Bridgetown, Barbados, July 10th, 2014 (CDEMA) - The Project Steering Committee of the Mainstreaming Climate Change in Disaster Management in the Caribbean Phase II (CCDM-II) Project will meet on Wednesday, July 16, at the Hilton Hotel in Barbados to review the status of the project’s implementation.
Speaking on the expected outcomes of the Meeting, Kerry-Ann Thompson, Project Coordinator of CCDM –II said, “This is a technical committee with representatives from agencies that are at the forefront of community outreach, disaster management and climate change adaptation. We expect that following presentations on the project update and the work implementation plan to 2015, that the PSC will discuss and identify opportunities for collaboration and also provide recommendations to enhance implementation of project initiatives.
The €512,500 project is funded by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and is being executed by CDEMA over a two year period 2013-2015. A number of agencies are collaborating with CDEMA on the implementation including the Caribbean Community Centre for Climate Change (5Cs), Caribbean Policy Development Center (CPDC), International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS and national Governments. The Project is also supported through the Civil Society Sub-Committee of the Comprehensive Disaster Management Coordination and Harmonisation Council.
The CCDM-II project seeks to build resilience in CDEMA Participating States to the effects of climate change and natural disasters through practical “climate smart” planning and adaptation at the national and community levels. The first phase of the project focused on increasing awareness and knowledge of the climate change phenomenon in the 18 CDEMA Participating States as well as to develop a suite of guidance tools to assist countries in incorporating climate change considerations into their country work programmes.
Thompson said, “We are encouraging countries to use the tools and systems developed in Phase 1 of the project and use these in our workshops on drafting of Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) country work programmes that integrate climate change and gender considerations. So far, we have collaborated with National Disaster Offices to provide hands on support in eight (8) countries to personnel with responsibility for crafting the country work programmes.
“We are also supporting five community based climate change adaptation projects, with one such project in the execution phase in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). The overall goal of the BVI project entitled “SAFE + GREEN = SMART Schools” is to develop a model for climate smart, disaster resilient and healthier schools.” Thompson added.
The Project Steering Committee (PSC) was established in 2013 and this is its second meeting.
For Further Information, Please Contact:
Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency
Ms. Kerry-Ann Thompson
Building No.1, Manor Lodge Complex
Lodge Hill, St, Michael, Barbados, West Indies
Tel: 246 425 0386; Fax: 246 425 8854
E-Mail: