United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (UNECLAC) Disasters Lessons Learned and Impact on Recovery and Reconstruction University of Technology

Acknowledgements With thanks to UNDP Jamaica which instigated the review process Colleagues in the field Colleagues within the ECLAC and UN system

The ECLAC Methodology The cycle The procedure The assessment Its uses ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

The ECLAC Methodology The post-disaster cycle ECLAC evaluation EmergencyRehabilitation and recovery Reconstruction ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

The ECLAC Methodology The procedure DescriptionAssessment Rehabilitation and reconstruction Part I Part IIPart III What is it and where? Whom has it affected? What has been done? How much? Magnitude? What is required What needs to be done? ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

The ECLAC Methodology The assessment Damages Assets and Stocks Losses Impacts GDP Fiscal Accounts Balance of payments Employmen t Prices At the time of the disaster Lost Income Higher costs Following the disaster 1 to 5 years Social and productive sectors, infrastructure and environment Macroeconomic effects Part 1Part 2 ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

THREE BASIC AND RECURRING CONCEPTS Damages + Losses = Impact Global Effects Disaster affects assets ( damages), the flow of goods and services ( losses) and the performance of main macro economic aggregates ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

MACRO ECONOMIC EFFECTS

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Cayman Islands: Impact of Ivan on GDP

Grenada Cayman Islands Jamaica ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Rate of growth in states affected by Ivan

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Sectoral Impacts Affected population Agriculture Tourism Infrastructure Commerce

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Social Impacts Loss of housing Loss of livelihoods Health Sector Education Shelters

Existing weaknesses not only affecting disasters but overall well being and performance Location of human settlements and economic activities in hazard zones Inappropriate construction techniques Environmental deterioration aggravates damages Lack of risk planning in development Factors impacting on damages and losses ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

Hurricane preparedness reduces impact. Low probability of event does not equate with zero probability. Government weaknesses exacerbate impacts Shelters and EOC’s not always properly designed The higher the level of economic development the higher the economic damages Unless carefully managed, economic and social structures suffer fracture or complete breakdown Factors impacting on damages and losses cont’d ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

Poverty major contributor to impacts, short term survival needs will take precedence over probability of natural disasters Impacts of disasters will have a negative impact on achieving MDG’s The higher the rate of insurance the higher the resilience of the country Factors impacting on damages and losses cont’d ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean

Lessons learned and recommendations Risk reduction and the transfer of risk should be part of the planning process Comprehensive disaster management policy including promotion of economic instruments and risk reduction strategies, hazard mapping, and storage of emergency supplies Institutional strengthening that promotes risk management Building codes and land use should be revisited and enforced Rapid needs assessments and socio-economic assessments are complementary to mobilize resources for the emergency and reconstruction.

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Lessons learned and recommendations cont’d Strategy for intra-regional cooperation should go beyond the phase that reacts to an event to make provision for preventative action, risk reduction, mitigation and management and risk transfer actions. A partnership between UNDP, ECLAC, World Bank and IDB with regional organizations such as the CDB, OECS, ACS and CARICOM and governments to pursue issues of management and transfer of risk should be developed.

ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Lessons learned and recommendations cont’d Establish small grant, soft loan facilities and community micro financing facilities with particular focus on vulnerable groups such as small farmers, traders and women headed households Establish mechanisms to cope with post disaster stress Improve resilience of schools, health centres and other critical infrastructure