations and Conclusion CDEMA in itself does not have Hurricane Matthew landed in Haiti capacity or mandate to collect on October 4, 2016, as a Category Optimal data and technology spatial data in each country. 4 Hurricane near Les Anglais in are certainly the key to making It relies on member countries
51 SpatialEdge: From Risk to Real Time Insight
Use of SpatialEdge by CDEMA during hurricane season of 2017. Source: NepCol. to facilitate the collection and responders. Having access to collation of spatial data. real time data and analytics could Session Contributors save hundreds of lives as well as It is essential that regional Bishwa Pandey, NepCol minimize disaster-related loss. disaster management agencies like International LLC (author) CDEMA should have unhindered CDEMA is developing a GIS based Ronald Jackson, CDEMA access to spatial data at each risk information platform called Marion Cayetano, NepCol GeoCris, and it could serve as country. Laxmi Oli, NepCol regional disaster risk information The platform and tools are platform which needs support in not easily accessible to policy creating a GeoSpatial Platform for makers, planners and emergency Resilience to Natural Disasters.
SpatialEdge is further upping the ante in developing real-time analytics by using dynamic data in evaluating the impact and exposure on populations. As a hurricane changes its course or magnitude, the analysis results reflect in real-time to help decision makers, rescue and recovery operations, and actors compiling post-damage need assessments during the evolving situation.
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27–31 May 2019 Barbados
Better Infrastructure #URCaribbean #ResilientCaribbean
53 54 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Weather, Water and Climate Risk Management in the Caribbean
Background
Caribbean states continue to be severely impacted by weather, climate and water related hazards often leading to significant losses. Hazard assessments, forecasting products and services have been developed and implemented through various initiatives to support disaster risk reduction (DRR). These initiatives have (i) supported the development and publishing of climate monitoring and forecasting products and the establishment of the Caribbean Regional Climate Centre (RCC) at the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH); (ii) provided resources for the establishment of the Caribbean Dewetra Platform (CDP)—currently used in the Caribbean for near real-time monitoring and impact-based forecasting; (iii) supported the enhancement of numerical weather prediction and hydrological modelling for improved lead times; and (iv) fostered innovative approaches to climate and disaster risk management.
Bahamas—Hurricane Dorian. Photo: Shubham Singh.
55 Weather, Water and Climate Risk Management in the Caribbean
The CIMH is working with the of the CDP and a demonstration variability requires that the best Food and Agriculture Organisation of the application of the Rapid information on past, current (FAO) and other partners, including Analysis and Spatialisation of and future climate be available the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Risk (RASOR) platform in the to support decision-making in Management Agency (CDEMA) and Caribbean for risk assessment and the Caribbean. The goal of the Italian International Centre on risk forecasting. Snapshots of the Caribbean RCC is to support Environmental Monitoring (CIMA) integrated suite of operational the region’s socio-economic Research Foundation, to implement products, services and tools development by generating suites the Resilient Environment and developed and managed by of user defined climate products Agricultural Caribbean Habitats the CIMH and other partners, and services to inform risk-based (REACH) project. The project were presented during the decision-making, particularly in has been designed with a special Understanding Risk Caribbean climate sensitive sectors, at the emphasis on developing a two- Conference. national and regional levels across way communication mechanism the Caribbean. These products and to manage climate related services include climate monitoring agricultural risks and leverages Caribbean Regional and seasonal climate outlooks of existing services provided by the Climate Centre rainfall and drought, dry spells, CIMH. It is expected that the temperature, heat waves, wet CIMH and National Meteorological Climate change and increasing days and extreme wet spells; and Hydrological Services (NMHS) climate variability are having newsletters and bulletins tailored will support the initiative through adverse effects on climate to specific users (meteorologists, the provision of weather and sensitive socio-economic sectors hydrologists, agriculture, tourism, climate products and services on Caribbean Small Island health, water and coral reef that support the management of Developing States (SIDS). These managers); data services and user climate risk in agriculture and food impacts are expected to grow in interface mechanisms. Figure 1 security, among other sectors. the future if appropriate cost- illustrates a snapshot of products Complementing initiatives being effective adaptation strategies developed by the RCC that are implemented by the CIMH and are not implemented. Adapting used to support decision making other partners are enhancement to climate change and increasing within various sectors.
Figure 1: Drought, rainfall, and temperature monitoring products from the Caribbean RCC
Produced through two in-house-built tools Caribbean Climate Monitor CariCOF Outlook Generator Reference Climatologies https://rcc.cimh.edu.bb/caribbean-climatology/1981-2010/
Source: Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology.
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Caribbean Dewetra socio-economic and vulnerability stations, (iv) numerical weather Platform information —this collaborative prediction outputs, and (v) arrangement has evolved to numerical wave height prediction The range of natural hazards the production of quantitative outputs. The ability to overlay the Caribbean is exposed impact-based forecasts that exposure and vulnerability data to annually, coupled with its are continuously updated as provides a powerful workflow for vulnerabilities, make the region’s the hazard forecast information a qualitative determination of risk risk profile one of the highest improves. Regional collaborations and supports scenario planning in the world. Extreme weather, with meteorological personnel, and impact analysis. and its associated hazards, disaster managers and others produce annual national losses which utilized the platform to capable of exceeding 100% provide impact-based forecasts Rapid Analysis and of a country’s Gross Domestic while risk-informing decision- Spatialisation of Risk Product (GDP) in exceptional making has proven extremely Platform cases. Over recent decades, valuable during the evolution and Through the “Expanded Weather improvements in meteorological passage of adverse weather. forecasting and national early and Climate Forecasting and warning networks have reduced The CDP provides an online Innovative Product and Service socio-economic losses. To further multi-user collaborative tool Development and Delivery in reduce losses, the CIMH in that supports impact-based the Caribbean” project executed 2007 commenced providing the forecasting and early warning through the African Caribbean CDEMA with weather scenarios prior to the onset of severe Pacific ACP-EU Caribbean on evolving systems to support weather (see Figure 2). Products Development Bank Natural the development of qualitative made available through the CDP Disaster Risk Management (CDB- impact information to inform include but are not limited to NDRM) programme funded by the response actions. Through the (i) satellite-based observations, European Union (EU), the CIMH use of the online CDP—a spatio- (ii) weather radar data, (iii) near worked with the CIMA Research temporal platform capable of real-time hydro-meteorological Foundation to demonstrate the integrating evolving hazard data, data from in-situ monitoring applicability of the Rapid Analysis
Figure 2: Heat waves, dry spells, rainfall exceedance for crops, relative rainfall change from the Caribbean RCC
Numerical Weather Prediction Automatic Weather Station Hazard/Risk Exposure
Wave Height Prediction Automatic Water Level Station Population Vulnerability Risk = Exposure x Vulnerability x Hazard
Source: Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology.
57 Weather, Water and Climate Risk Management in the Caribbean and Spatialisation of Risk (RASOR) target watershed was the within the community in terms platform to the Caribbean Holetown watershed located in of direct economic losses. These context. RASOR performs multi- Barbados. The workflow for the simulations allowed for the hazard risk analysis for the full risk assessment is illustrated calculation of Probable Maximum cycle of disaster management, in Figure 3. Starting from the Loss (PML) and Average Annual including targeted support development and application of Loss (AAL). to critical infrastructure design storms generated through The second application monitoring and is seen as a useful a rainfall frequency analysis demonstrated the feasibility of complement to the CDP for procedure, a rainfall-runoff model country scale risk forecasting enhanced disaster risk reduction (HEC-HMS) was developed for through the extraction of the through the quantification of the watershed to obtain design wind field from a hindcast of the risk. RASOR offers a single work hydrographs for multiple return passage of Hurricane Matthew environment that generates new periods. Probabilistic inundation over Haiti. At the time, outputs risk information across hazards, depths were obtained from a from the CIMH Weather data types and user communities. hydrodynamic model (TELEMAC) Research and Forecasting (WRF) Two (2) applications of the RASOR for various blockage scenarios 4km model were used to support platform were demonstrated. of the culvert below the major preparedness actions. Through road crossing. A damage model, The first application demonstrated RASOR, the wind hindcast, based on stage-loss vulnerability a workflow for a building scale exposure and vulnerability data curves, simulated the impact flood risk assessment. The were managed to demonstrate a on different building typologies
Figure 3: Flood risk assessment workflow applied to Holetown demonstration
Source: CIMA Research Foundation.
58 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference workflow for the quantification organize and manage Agricultural an approach is currently being of expected losses at the district Disaster Risk Management implemented through the work level since information was initiatives through improved of the Early Warning Information unavailable at the building level. access to and joint management Systems Across Climate Time Satellite-based data were used of relevant agro-meteorological Scales (EWISACTS) Consortium. to define building exposures. The two-way information flows and It is expected that the hazard metric used was wind joint design and implementation Consortium will also be of benefit speed at 10m. In the absence of adequate agricultural risk to early warning workflows at of observed data, vulnerability management practices to enhance weather time scales. The CIMH functions were developed for their resilience to shocks and will continue working with its specific building types from hazards. The project will make use partners through internally and regional generic curves in order of the existing tools, products externally funded research and to provide a hindcast of expected and services made available by development programs to support losses. Such a workfkow may be the CIMH, some of which were risk mitigation and build further used to support forecast-based presented in this paper. capacity across the region. financing. However, further evaluation of forecast skill would be required. Conclusion Session Contributors
During the UR Caribbean Adrian Trotman, Caribbean Resilient Environment Conference, the CIMH received Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (author) and Agricultural positive feedback regarding the Caribbean Habitats products and services offered. David Farrell, Principal, These products and services Caribbean Institute for Project Meteorology and Hydrology provided by the CIMH are made Daniele Barelli, United The (REACH) Project is being available through various user Nations Food and Agriculture interfaces. Notwithstanding, implemented through a Organisation (author) partnership between the CDEMA, ensuring that actionable Cedric Van Meerbeeck, information is received by the CIMH, the CIMA Research Caribbean Institute for Foundation, under the overall vulnerable communities continues Meteorology and Hydrology coordination of the United to be challenging. Emerging from (author) Nations Food and Agriculture these challenges, it was clear Shawn Boyce, Caribbean Organization (FAO). The objective that engaging social science Institute for Meteorology and of the REACH Project is to practitioners is key to the design, Hydrology (author) enhance the capability of small development and delivery of farmers and their communities to early warning products. Such
59 Article title
Photo: World Bank.
60 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Applying a Social Lens to Disaster Risk Management in the Caribbean
Introduction
Climate shocks disproportionately impact the poor and can also push non- poor households into poverty. Yet the social needs of these populations can often be largely unmet at the very outset of an emergency.
National social protection programmes provide an opportunity to address needs prior to and following an emergency, at the scale and speed required. Globally, it is estimated that 2.5 billion people benefit from safety nets.1 Yet while social protection systems are intrinsically shock- responsive, most instruments have typically focused on the reduction of chronic poverty and providing support across the life cycle. The third function, risk management, has not received as much emphasis.2
Achieving more shock-responsive social protection requires investing in ex-ante measures – that is, preparatory efforts to make a social protection system ready to respond flexibly and at scale. In general, five key factors are considered: data and information management systems, beneficiary targeting, delivery mechanisms, adaptive finance, and coordination among different institutional and other actors.
1 For more information on Social Safety Nets, please visit: http://documents.worldbank.org/ curated/en/427871521040513398/The-state-of-social-safety-nets-2018. 2 For more information on Shock-Responsive Social Protection in Latin America and the Caribbean, please visit: https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/file/91746/download?token=I_ cf6KuI.
61 Applying a Social Lens to Disaster Risk Management in the Caribbean
Case Study: Why saving of US$500,000 per year in households. Today this national invest in shock- emergency response. By further information system, “SIMAST,” responsive or adaptive investing in a national social is the largest social database in social protection? registry, even those not enrolled in Haiti, with more than 1.5 million the social protection system would people surveyed, and 23% of There is general acknowledgment receive assistance two months the population to be covered that making social protection faster than normal (WFP, 2019). by the end of 2019. SIMAST systems more adaptive or shock- supports the implementation responsive is a good investment. and institutionalisation of social Surprisingly however, there is Recommendations: safety net programmes, including a limited quantitative analysis on this Action in the shock-responsive safety net. Caribbean topic. A glimpse of the potential The Jamaica Household Disaster is articulated in a “Return on Caribbean Governments Impact and Needs Assessment Investment” analysis that the have already started taking (JHDINA) allows the country World Food Programme (WFP) the necessary steps toward to respond more effectively recently undertook based on strengthening social protection with emergency relief support the emergency cash transfer to be more responsive to shocks, in the event of a disaster. This programme implemented in and there is a growing interest comprehensive tool has been Dominica in 2018. It found that in linking social protection and developed with the assistance of investments in preparedness disaster management systems for the World Bank, allowing damage measures to strengthen increased climate resilience. and emergency needs information social protection systems and to be collected by different programmes would represent In Haiti, the Ministry of Social humanitarian stakeholders in a savings in both time and money. Affairs and Labour (MAST) digitised format, including the There could be a one-month has, in partnership with WFP, use of photos, GPS mapping faster response in providing cash developed a vulnerability and recommendations to be transfers to already enrolled social database to better identify, transmitted in real time. protection participants at a cost target and register vulnerable
Figure 1: SIMAST: A vulnerability information system for households
Source: WFP 62 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
Figure 2: Jamaica Household Disaster Impact and Needs Assessment
Source: WFP
Activation of the Parish Organizing the Teams Initial Situation Prioritising Areas to Welfare System led by and Notification Overview dispatch teams MLSS and Poor Relief Processes activated
Identification of Lead Retrieval of the Form Agency to coordinate Initial Damage Garnering Feedback from the Field and community Data Assessment conducted through the Lead for IDA Data Analysis Collectors
Activation of JHDINA Data is processed Forms dispatched to Planning and led by MLSS and by the Health and Central Head Office for Mobilisation Poor Relief Welfare Sub-Committee Payment/RADA
Forms Processed for Cheques distributed Feedback to payment based on to Parish Offices PIOJ/ODPEM category of Damage
Conclusion and New combination of a range of climate References Frontiers risk finance instruments, and which can then be appropriately linked to OPM & WFP 2019 “Study on Shock- Adaptive and shock-responsive national social protection Responsive Social Protection in Latin America and the Caribbean: Summary of finance is also being investigated A variety of partners in the key findings and policy recommendations.” in more detail among different Caribbean, including WFP and https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/file/91746/ governments, as well as the World Bank are committed download?token=I_cf6KuI. humanitarian and development to support national efforts to World Bank. 2018. “State of Social Safety partners in the Caribbean. Key strengthen government social Nets.” http://documents.worldbank.org/ features of an effective climate protection systems to become curated/en/427871521040513398/The- risk finance strategy would state-of-social-safety-nets-2018. more adaptive and responsive to require a consideration of various shocks. This is an essential populations’ vulnerability and component towards enabling a exposure to different hazards. climate-resilient Caribbean. Liquidity needs to adequately finance an ex-ante response would also need to be addressed. Based Session Contributors on these analyses, a tailored risk Kathryn Milliken, UN World Food Programme (author), finance strategy would emerge Pierre Odney, Ministère des Affaires Sociales et du Travail, Haiti that provides a risk-layered Jacqueline Shepherd, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Jamaica approach that optimises the Thibaut Humbert, World Bank
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64 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference End-to-End Early Warning Systems What Does it Take to Avoid a Disaster
Introduction
The 2017 hurricane season has been described by development and scientific communities as one of the deadliest periods to be experienced in the Caribbean which resulted in more than 300 lives lost.1 Two Category 5 hurricanes—Hurricanes Irma and Maria—hit the Caribbean and devastated several countries including Dominica, Puerto Rico, Antigua and Barbuda and Sint Maarten. In Dominica this resulted in damages and losses of about US$ 1,311 million, an equivalent of 226% of the island’s 2016 gross domestic product (GDP). High levels of certainty, intensity and frequency of such extreme events will only increase with climate change in the future.
Without the strong performance of hurricane track monitoring and forecasting coupled with the warnings that were provided to the population, the consequences of the 2017 hurricane season could have been much worse. This event demonstrated that a strong Early Warning System (EWS) plays a critical role for the safety and well-being of the entire region. However, the hurricane season also revealed a number of challenges and short-comings of the current system, such as:
1. The lack of specific forecasts of storm surges and flash floods
2. Limitations in the dissemination of information, especially to indigenous populations
3. Inter-institutional collaboration and communication that would benefit from strengthening
With EWS being much more than measuring devices and sirens, the question arises: How can we efficiently enhance the entire end-to-end system?
1 Caribbean 2017 Hurricane Season an evidence-based assessment of the Early Warning System, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; World Bank ; Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery; United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) ; CDEMA ; Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), WMO (2018)
65 End-to-End Early Warning Systems What Does it Take to Avoid a Disaster
Background national-level capacities through strengthening of EWS based regional-level collaboration and on clarified regional support and Effective EWS are complex support structures. A first step input those countries will receive. mechanisms that provide timely toward that goal is to develop a Furthermore, the strategy will help warnings for informed decision- regional EWS strategy to coordinate to identify and design pilot project making and actions by the and address key shortcomings and investments to strengthen impact- population, and therefore, they streamline efforts. based forecasting in selected need to be people-centered. This countries. These combined efforts The CREWS2 (Climate Risk requires the coordination of a and Early Warning Systems) demonstrate a holistic approach multitude of actors: Modelers to funded “Strengthening Hydro- to regional cooperation and analyze risk, meteorologists and Meteorological and Early Warning coordination to deliver a ‘cascading’ hydrologists that monitor and Services in the Caribbean” system that feeds into weather, forecast hydrometeorological project (also known as “CREWS climate and flood forecasting. phenomena, the emergency 3 Caribbean”) is a regional project While CARICOM countries are and communication agencies that aims at strengthening directly targeted in the CREWS for efficient transmission of and streamlining end-to-end Caribbean project, all islands information, and the emergency early warning systems. During and territories will benefit from organizations that prepare for the first phase of the project, regional knowledge sharing and a crisis with capacity building, a regional diagnostic will guide training opportunities that support evacuation plans, protocols, the development of a holistic increased cooperation in the region. drills, and the community to take regional strategy to strengthen adequate action when the time and streamline early warning Regional centers and organizations comes. Therefore, taking the systems across the CARICOM such as the Caribbean Disaster necessary steps coupled with countries. This strategy shall serve Emergency Management Agency effective communication across to coordinate efforts, funding (CDEMA) and the Caribbean all actors before, during and after and projects that support a more Institute for Meteorology and an event is a critical factor for the harmonized and efficient approach Hydrology (CIMH) are partners in efficiency of any EWS. to EWS. In addition, it will provide developing the regional strategy. a framework for national-level They have greater capability and Case Studies
The Caribbean is embarking on a process to further strengthen their EWS. With its 13 independent countries and many overseas territories, the Caribbean is a heterogeneous region with both challenges and great potential. Some challenges particularly affect the smaller countries that have less than 200,000 inhabitants and struggle with limited financial and human resources. However, great opportunities lie in complementing
2 https://www.crews-initiative.org/en. 3 https://www.gfdrr.org/en/crews-caribbean Training session participants discuss and identify opportunities to build sustainable EWS.
66 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference the mandate to support national explore the challenges of efficient wrong information or services and early warning communication, fast action and information without a basis systems, and their role increases, quick decision-making through a win over official forecasts and especially in the cases similar to role play in which a storm is rapidly warnings. Social media have the recent hurricanes. By further approaching a fictional (and yet a great impact on the fast strengthening this complex so real!) island. Subsequently, the dissemination of early warnings, system and its collaboration group identified and discussed but their reliability is often and coordination mechanisms, key challenges and avenues difficult to control. Messages countries will enhance decision- of opportunity to strengthen have to be less technical and making during severe events and early warning systems in the synergies must be found with increase resilience in the region. region. Four main topics emerged national media firms. Given prominently during the discussion: the multiple contexts in the The Understanding Risk (UR) forecasting, communication, Caribbean, various methods Caribbean Conference in Barbados collaboration, and capacities. of communication should be offered a platform to better leveraged, taking advantage understand the strengths, Forecasting: of modern technology without weaknesses, and the key ●● The audience expressed a giving up on traditional opportunities for a regional end-to- strong call for the development mediums such as radio end early warning system. Actors of impact-based forecasting broadcasts or megaphones. across sectors were gathered with simple color-coding to In the realities of rapid for a session to discuss ways, understand the level of impact, technological development, needs, and opportunities to foster and community awareness- countries should consider which collaboration and communication raising efforts. of them are applicable to their in order to sustainably strengthen ●● context. EWS in the Caribbean. Participants Lack of resources, limited ●● The language barrier was included representatives from the observational infrastructure, brought up as a challenge in the regional organizations, national and outdated data management systems were Caribbean context which adds meteorological and hydrological identified as important complexity to issuing messages services, national disaster challenges. This prompted and warnings. management organizations, a discussion on the new ●● Communication with vulnerable gender bureaus, planning offices, business models that should be groups was also identified communities, and the private developed in future. as a major challenge to be sector to determine the weakest addressed by an effective EWS links in the system in order to work ●● Forecasts, even at their best, in the Caribbean. towards a more resilient Caribbean. are never 100% certain due to ●● Continuity of the the complex nature of a natural The inputs from the UR Caribbean communication systems phenomena. Preparedness session are informing the during disasters is critical, and is key, and investing smartly development of the diagnostic solutions can be investigated at upfront is critical. and the regional hydromet and the regional level to avoid fatal early warning systems strategy, ●● A regional mechanism of communication failure. currently underway under the communicating needs and Collaboration: CREWS Caribbean project. feedback would be valuable. ●● The need for better Challenges and recommendations Communication: collaboration was mentioned— for effective EWS in the Caribbean ●● Communication to the not only between the national During the UR Caribbean session, population is a crucial point, and regional levels, but also participants had the chance to especially nowadays when between groups in a country
67 End-to-End Early Warning Systems What Does it Take to Avoid a Disaster
such as organizations involved ●● Given the young population strategy. It is integral that this in disaster risk financing (to of the Caribbean, investing in developmental approach be gender ensure quick fund mobilization) training and in education is an informed. This will ensure EWS and development partners and opportunity that cannot be and preparedness messaging reach donors (to ensure synergies neglected. Awareness should across entire populations, giving instead of fragmentation). start at school level and be everybody an equal opportunity to ●● Different instances, from followed by an adequate make informed decisions. limited regional collaboration curriculum in relevant sciences Lastly, building awareness among to good working relations and job creation. This should decision makers while pooling and collaboration between include an evaluation of the the expertise from technical countries were discussed, potential role of the private partners, regional agencies, and suggesting a significant sector in the development of national institutions is critical to capacity building and training variability across the region as strengthen the complex chain programs. well as the opportunity to learn of required actions to ensure from established best practices. well-functioning end-to-end EWS ●● Sharing of information, the Conclusions to better protect the Caribbean centralization of data storage, region. creation of a hub, and access The occurrence of hurricanes in to open data were discussed the Caribbean is not a matter of References as great opportunities for “if” but a matter of “when”. While effective EWS in the Caribbean. investments in risk reduction Strengthening of Risk Assessment and ●● The initial feedback was that and adaptation are critical to Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems for there is room for optimization, increase physical resilience in the Meteorological, Hydrological and Climate starting from standardization region, there will always remain Hazards in the Caribbean, WMO (2011). of technical requirements for a significant threat to life and Caribbean 2017 Hurricane Season an equipment (at the regional level livelihood to vulnerable populations evidence-based assessment of the Early Warning System, World Meteorological and with WMO standards), to due to the high intensity of the Organization (WMO) ; World Bank ; Global data collection and monitoring, natural disasters. Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery; to the further alignment of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Overall, the region has a significant SOPs for agencies. Reduction (UNISDR) ; CDEMA ; Caribbean but unevenly distributed capacity, ●● Partnership with universities Meteorological Organization (CMO), WMO which poses many challenges (2018). and research centers was but also great opportunities identified as a significant through close collaboration. With opportunity to build a consistently high-quality forecasts Session Contributors sustainable EWS. and strong progress in delivering Melanie Kappes, World Bank Capacity: warnings to the community, many (author) lives can be saved, and potential ●● Countries are facing a tough Anna Maria Bogdanova, economic losses reduced. A situation when trying to hire GFDRR, World Bank (author) regional strategy will help with the and retain a skilled workforce. Geoff Love, World Bank vision, coordination and joint action Development strategies Joaquin Azpiroz to achieve this long-term goal. should have a clear plan for Echecolenea, World Bank the development of skill sets The consideration of vulnerable Cécile Arnaud Lorillou World needed for agencies and ways groups and gender differences Bank (author) to retain them. is also central to a regional
68 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference
27–31 May 2019 Barbados
Hydromet #URCaribbean #ResilientCaribbean 69 Photo: © ronniechua. “For people who survive these things (natural disasters), it’s kinda like grief that you never forget.” —Dr. Yvonne Weekes, Author, Montserrat
Suriname aerial mangrove roots. Photo: banjongseal324.
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Letting Nature Protect Us: Nature-Based and Hybrid Infrastructure for Coastal Protection
Introduction
A large portion of the world’s population lives alongside coastlines and face increasingly high risk from natural hazards exacerbated by climate change. Conventional interventions to protect these highly vulnerably coastlines and their communities have often focused on the use of grey infrastructure such as sea walls, groynes, and revetments. However, next generation solutions are needed as these communities face growing development challenges. Nature-based solutions (NBS) have become uniquely positioned to address these challenges. These interventions use ecosystem elements such as mangroves, sand dunes, and wetlands to form “green infrastructure”, or integrate these elements into grey infrastructure to form hybrid solutions. They have shown to be formidable in cost-effectively buffering against coastal hazards, while also providing a range of social, economic, and environmental co-benefits to vulnerable communities. The session presenters provided multiple emblematic nature-based or hybrid infrastructure projects to highlight the analytical processes required to identify well-designed solutions, and demonstrate the pragmatic and real-world benefits these interventions can bring to vulnerable communities.
71 Letting Nature Protect Us: Nature-Based and Hybrid Infrastructure for Coastal Protection
Case Studies solutions for coastal protection. coastal areas at risk. In addition, During this effort, it was evidenced a nationwide coastal flood risk Four case studies from World a lack of ecological and physical assessment has been concluded Bank efforts in the Latin America data for the proper understanding in order to estimate the coastal and Caribbean (LAC) and East of ecosystems contribution to protection services provided by Asia Pacific (EAP) region were climate adaptation and disaster mangroves as avoided economic highlighted. One excellent local risk reduction. As a result, the loss. In this regard, percentages hybrid infrastructure case study Program on Forests (PROFOR) of people protected, as well as from southern Barbados was also funded a technical assistance that built infrastructure (residential and presented by Baird & Associates, aims at conducting detail analysis industry), have been calculated. which emphasized the importance on the role of mangrove forests Besides informing decision makers of using grey infrastructure to in coastal resilience. Ecological about the avoided economic enhance green solutions. data (i.e. Species diversity and losses due to mangrove forest Building Coastal Resilience abundance, tree complexity, coverage, this technical assistance in Jamaica fisheries production); physical aims at building capacity on the In Jamaica, the World Bank data (i.e. soil retention in roots ground by working with the local started with the development system, carbon fluxes, water university (University of West of the Coastal Management and quality, and wind and wave force Indies, Jamaica), and providing Beach Restoration Guidelines, attenuation); and socio-economic multiple workshops to government for the provision of a wide range data (livelihoods-dependent on representatives and local NGOs. of options that included hard, fisheries, fish as food security), Final results of this detailed study nature-based, and non-structural have been collected in three will be ready by November 2019.
Experts examine mangrove forest coverage.
Source: Juliana Castaño-Isaza.
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Revisioning the Urban (e.g. mixed green, grey, structural Engaging Communities Waterfront in Panama and non-structural interventions) in Vietnam with Hybrid could contribute to flood risk Panama City has expanded Infrastructure resilience in Panama’s coastline and its urban footprint by 350% NBS can contribute to increased the Tocumen-Tapia watersheds. in four decades. To address community resilience and In particular, this study aims at this issue, together with the well-being by contributing evaluating the influence of natural growing climate challenges, a to employment generation infrastructure in reducing flood multidisciplinary World Bank team and sustainable livelihood and erosion risk in the study area; including Environment, Water, opportunities/diversification appraise the impact that historical Transport, Urban Development in agriculture, fisheries, changes in mangroves and riparian and Disaster Risk Management, tourism, ecological restoration, vegetation may have had on has been involved in this effort to conservation and management catchment and coastal flood provide a holistic set of potential in addition to increasing food risk; identify and prioritize hybrid interventions to ensure human security, providing educational solutions for flood risk reduction; well-being, reduce disaster opportunities and awareness and assess the effectiveness of risks, and adapt to a changing raising on climate and disaster prioritized solutions and conduct a climate. With GFDRR support, risks. The World Bank project, cost-benefit analysis. the team has been conducting a The Vietnam Mekong Delta strategic flood risk assessment Climate Resiliency and Sustainable and evaluating how natural Livelihood, was presented as a (e.g. mangroves and riparian case study to showcase what vegetation) and hybrid solutions social co-benefits in an NBS
Caption. Photo: World Bank.
73 Letting Nature Protect Us: Nature-Based and Hybrid Infrastructure for Coastal Protection
Rockley Beach Restoration and Boardwalk. Before
Source: Kevin MacIntosh, Baird & Associates.
After
project looks like in practice. The increase income. A shift into in the Caribbean in the use project is encouraging coastal certified organic mangroves has of Integrated Coastal Zone shrimp farmers to shift from been estimated to generate a Management. As part of the intensive shrimp farming—which yearly net benefit of $992 per country’s Coastal Infrastructure is a very risky business, given the hectare per year. Programme, several projects potential for shrimp diseases and that include hybrid infrastructure Barbados Waterfront storms that disrupt operations—to interventions have been Improvement: Using Grey a combination shrimp mangrove implemented. One of these was Infrastructure to Enhance system. The reconstruction of the “Rockley Beach Restoration a mangrove belt (in combination the Green and Boardwalk” led by Baird and with sea dikes) will help reduce The small island of Barbados is Associates who were responsible the impacts of storm surges situated at the easternmost for the final design, including and flooding along the coast. extent of the Lesser Antilles, and physical modeling, coastal Converting to a shrimp-mangrove relies heavily on tourism associated analyses, and construction review system creates opportunities for with its coastal ecosystems, services. This project resulted farmers to become certified as such as sandy beaches and coral in a 1.6 km long boardwalk and a sustainable seafood operator reefs, for its GDP. Understanding beach expansion from Rockley at the international level, which the importance of these coastal to Coconut Court that not can increase the price of their ecosystems to the economy, only enhanced the aesthetics products in the market and Barbados has become a leader of the beach, but restored and
74 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference improved the nesting habitat of or not implemented due to Further Resources sea turtles. What was previously capacity limitations. eroding shoreline is now stabilized Beck, M.W. and G-M Lange (Editors); ●● Basis for economic valuation and expansive beaches, used by Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of is highly subjective, and more Ecosystem Services Partnership (WAVES). humans and wildlife. And a system robust assessments must be 2016. Managing coasts with natural of plantings at the top of the created to more concretely solutions : guidelines for measuring and beach works together with the valuing the coastal protection services of and quantifiably capture the engineered filtration system to mangroves and coral reefs (English). Waves benefits of implementing purify run-off water before it technical paper. Washington, D.C. : World nature-based solutions reaches the shoreline, which has Bank Group. http://documents.worldbank. org/curated/en/995341467995379786/ improved coastal water quality. ●● High-level government will Managing-coasts-with-natural-solutions- To date, the boardwalk has been to conserve and introduce guidelines-for-measuring-and-valuing-the- widely enjoyed by locals and nature-based solutions coastal-protection-services-of-mangroves- tourists alike, and has revitalized is limited, due to lack of and-coral-reefs the southern coast. knowledge and restricted Browder, Greg; Ozment, Suzanne; economic assessments Rehberger Bescos, Irene; Gartner, Todd; comparing multiple approaches. Lange, Glenn-Marie. 2019. Integrating Green and Gray : Creating Next Generation Challenges and Continued awareness raising, Recommendations Infrastructure. Washington, DC: World demonstration of successful Bank and World Resources Institute. © NBS projects, and improved While the World Bank and other World Bank and World Resources Institute. assessments of costs and https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/ institutions have made excellent benefits can close knowledge handle/10986/31430 progress on mainstreaming gaps and reduce uncertainty in nature-based solutions and employing these nature-based addressing issues that impede the interventions. Session Contributors scale-up of these interventions, Juliana Castaño-Isaza, World further work must to be done ●● Although there’s growing Bank (author) to create improved enabling evidence on the socio-economic conditions for the implementation benefits that we gain from Cindy Patricia Robles, World Bank (author) of these next generation solutions. ecosystems, nature-based infrastructure is not yet Tundi Agardy, Sound Seas ●● There must be a greater (author) considered under the most effort in collection and national accounting systems. Steven Carrion, World Bank management of robust or (author) high-quality data (both social ●● There can also be difficulties in and natural) as this data if getting community buy-in for often limited. For instance, NBS projects, as they can pose high-quality topographic and a potential land use conflict and bathymetric data is not always require complex stakeholder available to run coastal hazards engagement given the cross- assessments. sectoral nature of these interventions. A well-designed ●● To improve our knowledge nature-based solutions of the role of ecosystems in project must understand the coastal risk reduction, stronger local dynamics and ensure it monitoring and evaluation involves the participation of systems must be improved as communities. they are usually outdated and/
75 Disaster Risk Financing in Overseas Countries and Territories
Introduction top of that, in many cases, Background limited fiscal space and human The Caribbean region is exposed resources impact the ability of A technical workshop at to a variety of natural hazards, OCT governments to undertake Understanding Risk Caribbean which have significant negative necessary fiscal risk assessments provided an overview of the impacts on their economic and synthesize an approach to Disaster Risk Financing Technical and fiscal stability. The global disaster risk financing (DRF) with Assistance (DRF TA) available trend toward increasing a comprehensive disaster risk to Caribbean OCTs through the climate variability is likely to management (DRM) strategy. EU-funded Technical Assistance exacerbate many of these OCTs are seeking ways to take Program for Disaster Risk hazards. Costs of recovery and control of reducing their fiscal Financing and Insurance in reconstruction from disasters vulnerability and enhancing Caribbean OCTs which is part can result in increased debt, their long-term resilience and of the Resilience, Sustainable unsustainable budgetary deficits capacity to adapt to extreme and Energy and Marine Biodiversity and unreliable funding streams recurrent natural events. Program (ReSEMBiD). Assistance for many countries in the Caribbean. In addition, the absence of macroeconomic stability makes it harder for Caribbean countries to implement poverty reduction policies. The Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) can be particularly financially vulnerable. Many OCTs cannot access the same financial products offered to sovereign countries, and constitutional relationships may not have provisions in place for rapid disbursement of post-disaster assistance. On
76 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference through this TA includes the St. Lucia. Key developments few months and his expectations development of innovative DRF include St. Lucia adopting the of the engagements over the next options, capacity building within first national DRF strategy in the couple years. OCTs on use of existing risk Caribbean, and Jamaica following transfer mechanisms such as close behind. Minister Winston the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Garraway of the Ministry of Conclusion Insurance Facility (CCRIF), and Climate Resilience in Grenada Experience regionally and globally working with OCTs to promote spoke about how the DRF TA has shown that when countries informed decision-making on has positively impacted risk- adopt a risk layering approach disaster risk financing. This session based financial decision making with multiple complementary was geared towards government in Grenada. Ms. Alma Gomez, risk retention and risk transfer officials and ReSEMBiD focal Insurance Supervisor of Belize, instruments, supported by points in OCTs, but was open to all touched on the importance of robust hazard and loss data and conference participants. dialogue taking place between the sound legal and public financial regulator, the insurance industry, management systems, disaster and governments in order to response can be more timely and Case Studies strategically benefit from risk cost effective. The World Bank transfer options. Montserrat’s The DRF TA has already been is proud to launch their DRF Financial Secretary, Colin Owen, successfully implemented in component of the ReSEMBiD shared his experiences working Belize, Grenada, Jamaica and program and looks forward to with the World Bank over the last working with OCTs to strengthen their ability to cope financially with disasters.
Session Contributors
Mary Boyer, World Bank (author) Rashmin Gunasekera, World Bank Diana Cubas, World Bank Winston Garraway, Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management and Information, Grenada Alma Gomez, Office of the Supervisor of Insurance and Private Pension, Belize David Colin Owen, Ministry of Finance, Montserrat
An illustration of important factors to consider in disaster risk finance planning. Source: World Bank
77 cRISKet! Hitting Disaster Risk for Six!
On May 31, 2019 - one day before the start of the hurricane season – the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), World Bank, European Union, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) hosted a “cRisket” match (Cricket + Risk) to raise public awareness of disaster risk across the region.
Two seasons ago, Hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked havoc on many islands in the region, further cementing the need for public and private sectors, academia, NGOs, international partners, and citizens to collectively take action to reduce the fiscal, physical and socio-economic impact of hurricanes, volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, landslides, and other hazards in the region.
This cRisket match wrapped up the Understanding Risk (UR) Caribbean Conference – that consisted of five days of sessions and workshops, delivered by more than 20 regional and international organizations, for 500+ participants from over 20 Caribbean countries. The conference served as a foundation to further action across the region.
The game of cricket offers an elegant way to think of disaster risk in the Caribbean region. Think of the ball as a hurricane, spinning as it advances towards the vulnerable wicket, threatening to hurt those who are not well protected. In this game, we had talented players who can see the danger coming, and anticipate its direction and likely impact, well before it hits—just like an early warning system for hurricanes! Imagine if you were playing with a partial blindfold, unable to know what may hit you when… This T-10 match invited both players and onlookers alike to reflect on risks in the Caribbean through the lens of cricket.
Prominent players from the region participated in the match included Tino Best, James Adams, Sylvester Athanaze, Ridley Jacobs, Donald Barthley (Zorol), Nixon McLean, Michael Matthews, Sherwin Campbell, Resheleel Griffith, Kyle Mayers, Charlene Taitt, Dwayne Smith, Nikita Miller, and Philo Wallace.
Clockwise, top to bottom: captions here please. Photo: photohrapher.
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79 Article title Visualizing Vulnerabilities in the Caribbean: Opportunities for Applying Earth Observations to Reduce Risk
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What does it mean to that contribute to vulnerability look like? For many, this means be vulnerable? and then assign complementary connectivity to local and global Earth observation capabilities that markets, populations living in areas In recent years Caribbean states enable the visualization of this exposed to particular risks (e.g., have been increasingly impacted element. This includes identifying coastal, high mountain, islands), by some of the worst disasters physical and environmental and complex and compound ever recorded, causing widespread vulnerabilities connected to the environmental variability. destruction, loss of life, and built and natural settings, social When considered individually, long-term economic damage to and economic vulnerabilities that there exist a number of Earth multiple sectors. The ability for affect markets and administrative observation and remote communities to anticipate, cope structures, and an understanding sensing tools that can begin with, resist and recover from the that different levels of to help visualize the elements impacts of natural hazards largely vulnerabilities exist among of vulnerability. EO data are relies on their understanding of different populations. a resource for quantifying disaster risk. While much is known community risk and visualizing about the hazard component the interconnectedness of of risk, and exposure is gaining Visualizing populations, key infrastructure, increased appreciation in the Vulnerabilities and climate-related processes. insurance and infrastructure The ability to move from risk Through high-resolution optical arenas, much uncertainty remains to resilience relies heavily on imagery and active sensors, in identifying and unpacking the the adaptive capacities and remote sensing technologies elements of vulnerability. In part, social cohesion of communities enable disaster risk managers these challenges are due to its – identifying opportunities for to quantify pre-disaster largely social construct, which collaboration and sharing of vulnerabilities (see Figure 1) as are difficult to contextualize collective knowledge while taking well as post-disaster damage (see without consideration of the advantage of these opportunities Figure 2). Exposure of assets to interconnected system which across socio-economic, political, disasters can be characterized for places populations in situations of and institutional systems in modeling applications, including heightened fragility. order to adjust to changing critical infrastructure, the To make progress with environments. For example, island inference of vulnerability, and the understanding and mitigating communities may be well prepared progression of risk through time. current and future vulnerabilities, for flooding and sea level rise, but The ability to monitor recovery there is increasing interest to might not consider drought and remotely can provide critical use Earth observations (EO) heat wave conditions. Limitations data that can be used to model as a method for envisaging in these capacities prevent economic resilience over a period vulnerability. In order to do so, preparedness actions that can of years and decades, potentially new methodologies are needed reduce risk—but what does social leading to new avenues for to first identify the variables cohesion and adaptive capacity modeling secondary impacts.
Even when imagery is available for understanding vulnerability and risk, a timely and targeted understanding of how to apply this data for taking early action and mobilizing investment is needed.
81 ArticleVisualizing title vulnerabilities in the Caribbean: Opportunities for Applying Earth Observations to Reduce Risk
Figure 1. The Palabora mining pit has been growing steadily in size since 1965, and is the largest open mine in South Africa. Operations have moved underground leading to structural collapses and damage to nearby roads, power and water lines, and other infrastructure. Using LandSat and SRTM data, NASA researchers are using data to improve the understanding of how continued underground mining will deform the land surface and lead to further collapse and impact to surrounding communities like Phalaborwa, in the future.
Source: Stevens, J. and A. Nussbaum, 2019.
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Cuttack Bhubaneswar
Puri March 2019
Cuttack Bhubaneswar
Puri May 4th 2019
Cuttack Bhubaneswar
Puri May 6th 2019
Night-time Lights
Low High
Cuttack Bhubaneswar
Puri May 4th 2019
Figure 2. Night time lights in Bhubaneshwar-Cuttack-Puri city regions of India where Tropical Cyclone Fani first made landfall reflect power Cuttack restoration and outage based on pre-event and post-event night-lights Bhubaneswar (Visable Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite, VIIRS) daily composites. These data products show energy usage before and after the event, and assist Puri in recovery by reflecting those without power restoration over extended May 6th 2019 periods of time. Night-time Lights Reflection Source: Esquivias, G. R., and C.K. Huyck, 2019.
None Very High
83 Visualizing vulnerabilities in the Caribbean: Opportunities for Applying Earth Observations to Reduce Risk
From Data to the decision making process. References and Decisions In many situations globally, the Further Resources mandate to provide specific types The islands of the Caribbean of data is relegated to a specific Esquivias, G. R., and C.K. Huyck. 2019. are individually unique, but number of agencies; therefore, Cyclone Fani Power Restoration and Outage Assessment. Internal study conducted collectively face a number of though advances in the types under NASA Roses grant 80NSSC19K1112, and availability of data are ever similar challenges to a host of Open Critical Infrastructure Exposure natural hazards, exposures, and growing, challenges exist with for Disaster Forecasting, Mitigation and vulnerabilities. Identifying these fragmentation in data sharing, and Response. ImageCat, Inc., Long Beach, CA. common challenges, and aligning varying roles and responsibilities in Stevens, J., and A. Nussbaum. 2019. South shared interests in addressing data production, analysis and use, Africa’s Largest Open Pit Mine. NASA them can lead to the development which can limit the effectiveness Earth Observatory. 13 August. https:// of collective, resilience-based of integrating Earth observation earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/145366/ solutions across the region. information into disaster south-africas-largest-open-pit-mine. Even when imagery is available management frameworks, and Caribbean Disaster Emergency for understanding vulnerability thus from building resilience. Management Agency (www.cdema.org) and risk, a timely and targeted ImageCat, Inc. (www.imagecatinc.com) Policies and governance understanding of how to apply NASA Disasters Program (www.disasters. opportunities exist for building this data for taking early action nasa.gov) collective and shared concern and mobilizing investment is Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and lasting engagement before needed. (www.climatecentre.org) the next disaster occurs. Data Willis Towers Watson (www. EO data products and producers and end users can willistowerswatson.com) visualizations do not automatically establish networks, technical translate to specific decisions expertise, and trust before a but instead must be interpreted; disaster happens. Learning how to Session Contributors beneficiaries and end users of develop decision support systems data must therefore be trained quickly is important for reducing Ron Eguchi, ImageCat, Inc. in integrating data products into loss of life, livelihoods, and Pablo Suarez, Red Cross Red decision frameworks and must property. Finally, embedding risk Crescent Climate Centre understand the limitations of reduction and risk communication Elizabeth Riley, Caribbean these products. Academia, local strategies that match the Disaster Emergency humanitarian non-governmental nature of risk and the needs of Management Agency agencies (e.g., the national those using EO data can support Simon Young, Willis Towers societies of the Red Cross Red effective decision making. As we Watson Crescent movement), regional are better able to coordinate data Fred Krimgold, World Bank and local emergency management needs and improve integrated Tim Webster, Nova Scotia agencies (e.g., Caribbean Disaster risk-informed approaches, the Community College Emergency Management ability to translate complex Shanna N. McClain, NASA Authority), and national community vulnerability and risk Earth Sciences Division (author) hydrological and meteorological into effective action becomes (hydro-met) agencies all share more likely. a role in integrating data into
84 Proceedings from the 2019 UR Caribbean Conference Activating the Sustainable Blue Economy–Promoting Coastal Resilience in the Caribbean
Summary
The Sustainable Blue Economy presents opportunities to develop the full potential of marine resources in the Caribbean through building safe and resilient coastal communities, ensuring healthy and productive oceans, and creating sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Around the world, Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—or, more accurately, “Large Ocean” States are starting to explore sustainable ways to integrate their marine resources into national planning. The session featured observations from the Sustainable Blue Economy Forum, held in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2018, including lessons and opportunities for the Caribbean. Presenters profiled key initiatives currently underway, including the UK Commonwealth Marines Economies Programme, the Blue Economy program within the World Bank and the PROBLUE multi-donor trust fund, and the Caribbean Development Bank’s (CDB) work on blue accounts to promote resilience through investments in blue ecosystems. Innovative approaches were also highlighted, and it is anticipated that the discussions will sensitise the participants to how the development space is evolving for SIDS.
Photo: cosmin4000
85 Activating the Sustainable Blue Economy–Promoting Coastal Resilience in the Caribbean
Introduction ocean’s resources is a global on natural resources; incentivize priority and will require global and monetize sustainable and In the old ‘business-as-usual’ solutions framed within national resilient choices; make sustainable model, nations develop their and regional priorities. The ‘blue Blue Economy (SBE) a local ocean economies through the economy’ is an emerging concept initiative; use SBE to drive regional exploitation of maritime and that encourages sustainable collaboration; and push and marine resources – for example, exploitation, innovation and support global solutions where through shipping, commercial stewardship of our ocean and they are required. fishing, and oil, gas, and mineral its life-giving ‘blue’ resources, development. Often, countries and Canada`s commitment may not pay adequate attention was reiterated through its G7 Case studies – Donor to the effect of these activities on presidency with a key theme of based interventions in the future health or productivity ‘working together on climate the Blue Economy of the same resources and the change, oceans and clean ocean ecosystems in which energy’. The Canada-led Ocean World Bank they exist. The ‘sustainable blue Plastics Charter, launched at Blue Economy is crucial for the economy’ concept provides a the Leaders’ Summit and since Caribbean region, which is the more holistic vision and develops endorsed by 16 countries and most tourism-dependent region not only traditional marine 20 companies, outlines concrete in the world, with associated resource use, but also looks at actions to combat marine plastic revenues representing 15% of more intangible ‘blue’ resources litter and protect our oceans for the region’s GDP. PROBLUE is such as traditional ways of generations to come. a new Multi-Donor Trust Fund, life, carbon sequestration and housed at the World Bank, that The challenges faced by the coastal resilience in order to help supports the development of Caribbean region and the Pacific vulnerable states mitigate the integrated, sustainable and islands are similar, including devastating effects of poverty healthy marine and coastal climate change, degradation and climate change. resources. With the Blue Economy of ocean environment, lack of Action Plan as its foundation, International Development coastal resilience, and issues of PROBLUE contributes to the Partners (IDPs) are devoting access to financing. There are implementation of Sustainable resources to the methodical some key differences as well, for Development Goal 14 (SDG exploration of sustainable blue example in the Pacific Islands, 14) and is fully aligned with the economy solutions. This session fisheries constitute a driver of World Bank’s twin goals of ending highlights some of the areas of the economy and therefore, extreme poverty and increasing work that are relevant to the mechanisms were implemented the income and welfare of the Caribbean. to licence official waters. The poor in a sustainable way. Pacific Islands also undertook a Canada leadership role to be part of the PROBLUE is part of the World The November 2019 Sustainable solution to tackle climate change, Bank’s overall oceans program, Blue Economy Conference in and committed to reducing ship which in 2018 amounted to Nairobi, Kenya examined in depth emissions. In the Caribbean, around $4.1 billion with a further the role of oceans, seas and the main driver is tourism, and $1.5 billion in the pipeline. marine resources as a central there is less collaboration due PROBLUE Focuses on Four Key part of the delivery of the to regional competition. In Areas: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable addition, there are no established ●● The management of Development, including the maritime boundaries. Lessons sustainable fisheries and Sustainable Development Goals point to the need to: put a value (SDGs). Sustainability of the aquaculture
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●● Addressing threats posed fossil fuels. Immediately, this structures should align with the to ocean health by marine addresses different aspects of at strategy, in order to maximise pollution, including litter and least seven of the 17 Sustainable economic potential and value plastics, from marine or land- Development Goals (SDGs), with added. based sources the potential to drive progress in several others. ●● The sustainable development United Kingdom of key oceanic sectors such as While several blue economy tourism, maritime transport initiatives can be highlighted The Commonwealth Marine and off-shore renewable within the Caribbean, the scope Economies (CME) Programme was energy and scale remains below the announced by the British Prime potential, mainly because the blue Minister in 2015 and subsequently ●● Building government economy has not been formally launched in 2016. The aim of this capacity to manage marine recognised as an important UK Government programme is resources, including nature- economic driver. Leveraging a to support 17 Commonwealth based infrastructure such as blue economy strategy will allow Small Island Developing States mangroves, in an integrated Caribbean countries to more (SIDS) in identifying the potential way to deliver more and long- effectively drive the triple bottom of, and developing, their marine lasting benefits to countries line of sustainable development: economies (also referred to as and communities growing the economy, protecting blue economies) in a sustainable, Cross-cutting issues such as the environment, and advancing resilient and integrated way. The poverty, livelihoods, gender, social well-being. A blue economy programme promotes growth, climate change and maximizing strategy that forays into new innovation, jobs and investment, finance for development are growth sectors and expands whilst safeguarding healthy seas interwoven throughout the existing ones in a sustainable and ecosystems. In partnership program. manner will facilitate faster with the SIDS, the programme economic growth and can usher will develop and implement Caribbean Development in a new Caribbean economic national Maritime Economy Plans Bank (CDB) development paradigm, that to ensure the Programme leaves For small islands and coastal is more diversified and less a lasting legacy. The programme developing states such as the vulnerable to external shocks. is showcasing UK world leading Caribbean, the ocean’s role The effective adoption of expertise in marine science as an important generator the blue economy concept through its main delivery partners: requires not only a focus on of subsistence and income is United Kingdom Hydrographic the specific activity associated magnified. Many small island Office (UKHO), the Centre for with utilising the resource, developing states (SIDS) with Environment, Fisheries and but also, mainstreaming ocean extensive marine areas are Aquaculture Science (Cefas) sustainability into economic exploring ways to capitalise their and the National Oceanography modelling and decision-making. dominant resource base: oceans Centre (NOC). and coastal areas. A development To support the blue economy strategy grounded in the blue approach and investment, A few examples of the work economy will enable the Caribbean appropriate policies, legislation, delivered in support of marine to promote the growth of existing incentives and infrastructure economies since its launch include: must accommodate the productive sectors, expand into ●● Supporting the hurricane relief transition. Specifically, the policy emerging blue industries, improve effort and boosting trade mix, legislation and regulation, food security, and potentially and tourism in Dominica by processes and other governance reduce dependence on imported installing ocean sensors and
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tidal gauges to allow safer port charts, allowing SIDS to better the Commonwealth takes a fair, movements and access for understand and manage their equitable, inclusive and sustainable larger vessels. marine assets. approach to ocean economic development and protection. ●● Safeguarding Belize’s citizens ●● Improving compliance with and their livelihoods by International Conventions Commonwealth Blue Charter installing a tidal gauge to by working with the Action Groups guide the provide coastal hazard warning Governments of St Vincent development of tools and at the Port of Belize, in Belize and the Grenadines, Grenada training, specifically around: City. and Vanuatu to improve Commonwealth Clean Ocean hydrographic governance. Alliance, Coral Reef Protection ●● Supporting sustainable growth and Restoration, Mangrove in Guyana by helping their wild ●● Supporting resilient Caribbean Ecosystems and Livelihoods, brown shrimp industry achieve Fisheries by developing a Marine Protected Areas, Ocean Marine Stewardship Council tool which helps Caribbean Acidification, Ocean and Climate Certification (sustainability countries in assessing the Change, Ocean Observation, accreditation). vulnerability of their fisheries Sustainable Aquaculture and sectors and to implement Sustainable Blue Economy. ●● Supporting development of national commitments relating Blue Economy in the Seychelles to climate resilient fisheries by providing guidelines that and livelihoods. This supports a underpin the development wider ongoing initiative which Session Contributors of a ‘Blue Bond’ to support a has developed a Caribbean sustainable fisheries project. Mr. Bill Crosbie, Global Affairs climate risk insurance product Canada ●● Supporting the development enabling vulnerable fishing Mr. Vickram Cuttaree, World of a valuable aquaculture communities to recover after Bank often devastating climatic industry for Caribbean Spiny Mr. Koen Vanstaen, Lobster in St Lucia and the disasters. Department for Environment, wider Caribbean through a Food and Rural Affairs, United The UK is also leading The feasibility study and a pilot Kingdom Commonwealth Blue Charter project. Dr. Justin Ram, Director —an agreement by all 53 of Economics, Caribbean ●● Increasing navigational safety Commonwealth countries to Development Bank and efficiency in both the actively co-operate to solve Patricia Shako, Department Caribbean and South-West ocean-related problems and meet for International Development, Pacific through extensive commitments for sustainable United Kingdom (author) seabed mapping and updating ocean development, ensuring that
We need to preserve and manage mother earth better. We need to take care of it, and change the way we do things. —Irvince Auguiste, Kalinago Territory, Dominica
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“The event is timely as it comes at a juncture when the Caribbean region is currently engaged in articulating a Resilience Pathway in the face of the known challenges, threats and uncertainties associated with Climate Change,” —Ronald Jackson, Executive Director, CDEMA. From Risk to Resilience: A Foundation for Action
Understanding Risk (UR) is an open and global community of over 8,000 experts and practitioners interested and active in the creation, communication, and use of disaster risk information. This vibrant community—a diverse group of people from the private, public, nonprofit, technology, and financial sectors—meets at the UR global forum every two years. Each iteration of the UR Forum has produced new ideas and partnerships that have improved risk information and helped to integrate evidence into policy making and development planning.
This publication captures the experiences, lessons, and best practices in the field discussed at the Understanding Risk Caribbean Conference, held in Barbados, from May 27 to May 31, 2019.