Department of Sustainable Development

Natural Hazards and Climate Change Adaptation

Following the recent adoption of the UN Resolution on the Caribbean Sea and the establishment of the Caribbean Sea Commission, the Department is seeking to promote a collaborative approach to the design and implementation of a comprehensive Ocean Governance Programme for the Caribbean Sea. IN this regard, collaboration has begun, with the UWI (in the context of the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Project (CLME); and with the Cropper Foundation (in the context of the Caribbean Sea Ecological Assessment (CARSEA).

Ongoing Projects and Initiatives

The Inter-American Network for Disaster Mitigation (INDM)

INDM emerges from the need to: (a) assist OAS Member States with the sharing and exchange of information, knowledge, and experience on Natural Hazard Risk Management; (b) strengthen the planning and disaster management activities of the OAS in order to respond more effectively to more frequent natural disasters that impact the Hemisphere; (c) provide for a mechanism to coordinate efforts and promote collaboration among the organizations of the Inter-American System, Regional Inter-governmental Organizations, International Organizations, Donors, Financial Institutions, and National Agencies responsible for the coordination of natural disasters management; (d) support the follow-up and implementation of the decisions of the Inter-American Committee on Natural Disaster Reduction (IACNDR) ; and (e) coordinate the implementation, monitoring and periodic revision of the Inter-American Strategic Plan for Policy on Vulnerability Reduction, Risk Management and Disaster Response (IASP). More..

Grenada Hurricane Resilient Home Reconstruction (GH2R) Project

The Grenada Hurricane Resilient Home Reconstruction Program G-(HR)2 is being executed by the (OAS/DSD) with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), as part of the development and technical assistance program established within the framework of the post-Ivan reconstruction process initiated after September 2004. Under the G-(HR)2 Program, the Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) Project was implemented during a 2-year period from November, 2006 to September, 2008. More...

Haiti Building Standards Development Project

Building on our experiences throughout the Caribbean in developing building codes and designing enforcement mechanisms, the Department of Sustainable Development at the Organization of American States (OAS/DSD) has been approached to undertake this initiative. More...

Dominica Construction Quality Assurance (CQA) Project

The construction Quality Assurance program has been initiated by the OAS in the Eastern Caribbean region as a direct response to the extremely high level of damages registered in Grenada after hurricane Ivan in September 2004. More...