GCRF Caribbean Resilience and Recovery Knowledge Network
Lead Research Organisation:
University of the West Indies
Department Name: Disaster Risk Reduction Centre
Abstract
In a region beset by serial disasters, effective recovery from hazardous events is not just a worthy goal it is an imperative. The Caribbean Resilience and Recovery Knowledge Network will support a transformational approach towards post-disaster recovery in the Caribbean,particularly as it responds to the impacts of the 2017 hurricane season that caused $130 billion of losses in the region.
A community of researchers, practitioners and policymakers is emerging, but at the moment their response is ad hoc and driven by divergent research or short-term aid goals. This generates locally useful outcomes, that alleviate the worst symptoms from the disasters, however they are collectively less effective at encouraging long term resilience to future events, strengthening ecosystems or reducing long-term vulnerabilities in poor or remote communities.
The Caribbean Knowledge Network seeks to remedy this by creating a new culture for responding to and preparing for hazardous events. This is our principle aim. We will do this by joining together diverse researchers, and engaging with practitioners and policymakers from the outset. These groups are all motivated to come together and transform how we approach post-disaster recovery. The researchers (in the Caribbean and the UK) work on wide-ranging topics relevant to long term hazard resilience, connected by their desire to improve recovery from disasters. The practitioners bear responsibility for ensuring the best possible outcomes for communities at risk and face increasing challenges associated with climate change and environmental degradation in the region. The attention of donors and policymakers has been focussed by the recent systemic destruction from the 2017 hurricanes.
Thus, the Network is both timely and needed. We have structured a series of mutually beneficial activities to help us achieve our overall aim, and associated objectives. The first of these will be a forensic workshop where we will bring our multiple perspectives to bear to understand what drove and hindered recovery following three key events (the 2017 hurricanes, the Haiti earthquake and long-term recovery following Hurricane Ivan). To reflect the multiple perspectives were are calling these forensic analyses, and this will be a great vehicle for learning from each others expertise and perspectives. This will run in the same location and just before the Annual Caribbean Disaster Management conference, which will provide further immediate feed-in to our conclusions.
After that we will create some scenarios to help test, design and evaluate existing response and recovery plans for multiple types of hazard. We will visit several Caribbean countries to do this, and they will be co-designed with different social groups to ensure relevancy. These will be used to create new principles and strategies in each setting.
While we are doing this we will run a series of webinars to discuss challenges hilighted by these two activities. We will make these freely accessible to participants throughout the Caribbean and further afield.
The outcomes from all of this work will create our new community who will co-create a manifesto for research to transform recovery and use that to secure further funding. Importantly, however along the way we will also have created some tangible benefits which will ensure the longevity of the grouping and maximise its benefit. These are: (1) forensic analyses on several important disaster events, identifying priority actions and sets of principles; (2) flexible, tailored scenario exercises for local disaster practitioners so they can develop their own new strategies in response to these on four islands (3) the time and momentum to consider how to 'join up' strategies across the islands, critically in collaboration with regional and international agencies.
A community of researchers, practitioners and policymakers is emerging, but at the moment their response is ad hoc and driven by divergent research or short-term aid goals. This generates locally useful outcomes, that alleviate the worst symptoms from the disasters, however they are collectively less effective at encouraging long term resilience to future events, strengthening ecosystems or reducing long-term vulnerabilities in poor or remote communities.
The Caribbean Knowledge Network seeks to remedy this by creating a new culture for responding to and preparing for hazardous events. This is our principle aim. We will do this by joining together diverse researchers, and engaging with practitioners and policymakers from the outset. These groups are all motivated to come together and transform how we approach post-disaster recovery. The researchers (in the Caribbean and the UK) work on wide-ranging topics relevant to long term hazard resilience, connected by their desire to improve recovery from disasters. The practitioners bear responsibility for ensuring the best possible outcomes for communities at risk and face increasing challenges associated with climate change and environmental degradation in the region. The attention of donors and policymakers has been focussed by the recent systemic destruction from the 2017 hurricanes.
Thus, the Network is both timely and needed. We have structured a series of mutually beneficial activities to help us achieve our overall aim, and associated objectives. The first of these will be a forensic workshop where we will bring our multiple perspectives to bear to understand what drove and hindered recovery following three key events (the 2017 hurricanes, the Haiti earthquake and long-term recovery following Hurricane Ivan). To reflect the multiple perspectives were are calling these forensic analyses, and this will be a great vehicle for learning from each others expertise and perspectives. This will run in the same location and just before the Annual Caribbean Disaster Management conference, which will provide further immediate feed-in to our conclusions.
After that we will create some scenarios to help test, design and evaluate existing response and recovery plans for multiple types of hazard. We will visit several Caribbean countries to do this, and they will be co-designed with different social groups to ensure relevancy. These will be used to create new principles and strategies in each setting.
While we are doing this we will run a series of webinars to discuss challenges hilighted by these two activities. We will make these freely accessible to participants throughout the Caribbean and further afield.
The outcomes from all of this work will create our new community who will co-create a manifesto for research to transform recovery and use that to secure further funding. Importantly, however along the way we will also have created some tangible benefits which will ensure the longevity of the grouping and maximise its benefit. These are: (1) forensic analyses on several important disaster events, identifying priority actions and sets of principles; (2) flexible, tailored scenario exercises for local disaster practitioners so they can develop their own new strategies in response to these on four islands (3) the time and momentum to consider how to 'join up' strategies across the islands, critically in collaboration with regional and international agencies.
Planned Impact
The project sets out the hypothesis that significant changes in recovery practices can only be achieved through transdisciplinary collaboration. The network brings together a team of world-class partners with extensive and complementary expertise in climate change science, disaster risk management, communications, and resilience and sustainability studies. It will draw on the strength and connectivity of the team's broad research base and leverage strong international networks to share knowledge, experience and expertise. The partnership with regional entities such as CEDMA will ensure that the findings can inform policy. The network will invest in collaborative spaces, innovation and learning processes, promoting stakeholder consultation; it will nurture respect and thought leadership and broker new knowledge in addressing recovery challenges.
In doing so it will help build momentum towards a transformational agenda in post-disaster recovery in the Caribbean. In the short term, communications and stakeholder engagement activities will influence national and regional planning processes, change institutional relationships, and support the implementation of regional disaster management agendas. Specifically, it will aim to:
1.Enhance uptake of research and evidence in the design and development of new regional and national recovery initiatives
2.Contribute towards initiating a new recovery planning process in Caribbean states.
3. Provide substantial input and support to the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy (2014-2024)
4. Facilitate greater engagement and collaboration between academic and non-academic stakeholders to address complex recovery challenges and promote lesson learning
5. Identify critical research problems, in collaboration with non-academics and establish partnerships towards the creation of a research agenda for the Caribbean on transforming post-disaster recovery
An interdisciplinary and cross-sector network is needed to take this agenda forward because recovery is multi-faceted and complex.
Over the longer-term, improvements in forward planning will benefit those communities most affected by disasters: by reducing disaster impacts, engaging communities and their representatives in planning decisions and indirectly, by reducing the impact of disasters on island economies, infrastructure and other systems through improved understanding of how to 'build back better'.
In doing so it will help build momentum towards a transformational agenda in post-disaster recovery in the Caribbean. In the short term, communications and stakeholder engagement activities will influence national and regional planning processes, change institutional relationships, and support the implementation of regional disaster management agendas. Specifically, it will aim to:
1.Enhance uptake of research and evidence in the design and development of new regional and national recovery initiatives
2.Contribute towards initiating a new recovery planning process in Caribbean states.
3. Provide substantial input and support to the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Strategy (2014-2024)
4. Facilitate greater engagement and collaboration between academic and non-academic stakeholders to address complex recovery challenges and promote lesson learning
5. Identify critical research problems, in collaboration with non-academics and establish partnerships towards the creation of a research agenda for the Caribbean on transforming post-disaster recovery
An interdisciplinary and cross-sector network is needed to take this agenda forward because recovery is multi-faceted and complex.
Over the longer-term, improvements in forward planning will benefit those communities most affected by disasters: by reducing disaster impacts, engaging communities and their representatives in planning decisions and indirectly, by reducing the impact of disasters on island economies, infrastructure and other systems through improved understanding of how to 'build back better'.
Publications
Barclay J
(2019)
Historical Trajectories of Disaster Risk in Dominica
in International Journal of Disaster Risk Science
Dookie DS
(2022)
The timing of storm awareness in the Caribbean: the utility of climate information for improved disaster preparedness.
in Disasters
Forster J
(2022)
Prioritising well-being and resilience to 'build back better': insights from a Dominican small-scale fishing community
in Disasters
Jones E
(2022)
'Building back better' in the context of multi-hazards in the Caribbean.
in Disasters
Wilkinson E
(2022)
'Building back better' in the Caribbean: an introduction.
in Disasters
Wilkinson E.
(2020)
Learning from recovery: A forensic analysis
Title | Caribbean Comeback podcast |
Description | Caribbean Comeback podcast examines how Caribbean countries are recovering from hurricanes and volcanic crises, adapting to climate change, and producing lessons for Covid-19 recovery around the world. This podcast is hosted by Jamaican journalist Paula-Anne Porter Jones, in conversation with co-directors of the Caribbean Resilience and Recovery Knowledge Network (CRRKN) Emily Wilkinson from ODI, and Donovan Campbell from The University of the West Indies. Episode 1 Education: The volcanic crisis in Montserrat (1995-97) interrupted education with long-term effects on young people, but important lessons were learned that can help educators and governments around the world respond to Covid-19. Crises will become more frequent in the future, so how can we adapt our education systems? Episode 2 Climate Justice: Dominica has lived through increasingly intense hurricanes and was devastated by Hurricane Maria (2017), which laid bare vulnerabilities that date back to colonial decisions. For Dominica and all Caribbean islands, colonisation and climate change have, and will continue to have, damaging consequences. So, do we now need 'climate justice'? Episode 3 Resilient Economies: The long-term economic impacts of Hurricane Gilbert (1988) in Jamaica reveal a lack of attention to disaster risks in planning decisions, and even deficiencies in the way economics is being taught. How far have economic models and national planning systems in the Caribbean come since the 1980s? Episode 4 Leaving No One Behind: During a crisis, politicians will say 'we are all in the same boat', but are we? Disasters can deepen inequalities, and the case of Haitian migrants in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian is a stark example of this. But disasters also shine a light on problems and create opportunities for change. Episode 5 A Future by the Sea: Caribbean island coastlines have changed beyond recognition, and ecosystems and livelihoods are under threat. But advances in nature-based solutions and calls for a 'green recovery' from the Covid-19 pandemic provide hope and a vision for a more resilient future in the Caribbean. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Impact | The podcast has been well received by audiences in the Caribbean, shared by CREAD in Dominica, and received praise from the head of communications, who said 'everyone interested in sustainability, climate change or disaster risk management in the Caribbean should listen to this'. |
URL | https://shows.acast.com/caribbean-comeback/episodes/a-future-by-the-sea |
Description | This network has brought together scientists with policymakers and practitioners to assess post-disaster recovery trajectories and challenges, demonstrating that multi-stakeholder reflection and joint analysis is critical to understanding the complex processes of recovery. The network finds that this 'forensic' analysis is an important starting point in shifting from an ad hoc response to planning for some of the foreseeable impacts and decisions that will need to be taken. Several authors from the network have contributed six articles to a special issue in the disasters journal which is due for publication at the end of March. The papers are focused on the theme 'Building Back Better" and provide insights into recovery-related challenges and opportunities. |
Exploitation Route | The forensic analysis of disaster recovery method will be used at future disaster management conferences in the Caribbean to continue to share experiences and lessons learned from individual islands with a wider, regional audience. The findings will be used to inform disaster recovery planning being promoted by CDEMA. |
Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Environment Government Democracy and Justice |
URL | https://www.cdema.org/news1/1996-crrkn-takes-a-forensic-approach-to-disaster-recovery |
Description | Since our last update, the Caribbean Resilience and Recovery Knowledge Network (CRRKN) has made significant contributions towards advancing resilience and recovery initiatives in the Caribbean. One example is the establishment of the Community Resilience Lab (CORE) at the University of the West Indies which serves as a dedicated research hub to build on CRRKN's findings. CORE's research focuses on enhancing community resilience through practical applications derived from CRRKN's earlier work. This lab has become a crucial platform for ongoing research, collaboration, and innovation. The CRRKN website remains active and is an important resource, and mechanism for stakeholder engagement. This continuous interaction has facilitated the dissemination of knowledge and the mobilization of resources, significantly contributing to regional resilience-building efforts. A testament to the network's ongoing relevance is the substantial support provided by CRRKN members during the response to the La Soufrière volcano eruption in 2021. This response demonstrated the network's capacity to mobilize expertise and resources swiftly, underscoring its importance in disaster response and recovery. In a further effort to educate and engage the public, Professor Donovan Campbell organized a public forum titled "Ash in the Air, Eruption in Effect: La Soufrière, St Vincent 2021." This forum was widely disseminated across the network, providing critical information and fostering community dialogue on disaster preparedness and response. The forum's success illustrates CRRKN's commitment to public education and its role in facilitating informed discussions on resilience and recovery. Overall, the impact of CRRKN's work is evident in the strengthened resilience of Caribbean communities, enhanced public awareness, and improved disaster response mechanisms. The establishment of CORE and the sustained engagement with stakeholders reflect the project's ongoing influence and its positive outcomes at both community and regional levels. |
First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Education,Environment,Government, Democracy and Justice |
Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
Description | Development of indicators and results framework for Dominica's Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan (CRRP) |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The exercise of identifying indicators has already led to changes in public sector planning, with a number of ministries adapting their Strategic Plans to align better with the National CRRP targets and indicators. Reporting will occur annually, starting with the 2023 baseline, and will improve accountability of government spending in relation to the national resilience goal. |
Description | Adapt'Action |
Amount | € 213,216 (EUR) |
Funding ID | CLI-2017-060-01-MS03 |
Organisation | Agence Française de Développement |
Sector | Public |
Country | France |
Start | 03/2020 |
End | 02/2021 |
Description | Caribbean Cyclone Cartography: Mapping histories, narratives and futures of hurricane 'resilience' in a changing climate. |
Amount | £460,606 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ES/T00312X/1 |
Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2019 |
End | 10/2023 |
Description | Caribbean Frontiers of Science Follow-on Grant |
Amount | £11,764 (GBP) |
Funding ID | FOS\R1\191012 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2019 |
End | 12/2020 |
Description | Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience Programme (SIDAR) |
Amount | £771,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 301160-403 |
Organisation | Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
End | 12/2025 |
Description | Blog on financing resilience in Small-island Developing States |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Co-authored an OpEd for Devex on the challenges of financing resilience in Small-island Developing States. The OpEd argues that some important changes are needed in the international development and climate finance architecture to meet the needs of small-island development states, and in particular to help them meet their resilience goals. The article consulted with a representatives of multilateral development banks and was aimed at this audience. It has prompted further discussion in the lead up to COP26 on the financial commitments of Annex II countries to supporting adaptation and resilience, and the particulate needs of SIDS is now an agenda item for the UK Government. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.devex.com/news/opinion-to-finance-resilience-in-small-states-governments-and-development... |
Description | Building back better presentation to American University |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presentation on 'Building back better - Raising ambition on climate resilience in Dominica' for American University webinar on Climate Change and Communities: Building Back Better in a Small and Hurricane-Damaged Economy: Dominica's Quest to be the World's First Resilient Nation' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://www.american.edu/spa/cep/climate-change/index.cfm |
Description | Caribbean Comeback Podcast Series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This podcast is hosted by Jamaican journalist Paula-Anne Porter Jones, in conversation with co-directors of the Caribbean Resilience and Recovery Knowledge Network (CRRKN) Emily Wilkinson from ODI (a leading global affairs think tank), and Donovan Campbell from The University of the West Indies. The episodes focused on topics related to Education, Climate Justice, Resilient Economies, Inclusion and Disasters, and the threat of deteriorating coastal ecosystems. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://shows.acast.com/caribbean-comeback |
Description | Imagining the World to Come in Caribbean Small Island Developing States - Laboratory of Ideas - the Post-Covid-19 era |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | With a virtual roundtable, the UNESCO's Cluster Office for the Caribbean, took a step further to shed light on the post-crisis opportunities in "Imagining the World to Come in Caribbean SIDS - Laboratory of Ideas: The Post Covid-19 era" which took place on Friday, 10 July. SIDS are a global priority group for UNESCO, due to their special vulnerabilities. Against this background, the outcomes of the session will feed into a global debate on how to 'build back better' economies and societies in the aftermath of the crisis for a more sustainable future, while informing UNESCO's future engagement in SIDS. The main outcomes of the discussion included building on the lessons from dealing with Covid to create a paradigm shift in priority-setting towards a sustainable future. It was commonly agreed, that every person needs to be able to understand the reality of the world we are living in and be part of the solutions with an enhanced focus on community-driven conservation initiatives. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
URL | https://en.unesco.org/news/imagining-world-come-caribbean-sids-laboratory-ideas-post-covid-19-era |
Description | Workshop - CDM conference 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | A forensic workshop on disaster recovery, held on Sunday 1 December 2019 as foreground to the 11th Caribbean Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) conference in Sint Maarten. The event brought together policymakers, practitioners, community members and academics to present evidence on recovery after disasters in Montserrat and Dominica. the afternoon discussions were live streamed with an online audience of over 1,000 people. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://www.facebook.com/cdemacu1/videos/437898993557889/ |