Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in the Caribbean

Abstract

Caribbean countries share unique features such as small size, geographical location, limited natural resources, low economic status aligned with ambitious developmental agendas, all of which influences their vulnerability to natural disasters. Agriculture and tourism are the main economic drivers for Caribbean states. Notably, both these sectors are highly prone to natural disasters. Other sectors including forestry, biodiversity, coastal resources and inland water resources are also susceptible to climatic hazards. The eroding natural resource base aligned to these sectors demands appropriate management. Risk assessment is integral in planning and preparing for natural hazards. Several methods have been used in the Caribbean with varying success. Two successful examples are the Land Degradation Assessment (LADA) conducted in Grenada and the Landslide Mapping in Trinidad. The LADA project geospatially quantified the extent of land degradation and presented data in support of natural resource management. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) was a milestone establishment for regional disaster management. Introduction and implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) strategy transformed disaster management from simply response and recovery, to include preparedness, prevention and mitigation. This approach included the appointment of national focal points in all participating countries, a feature that aimed to build and improve communication channels. Whilst mostly positive, the present approach has also showcased limitations to long term sustainability. Most islands lack effective governance structures with a dedicated budget to disaster management and where available, activities are centrally operated. Improving social resilience through community engagement is seen as critical to the success of CDM. Social media has also been shown to add real value to networking and communication in disaster management.