UNDP examines progress on recovery in the Caribbean one year after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in a summary report titled, ‘From Early Recovery to Long-term Resilience in the Caribbean’.
UNDP’s recovery strategy and approach aimed to address “the immediate and long-term recovery needs of individuals, households and communities” and enhance government and community capacities to manage risks from climate change and natural disasters.
UNDP contributions include the mobilization of US$25 million and the restoration of over 800 buildings.
17 September 2018: A summary report from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) examines progress on recovery in the Caribbean one year after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The report highlights UNDP’s contributions and strategy in the joint efforts, which include the mobilization of US$25 million and the restoration of over 800 buildings.
Titled, ‘From Early Recovery to Long-term Resilience in the Caribbean: Hurricanes Irma and Maria, One Year On,’ the report underscores the multiplier effects of natural disasters in small island developing States (SIDS). As UNDP notes, the connection between ecosystems and livelihoods means that hurricanes often impact islands’ entire populations and economies. The report primarily focuses on work conducted by the UNDP Subregional Office for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in the three hardest-hit nations: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and British Virgin Islands (BVI), outlining results on a country-by-country basis.
UNDP’s recovery strategy and approach aimed to address “the immediate and long-term recovery needs of individuals, households and communities” and enhance government and community capacities to manage risks from climate change and natural disasters. The report acknowledges that the 2017 hurricane season revealed gaps in both disaster preparedness and recovery mechanisms. However, it emphasizes that progress has been made possible by countries’ national leadership and intergovernmental institutions such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the OECS.
Linking to SDG target 1.5 on building the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reducing their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters and SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), recovery efforts trained over 1,000 contractors so that they would be prepared to “build back better.” With financial support from the Government of China, the report also notes that resilient roofs were installed on damaged houses in Antigua and Barbuda. It also highlights that a UNDP partnership with Microsoft resulted in the development of a tailored app that facilitated rapid damage assessments of over 30,000 buildings in Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, providing evidence to better inform recovery efforts. [From Early Recovery to Long-term Resilience in the Caribbean: Hurricanes Irma and Maria: One Year On] [Publication Landing Page] [UNDP Press Release]