What can we learn from Nicaragua’s new, preventative approach to storms?

Keyword: 
Climate change
Environmental policy
Topic: 
Environmental Economics

Image: REUTERS/Oswaldo Rivas

For the first time in history, two hurricanes of category 4 or above made landfall in Nicaragua and Honduras within two weeks.


 This article was previously published in the World Economic Forum Blog, jointly with World Bank, on February 24, 2021.


  • Nicaragua and Honduras were hit by two category 4 or above hurricanes in the space of two weeks in 2020, for the first time ever.
  • Nicaragua has transitioned from a reactive disaster-focused approach, to a more proactive, disaster risk management (DRM) approach.
  • Key areas include improving capacity for damage and loss assessment as well as investing in reliable early warning systems.

In a year already like none other, the 2020 hurricane season broke records with 30 named storms, surpassing the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, which to date was the most active on record. The last two powerful tropical storms, Eta and Iota, also broke records.

For the first time in history, two hurricanes of category 4 or above made landfall in Nicaragua and Honduras within two weeks. These events caused further devastation in those countries already struggling to respond to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. That’s why mainstreaming disaster risk management (DRM) into development planning is essential to reversing the current trend of rising disaster impact.

The case of Nicaragua

In November 2020, when Eta and Iota hit, in Nicaragua alone over three million people suffered their devastating effects. In its post-disaster response however, Nicaragua showed that it has gradually transitioned from a reactive disaster-focused approach to one with a more proactive DRM approach. Disaster risk management has now become an important tool for sustainable development, informing decisions under uncertain emergency situations.

There are five areas worth highlighting in Nicaragua’s most recent response:

Capacity for damage and loss assessment:

Timeline: Nicaraguan loss and damage assessment process

Timeline: Nicaraguan loss and damage assessment process

Image: World Bank

 

Access to innovative financing instruments:

In other words, preparedness pays off. This is essential in countries where the poor and vulnerable suffer disproportionately from the impacts of disasters. When countries prepare, they set themselves on the path to rebuild stronger, faster and more inclusively after a disaster, minimizing the damage caused to people’s livelihoods and well-being.

Share this