WASHINGTON, CMC – Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell Friday mentioned that Catastrophe Danger Discount (DRR) is not an possibility and is a actuality that have to be tackled with dedication and robust political will.
Addressing the digital discussion board organized by the Washington-based Atlantic Council on the theme “Strengthening US-Caribbean cooperation on pure catastrophe readiness, Mitchell mentioned the Caribbean area is weak to a number of hazards, each pure and man-induced.
He acknowledged that the multi-hazard realities and multi-island format improve threat and vulnerability, with poverty and financial circumstances being immediately associated to catastrophe threat.
Mitchell acknowledged that local weather change has a direct correlation with catastrophe threat and that local weather adaptation is expensive to the area, but it surely have to be addressed nonetheless.
“Nevertheless, the international locations of the Caribbean, Small Island Creating States (SIDS), contribute little or no to the rising local weather considerations as in comparison with creating and developed international locations.
“Elevated catastrophe dangers and vulnerabilities fueled by local weather change and weak socio-economic circumstances drive the area to generally select between Catastrophe Danger Discount and financial improvement.”
Mitchell mentioned that sustainable improvement really requires advances in financial development, and catastrophe threat discount (DRR) additionally requires strict measures to scale back vulnerabilities.
“Catastrophe Danger Discount is not an possibility. It’s a actuality that have to be tackled with dedication and robust political will. States have to take possession of Catastrophe Danger Discount (DRR), which should now be featured prominently in central budgets. The funding in DRR immediately will end in vital financial savings sooner or later. ”
Mitchell mentioned that threat governance should turn into a precedence, noting that almost all international locations within the area both haven’t any catastrophe threat discount (DRR) laws or outdated ones that might not be related.
He acknowledged that Grenada has taken the daring step to enact DRR laws in 2023, thereby remodeling the nation’s DRR panorama.
“But it surely won’t be an in a single day course of. Transformation can generally be painful at first, however the result’s slightly rewarding. Our laws, insurance policies, and plans should information our efforts towards enhanced Catastrophe Danger Discount (DRR). ”
He knowledgeable the digital occasion that catastrophe threat financing is a brand new and rising area.
“It’s also pricey. However there are advantages. Grenada benefitted after Hurricane Beryl in July 2024. Caribbean states are starting to grasp the constructive impacts of parametric Insurance coverage,” Mitchell mentioned, however questioned whether or not the populations throughout the area perceive and respect threat switch.
“We encourage residents to take threat switch significantly, however the circumstances will not be proper. It’s elective for individuals who do not need a mortgage on their property. Relying on the fabric used to construct (wooden or concrete), Insurance coverage might not be obtainable.
“If the area needs a higher buy-in for threat switch, the amenities have to be obtainable, inexpensive, and accessible. The Caribbean Catastrophic Danger Insurance coverage Facility (CCRIF) has executed a superb job so far, however rather more must be executed for unusual residents,” Mitchell mentioned.
The Grenadian Prime Minister acknowledged that the first objective of DRR is to construct resilience in regional populations, noting that the Technique Impression of the Barbados-based Caribbean Catastrophe Emergency Administration Company (CDEMA) aligns with ‘Safer, extra Resilient States.’ Resilience pays, but it surely have to be resilience for all.
“Nobody must be left behind. There must be a aware effort to scale back inequalities in society if resilience should imply something to unusual individuals.”
Mitchell mentioned that during the last three a long time, there have been some defining moments within the Caribbean.
He mentioned Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, and most lately, Hurricane Beryl in 2024 have taught vital classes, including that the hazards have gotten extra frequent, extra intense, and extra erratic.
“Our actions and inactions in response to those instructing moments will decide and affect the resilience that outcomes,” Mitchell mentioned, including that DRR requires a ‘entire of society strategy.
He mentioned the packages for Catastrophe Danger Discount (DRR) have to be applied with, not for, the communities.
“Too many occasions, we plan for communities and never with them. The packages and plans have to be developed with a gender lens that focuses on all weak teams, together with those that are marginalized or deprived. We should present protected and resilient faculties and group facilities to advance the Catastrophe Danger Discount (DRR) agenda.
“The progress that have to be made in DRR within the Caribbean and the Americas have to be achieved by means of collective efforts. There must be strong cooperation and collaboration that have to be coordinated by entities that perceive the regional context. CDEMA is one such entity that may be leveraged. ”
Mitchell acknowledged that the vulnerabilities to hurricanes and tropical cyclones that exist amongst Caribbean nations and weak US coastal cities necessitate a multilateral strategy to creating methods that profit all individuals.
“Local weather change and tropical cyclones affect the area, and a cross-regional cooperation strategy between Caribbean nations and weak US coastal cities have to be adopted in order that collectively we will advance the DRR agenda.”
Mitchell mentioned that worldwide sources earmarked for addressing local weather adaptation methods exist, however the Caribbean, US coastal cities, and, by extension, IDS are not often capable of entry these sources.
“One of many predominant causes is that SIDS approaches worldwide entities not as a collective physique however as particular person international locations. We want extra substantial illustration on the international degree if Small Island Creating States (SIDS) are to make any actual affect when making an attempt to entry sources. The worldwide group have to be made conscious that Small Island Creating States (SIDS) imply enterprise. But it surely takes collective efforts to advance the pursuits of small island states.
“We have to strengthen regional mechanisms for strategic planning and response. Political Expedience, whether or not on the nationwide or regional degree, should not overshadow the advantages that may be derived from incremental investments in packages aimed toward decreasing catastrophe dangers within the medium to long run.
“It’s time for us to maneuver away from constructing again higher. We must always construct to final. Disasters will not be pure. The hazards are pure or man-induced. Our international locations will likely be impacted. However our actions and inactions in any respect ranges will decide the results we face from the impacts of those hazards,” Mitchell instructed the convention, including, “The time for motion is now.”
The Atlantic Council acknowledged that final 12 months’s hurricane season took a toll on the USA and the Caribbean alike, highlighting their shared vulnerability and the necessity to construct resilience within the face of maximum climate occasions.
It acknowledged that with the 2025 hurricane season underway and anticipated to be an “above-average” season, stronger coordination and cooperation between US cities and Caribbean international locations are important.
