A resilient Caribbean is a sustainable Caribbean
By Mariana Kaipper Ceratti
* Even though this year’s hurricane season was calmer than the one of 2017, the Caribbean population knows that the region can be hit again any time
* Withstanding climate change will require a shift in policy and better preparedness, and that will take a 360º strategy
* These issues are at the center of the #ResilientCaribbean Conference, which will take place on November 26th
After Hurricane Maria struck Dominica on September 16th, 2017, assistant project engineer Ron Jackson was among the many men and women who worked tirelessly to help rebuild the country. Back then, debris made many roads impassable and it was a challenge to get to different communities.
“We worked very hard to get the roads cleared,” Jackson said. “I strongly believe that through the community involvement and the togetherness we all have, we will stand by each other.”
“When there is a disaster, we all come together,” he stressed, “That is what pulled us through after Maria.”
Rebuilding Better Before the Next Storm
While driving around the island and talking to people, it is possible to see how the collective spirit is helping lift Dominica little by little. The country saw the recovery as an opportunity to rebuild better before the next storm and be better prepared to withstand climate change.
“There is now a new building code, including the hurricane ties, the clams and the different screws that must be used. We were not using them before and right now we need to ensure that the builders are putting it in when they are rebuilding,” said Glenda Castle, a clerk of the village council of Loubiere.
With World Bank support, Dominica and other Caribbean nations are increasingly building resilience to natural disasters and climate change. This support is based on a 360º strategy that entails investing in better preparedness, building stronger infrastructure, having strong fiscal buffers and financial protection, protecting the most vulnerable, and protecting and leveraging oceans and other natural resources.
“We cannot relocate our island”
For the Caribbean, this year’s hurricane season has been much calmer than that of 2017. However, the islands are still recovering from the damages caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria, and the recent hurricane in Florida was a reminder that the region can be hit again. With climate change threatening to increase the intensity of disasters, the question is not if, but when.
Fortunately, there is a broad movement to build resilience all over the Caribbean, led by some of the countries that suffered the most. Dominica, for example, lost 226% of its GDP to Hurricane Maria. For this small island nation, there is no other choice but to become more resilient.
“We cannot relocate our island. It will always remain in the hurricane belt,” said Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica. “Resilience is about getting back on your feet much quicker than you would normally do if you didn’t have those structures in place,” he added.
Dominica is following the example of Grenada. The neighboring small island nation had 200% of its GDP wiped out when Hurricane Ivan hit the island in 2004. More damage ensued when Hurricane Emily struck the following year.
A wake-up call
Both events were a wake-up call. They inspired Grenada to establish the region’s first climate resilience ministry and be among the first Caribbean countries to adopt fiscal rules to reduce public debt. The small island nation is also prioritizing the transition to a blue economy to ensure that ocean and marine ecosystems would be sustainably managed.
“The answer is preparedness, preparedness, preparedness. Historically in the region, hurricanes or storm surges occurred infrequently, so there was not this preparedness mindset, which requires investing in preparing people appropriately and looking at all aspects of preparation from early warning systems to capacity building for emergency response,” says Grenada Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.
The island of Sint Maarten is facing similar challenges after Hurricane Irma and recovery is underway with the support of a US$ 550 million Sint Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience Trust Fund ─ financed by the Government of The Netherlands, and managed by the World Bank.
Among other initiatives, the fund will enable Sint Maarten to strengthen the local labor market, which is based on tourism and was deeply affected in the aftermath of Irma. Through the Income Support and Training Project — which builds on a successful initiative set up by the private sector in December 2017 — participants receive hands-on training three times a week as well as a stipend during their training period.
Nicola Allen is one of the beneficiaries. After she lost all her belongings and her job in a hotel kitchen, she saw in a culinary course the chance to start over. “I am learning so many new skills. And I prefer to work. I will get a certificate which will be valuable everywhere I apply for a job. After this, I will be able to go back to culinary work, but at a higher level.”
The Caribbean still relies heavily on ex-post external assistance to recover from disasters. Building back better and investing in a broad disaster risk management strategy will require a greater shift in policy focus and more integration between countries and institutions. But it will also be a key step in establishing resilience and reducing the large economic and human cost of natural disasters.
A broader approach to resilience and innovative financing instruments
This shift in policy will require taking a broader approach to resilience and innovative financing instruments, which will be discussed on November 26th, during the High-Level Conference on Building Resilience to Disasters and Climate Change in the Caribbean. The conference will bring together the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and authorities from all over the region. Follow the livestream here and join the conversation on social media using #ResilientCaribbean.
