Widening the Scope of Disaster Preparedness in the Caribbean: Building Resilience Through Improving Climate Information

Despite the frequency and severity of disasters in the insular Caribbean, and in particular the impacts of hydrological/meteorological (‘hydromet’) events, there are relatively few insights into the necessary relevance and scope of disaster preparedness. Such plans should not be limited to evacuation plans, assembling disaster toolkits, and preparing emergency response, but rather widened to include a deeper and more updated awareness of impending disasters and response options, and the timely communication of appropriate climate information. Not only could this facilitate building comprehensive disaster risk resilience but also holistic adaptation strategies by highlighting local vulnerabilities and policy gaps, given the specific challenge of climate change and variability for Caribbean SIDS.