Disaster Risk Management For Coastal Tourism Destinations - DTIE

Disaster Risk Management For Coastal Tourism Destinations Responding To Climate Change
A Practical Guide For Decision Makers
(CHARM)
(SOPAC) Disaster Management Unit support program, CHARM provides an
innovative regional approach to disaster reduction and risk management in
major goal of CHARM is to develop a national operational framework that has
considered the activities of all agencies and encourages countries to develop
national risk management programs that incorporate the expertise, experiences
and resources of government, NGOs and regional partners. It promotes an allhazards,
integrated and coordinated approach (i.e. multi-agency, multi-sectoral)
to risk minimisation, with linkages to national development priorities.
The 5 main steps in the CHARM disaster risk reduction process are:
Establishing the context
Identifying Risks
Analyzing Risks
Evaluating Risks
Treating Risks
risk reduction including government planning departments, national disaster
private sector, donors, and regional partners.
3.5
National and Local Level Frameworks
3.5.1
The Bahamas Islands, Caribbean
The Bahamas comprises over 700 islands and 2400 cays located east of Florida,
U.S., extending 1200km and covering an area of 13,800 km 2 . Only 30 of the islands
are inhabited, the main ones of which are New Providence (where the capital,
Nassau is located), South Andros, Grand Bahama, Crooked, Eleuthera, Abaco,
Exuma, Bimini, Harbour, Inagua, Mayaguana, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat
islands. These are also important tourism areas. The population is 306,000 (2000
census) with 90% on New Providence, Grand Bahama and Abaco islands (70%,
15% & 10% of total population, respectively).
National disaster management and coordination is the function of the National
Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). NEMA takes a modular approach to
national disaster management modeled on the US incident command system (ICS).
Its lead role spans the four phases of disaster management – planning, preparation,
response and recovery.
NEMA is responsible for the formulation, updating and implementation of the
National Disaster Plan (NDP). The NDP provides the framework for action during
all disaster phases and in collaboration with partnering and contributing agencies.
It provides a process and structure for the systematic, coordinated and effective
delivery of assistance from the Bahamas National Government to address the
consequences of any major disaster or emergency (NDP, NEMA).
36 | Disaster Risk Management Frameworks And Approaches