A Strategic Roadmap for Advancing Multi-hazard Impact-based Early Warning Systems and Services in the Caribbean

As a region that is impacted by multiple shocks, multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) that provide timely, actionable information are critical to protecting lives, assets and livelihoods in the Caribbean. As the region experiences the compound and cascading effects of multiple hazards, the need to find cost-effective ways to improve regional and national impact-based MHEWS is growing. Although a few Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have an operational MHEWS dealing with hydrometeorological hazards, there is not yet an operational system addressing an ensemble of multiple hazards of different origins such as hydrometeorological, geophysical or biological in a MHEWS context. This roadmap focuses on achieving people-centered and self-sustaining regional impact-based MHEWS that ensure participation from gender groups, community leaders, vulnerable groups, and the private sector. It is centered around ten strategic initiatives which, implemented together, can help transform national and regional delivery of the MHEWS required for the Caribbean to thrive. This roadmap presents these initiatives, the vision, inclusive guiding principles, and an analysis of the social and economic benefits of EWS. Finally, it makes recommendations for implementing