Caribbean Risk Management Initiative (CRMI)
The Caribbean Risk Management Initiative (CRMI) was launched by the UNDP’s Bureau of Crisis Prevention and Recovery (BCPR) and Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean (RBLAC) in 2004 as an umbrella programme designed to build capacity across the Caribbean region for the management of climate-related risk. The CRMI is led by the Cuba and Barbados and the OECS UNDP Country Offices, in close collaboration with partners and other UNDP Country Offices in the region.
Specifically, the CRMI aims to respond to the increase in disaster impact in the region through the integration of climate change adaptation in risk management. It facilitates knowledge networking and south-south cooperation in the wider Caribbean region and is implemented in the English, French and Spanish-speaking Caribbean.
The main objectives of the initiative are:
- Increased capacity for climate change adaptation
- Risk reduction and climate change adaptation integrated into development
- Increased investment in climate risk reduction projects
CRMI PHASE II
Five years after its initiation, CRMI is now in the process of transitioning to a new phase. Endorsement for this phase has come from various fora, including recommendations of an independent evaluation completed in 2008; key regional and national stakeholders; and from the Project Steering Committee (PSC). The second phase of CRMI will consolidate gains made and carry out activities in strategically important areas with the overall goal of developing capacity within the Caribbean for managing the risk due to climate-affected hazards. The strategy for CRMI phase II addresses many of the recommendations of the external evaluation undertaken in 2008, and seeks to build on the key successes of the first phase of the initiative. CRMI II will commence in 2010 and will be guided by the sub-regional RBLAC centre in Trinidad and Tobago.
This second phase, as with the current CRMI, has been developed in alignment with UNDP's strategic programme focus as reflected in the Strategic Plan and the Regional Programme framework; and will strengthen the nexus between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation. It has been formulated within the context of the RBLAC regionalisation process with direct linkages to regional and sub-regional service centre arrangements under the cluster concept. It will also establish a process for migrating from current implementation modalities towards realising greater national and regional ownership and responsibility.
Countries engaged in CRMI Activities
| Antigua and Barbuda |
Haiti |
| Bahamas |
Jamaica |
| Barbados |
Montserrat |
| Belize |
St. Kitts and Nevis |
| British Virgin Islands |
St. Lucia |
| Cuba |
St. Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Dominican Republic |
Suriname |
| Grenada |
Trinidad and Tobago |
| Guyana |
Turks and Caicos Islands |
Highlights of CRMI Achievements
OBJECTIVE 1: Increased capacity for climate change adaptation
- Advancing discussion and positions on CC and DRR in national, regional and international meetings from both the UNDP and Caribbean perspective
- Dissemination of relevant experiences and documents through the website in three languages; publications; and meetings including the launch of the Early Recovery Case Study for Grenada
- Precis Caribe website translated into French and English; more than 13,000 hits
- More than 110 technical specialists trained at 4 regional training workshops
- 11 scholarships and internships supported at UWI Masters programme in DRR
- CRMI website re-designed and fully operational in 3 languages
- Extensive contributions to 3 sub-regional Knowledge Fairs
- 14 best practices in climate risk management published and disseminated
- Proceedings from 2004 experts’ meeting published in 3 languages
- 2 regional surge capacity/early recovery workshops held, with 62 UNDP staff trained
- Support to CDERA in developing regional comprehensive disaster management strategy
OBJECTIVE 2: Converge disaster management and climate change adaptation communities
- Advancing Gender and CC/DRR discussions and policy through published research; training; and convening of a Gender Advisory Committee
- Continued support to horizontal cooperation and regional and international partnerships in DRR and CC, including with UN SPIDER to enable greater access to technical resources to support DRR in the Caribbean
- Concept note developed for the Caribbean Reducing Disaster Risk Report
- Vulnerability and capacity assessments (VCA) conducted in 3 countries
- Gender mainstreaming of CRMI programme
- Implementation Committee convened on enhancing programme governance
OBJECTIVE 3: Increased investment in climate risk reduction projects
- External evaluation and review by the various levels of governance of the CRMI including key stakeholders concluded the CRMI was relevant and a new phase should be developed focussing on the core areas including capacity development; sharing of experiences and expertise and CC and DRR
- Engagement and mobilization of the various UNDP country offices in the Caribbean region, to ensure the success and inclusiveness of the CRMI regional training workshops
- $850,000 additional funds with 3 new donors since 2006
- Partnerships with CDERA, UWI and CCCCC strengthened through joint activities
- Pilot local risk reduction centre in Guama, Cuba was supported and led to replication
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