An economic analysis of flooding in the Caribbean: The case of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago

Flooding as an extreme event has become progressively evident in the Caribbean sub-region, as a result of an increased number of intense rainfall events, and storm surges from hurricanes. Such events in turn, have been linked to the impacts of global climate change, which has been shown to be the cause for several specific events including sea-level rise; global temperature rise, ocean warming and acidification, and the melting of glaciers. In the specific instance of the Caribbean subregion, flooding events often result in significant disruptions of economic and social life. This study uses a…

ECLAC meeting analyses flooding in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago

Intense rainfall, storm surges and hurricanes have resulted in an increased number of flooding events in the Caribbean over recent times. The economic impacts of such events in Jamaica and in Trinidad and Tobago, were at the centre of discussions this morning, when regional technicians gathered for an expert group meeting (EGM) hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) subregional headquarters for the Caribbean. Discussions during the meeting were guided by an upcoming study by ECLAC Caribbean, entitled `An Economic Analysis of Flooding in the Caribbean – T…

Mainstreaming disaster risk management strategies in development instruments (II): policy briefs for Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago

This set of policy briefs has the objective of profiling disaster risk management (DRM) policies in five selected member States of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee: Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The present publication is the second that ECLAC has released on the mainstreaming of DRM strategies on this topic area. In 2017, a similar document was published for the following countries: The Bahamas, Belize, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Jamaica. It also aims at analysing these policies and their interactions with broader development issues an…

New ECLAC policy brief prepares Caribbean countries for natural disasters

Through the publication of a new policy brief, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) subregional headquarters for the Caribbean has identified strengths and weaknesses in the DRM strategies of member states and how these can be mainstreamed in development plans and policies. The brief which is entitled `Mainstreaming disaster risk management (DRM) strategies in development instruments” and focuses on Barbados, Guyana, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago’. It presents policy recommendations to strengthen the role of DRM and to improve the use of resource…

Caribbean Technology Partnerships for the SDGs