Analysis of Disaster Risk Management Policy and Cross-Sectorial Contributions in Jamaica

1. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Analysis of Disaster Risk Management Policy and Cross Sectorial and Territorial Contributions to their Implementation in Jamaica Regional Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction of the Americas Investing for Resilience Santiago de Chile 26-28 November 2012 Prepared by Ronald Jackson

2. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Introduction • Vulnerability increasing due to increasing poverty, environmental degradation and the presence of unplanned settlements in environmentally sensitive areas • Competing development priorities provides little opportunity for resource allocation into relocating people affected by past events/extremely vulnerable or provide alternative livelihoods exists • The threat of climate change is not only geophysical put has profound implications for the economic sectors Prepared by Ronald Jackson

4. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Key synergies

5. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Policy Adjustments occurring • Creation of the DRR/CCA Thematic Working Group • Establishment of a Climate Change Department • The Development and promulgation of the National Hazard Mitigation Policy/CDRM Policy and Strategy/CC Policy • Policy harmonization, integration/synergies (CDRM Policy /CC Policy) • Revision of Land Policy • Revision of the Trade Policy Prepared by Ronald Jackson

6. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Key Elements in integrating DRR in Public Policy • Evidence based decision making • Four major areas to improve the evidence based decision making for DRR • Having a full appreciation for various moving parts in a disaster event • Proper documentation of small scale and repeated disasters • Consistency in reporting and documenting disasters events and losses • Continued research and trend analysis needed

7. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Mainstreaming Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management • We are currently using risk assessments to identify the extent of risks. They include data about hazards, exposure, vulnerability and capacity. • Current work in two sectors: Agriculture, tourism, work projected for education, housing, local authority Prepared by Ronald Jackson

8. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Leadership and Governance • A strong champion both political and technical are very useful as drives in the process to initiate programmes. • Established a crosscutting policy committee lead by a State Minister out of the Office of the Prime Minister and has past political leaders and industry leaders. • Owning and driving the policy revision and development agenda Prepared by Ronald Jackson

9. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Leadership and Governance • Enhanced political commitment • Strengthen Local level Capacities: • Enhanced Coordination. • Strengthen Accountability Prepared by Ronald Jackson

10. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT NATIONAL EXPERIENCES • National Development Planning: Vision 2030 and the thematic working group for Hazard Risk reduction. • Hazard and vulnerability informationintegrated in the development approval process since year 2000. Hazard vulnerability assessment are carried out on subdivision applications submitted for approval for residential and agricultural development. • Hazard mitigation policy developedto be strengthened will the development of a comprehensive disaster risk management policy with a major focus on the linkages necessary for DRM coordination across sectors, ministries etc. Prepared by Ronald Jackson

11. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT National Experience • National Contingency Fund – applications to the fund in the past has been used to support response. However, more recently the fund is also being used to strengthen mitigation and prevention programmes. • Building successful partnerships: over time our partnerships (local, civil society, community groups, benevolent societies international development partners – USAID, CIDA IDB etc), have become more formalized. This is a as a result of various projects funded by our development partners that have strengthened programmes. Two examples:BDRC, DRR Action Plan Prepared by Ronald Jackson

12. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Gaps and Challenges for Effective Public Policy • The main challenge is to ensure that integrating hazard risk considerations is priority for sectorial policy enhancement given the critical importance of these policy frameworks to social and economic well being of the country. • The pace at which the revision of the policy process occurs leads to questions of true importance. • Mechanisms to support operationalization of the policy once developed Prepared by Ronald Jackson

13. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Gaps and Challenges for Effective Public Policy • Data and Assessment: these are rarely shared because of the commercial value of their data and assessments • Identifying priorities for intervention • Marketing risk assessment as a key tool in policy formulation and decision making. • Multi hazard mapping and vulnerability assessments is a critical cross cutting issue across all areas that affect disaster risk reduction and management. However, the lack of empirical evidence, technology, expertise, and time to create multi-hazard vulnerability maps and assessments is limited due to technical and resource constraints. Prepared by Ronald Jackson

14. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Key Next Steps in Strengthening National DRM Policy • Enhance the knowledge platform for DRR • Further partnerships with Universities to facilitate evidence based policy formulation • In-depth investigation of disaster events so as to understand the root causes (Forensic Investigation of Disasters) • Greater uses of Science and Technology to enhance understanding • Development of National Risk Scenarios • Data on the relationship between complex hazard scenarios, disasters and critical sector need to be collated, analyzed and disseminated. • National Risk Scenarios developed and discussed towards rationalizing development priorities Prepared by Ronald Jackson

15. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Key Next Steps in Strengthening National DRM Policy • Greater use of Cost benefit Analysis • Determine costs and benefits of different options to reduce risk across sectors, local and national governance for diverse hazards. • Importance of recognizing and supporting building resilient disaster communities. Need to support the communities in developing; community disaster risk management programmes include projects that reach the most vulnerable. • Strengthening Social Policy • Revision of Development Orders Prepared by Ronald Jackson

16. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Concluding Statement • Governments to make very difficult choices and tradeoffs in respect of policy-making, which may involve, for example, a choice between undertaking and restricting coastal developments. • Coping with limited Fiscal Space for DRR and Climate Change Adaptation Investment • Radical changes required in order to be successful in preventing, mitigating, or adapting to threats to human, environmental, and social rights. That is Build Resilience against Climate Change and Hazard Impacts. Prepared by Ronald Jackson

17. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Main Message Strong and Sustainable Partnerships between the National Level Actors, Local Government Actors, NGO’s and our Communities within an enhanced policy framework will allow us to be resilient against all Hazards including the effects of Climate Change. TOGETHER “WE CAN CROSS IT!!!!”

18. OFFICE OF DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND EMEREGENCY MANAGEMENT Working towards National Resilience THANK YOU Presented by Ronald Jackson, Director General ODPEM