Rechercher

Sur ce site


Accueil du site > Equipes de Recherche > Dégradation environnementale, risques de catastrophe : construction et vulnérabilité dans les Caraïbes > Conclusions and policy implications

Environmental degradation, disaster risk construction and vulnerability in the Caribbean

Conclusions and policy implications

The objective of this research project has been to link development process and environmental degradation to the construction of disaster risk, in order to contribute information to the understanding of this process and the understanding of hazards, vulnerabilities and capacities and disaster risk at the local level. The main research findings have shown that development in the countries under study, though historically tied, has followed different patterns and this has had diverse effects on disaster risk construction and management. Weaknesses and strengths can be found in the three countries under study which can be used to highlight some general policy recommendations.

The link between disaster risk, development and environmental planning must be institutionalized and research based. It is the awareness of disaster risk and its causes which can result in the awareness of the need to include environmental management into development planning, territorial planning into development planning, urban and population planning. This is the case for three countries under study. Though there are strong points to be made regarding disaster management in Cuba, environmental degradation processes and therefore the creation of disaster risk related to this process exists.

This research has also demonstrated that gender vulnerabilities and capacities should be taken into consideration in planning processes at all levels. Gender specific capacities have been shown to be an important asset in development process, specifically the capacities of women and women’s community based organizations. Gender roles in development planning and implementation regarding environment, population, productive activities, natural resource management, and disaster risk are an urgent necessity. This includes specifics such as the production of gender-disaggregated data and the reaction of gender sensitive indicators and gender aware analysis. One underlying objective of this research has been to strengthen the Caribbean regional perspective in the understanding of our specific problems. This perspective should be part of research and planning initiatives in all areas of interest. This will help in the creation and implementation of development models suited to our unique environments, cultures and economic and political situations.