INSIDE STORY: Climate change and flood risk - Challenges for Jamaican towns and communities

This case study examines the 'Climate Change and Inland Flooding in Jamaica' project, highlighting the need to integrate climate change projections into flood hazard mapping. It emphasizes that high-quality geospatial data, combined with training for local government staff and improved cooperation between academia and government, is critical for reducing loss of life and property in flood-prone areas of Jamaica.

• Climate variability in the Caribbean is expected to potentially increase the intensity of tropical storms and hurricanes, which bring extreme rainfall and storm surges that threaten coastal lowlands, infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism. While flood maps exist for Jamaica's major watersheds, they currently fail to incorporate climate change factors.
• The CDKN-supported project “Climate Change and Inland Flooding in Jamaica: Risk and Adaptation Measures for Vulnerable Communities” identified that flood hazard maps depicting both current and future risks at national and subnational levels are essential for planning climate compatible development and disaster management.
• Effective disaster management and climate studies require ongoing training for community representatives and local government staff, such as parish-level disaster coordinators, in the use of geospatial data. Additionally, success depends on improved cooperation and data sharing between national governments, local governments, and academia.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (2016). INSIDE STORY: Climate change and flood risk - Challenges for Jamaican towns and communities. https://cdkn.org/resource/inside-story-climate-change-flood-risk-challenges-jamaican-towns-communities

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. INSIDE STORY: Climate change and flood risk - Challenges for Jamaican towns and communities. 2016. https://cdkn.org/resource/inside-story-climate-change-flood-risk-challenges-jamaican-towns-communities.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=INSIDE STORY: Climate change and flood risk - Challenges for Jamaican towns and communities |date=30 June 2016 |url=https://cdkn.org/resource/inside-story-climate-change-flood-risk-challenges-jamaican-towns-communities |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetwork2016inside, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{INSIDE STORY: Climate change and flood risk - Challenges for Jamaican towns and communities}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2016}, month = jun, url = {https://cdkn.org/resource/inside-story-climate-change-flood-risk-challenges-jamaican-towns-communities}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }