Regional perspectives on digital disaster management in Latin America and the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Information and communication technologies for disaster risk management in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography.

Information and communication technology for disaster risk management in the Caribbean: subregional solutions to the challenge of limited human resource capacity

This document was adapted from a paper originally presented to the 8th Annual Caribbean Conference of Comprehensive Disaster Management, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica in December, 2013. It summarizes several activities that ECLAC has undertaken to assess the current state of information and communications technology (ICT) in the field of disaster risk management (DRM) as practiced in the Caribbean. These activities included an in-depth study that encompassed a survey of disaster management organizations in the region, an Expert Group Meeting attended by the heads of several national disaster offices, and a training workshop for professionals working in DRM in the Caribbean. One of the notable conclusions of ECLAC’s investigation on this topic is that the lack of human capacity is the single largest constraint that is faced in the implementation of ICT projects for DRM in the Caribbean. In considering strategies to address the challenge of limited human capacity at a regional level, two separate issues are recognized – the need to increase the ICT capabilities of disaster management professionals, and the need to make ICT specialists available to disaster management organizations to advise and assist in the implementation of technology-focused projects. To that end, two models are proposed to engage with this issue at a regional level. The first entails the establishment of a network of ICT trainers in the Caribbean to help DRM staff develop a strategic understanding of how technology can be used to further their organizational goals. The second is the development of “Centres of Excellence” for ICT in the Caribbean, which would enable the deployment of specialized ICT expertise to national disaster management offices on a project-by-project basis.

Framework for implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in the small island developing states of the Caribbean subregion

Includes bibliography

Assessment of the socioeconomic and environmental impact of hurricane Ivan on Jamaica

Includes bibliography

Climate change: selected economic dimensions

Includes bibliography

Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries. Main technical report = Información para la gestión del riesgo de desastres: estudios de caso de cinco países. Informe técnico principal

Incluye Bibliografía

Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries. Summary report = Información para la gestión del riesgo de desastres: estudios de caso de cinco países. Informe resumido

Incluye Bibliografía

Information on disaster risk management: case study of five countries: Jamaica

Incluye Bibliografía

Evaluation report of the training course on disaster assessment methodology

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has been a pioneer in the field of disaster assessment and in the development and dissemination of the Disaster Assessment Methodology. The organization’s history in assessing disasters started in 1972 with the earthquake that struck Managua, Nicaragua. Since then, ECLAC has led more than 90 assessments of the social, environmental and economic effects and impacts of disasters in 28 countries in the region. The Sustainable Development and Disaster Unit provides expert assistance in disaster assessment and disaster risk reduction to Caribbean states and to all countries across Latin America. Considering that assessing the effects and impacts of disasters is critical to the Latin American and Caribbean countries, the Unit has started a new cycle of training courses. The training is designed for policymakers and professionals involved directly with disaster risk management and risk reduction. Additionally, and since the methodology is comprehensive in approach, it is also designed for sector specialists, providing a multisectoral overview of the situation after a disaster, as well as an economic estimate of the damages, losses and additional costs. In an attempt to strengthen disaster risk reduction through its financial instruments, the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES for its acronym in Portuguese) of Brazil requested that ECLAC undertake a four-day training programme on the Disaster Assessment Methodology.