Jamaica, as a small island developing state or “large ocean state”, is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and warming temperatures, variable precipitation patterns, and unpredictable extreme weather events have all been increasingly experienced in recent years. The National Disaster Risk Management (NDRM) Framework will be anchored in the pressing need to treat with disaster risk management as a substantial development issue for the multi-hazard vulnerability of Jamaica. It is therefore necessary to examine the existing legal and institutional framework as well as the changes necessary to move the country toward risk reduction and disaster resilience.
The overarching vision with respect to disaster risk management in Jamaica is “A Resilient and Safe Jamaica”, as articulated in the island’s Draft Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Policy (CDRM) on the “Road to Resilience”. The goals of the CDRM Policy 2020 have been carried over into this overarching framework for Jamaica as extensive consultations were recently conducted and the challenges reflected in the Index of Governance and Public Policy in Disaster Risk Management (IGOPP) report have been taken into consideration in its development.
