Migration, Environment, Disaster and Climate Change Data in the Eastern Caribbean:Grenada Country Analysis

Climate change projections predict that Grenada will be negatively affected by the increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, as well as by gradual processes such as sea level rise. With climate scenarios pointing to a higher incidence of such events in the near future, (forced) population movements are likely to increase in number and severity in the country. According to statistics developed by UNDRR-DesInventar, Grenada recorded a total of 131 disasters and related emergencies between 1771 and 2014. These disasters and emergencies cumulatively affected over 265,000 people within the period. The national Government has instituted distinct policy and legal frameworks to enhance migration, climate change and disaster governance nationwide. Despite these different governance frameworks, there is little acknowledgement and no comprehensive provisions to address human mobility in the context of climate and environmental changes and disasters in the country. Out of the 16 policies and legislations related to migration, environment, climate change and disasters that were identified in Grenada, only 5 have made some reference to the topic of human mobility. For instance, the National Disaster Plan (NDP) alludes to displacement of populations and mass migration as a result of disasters. The Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) on the other hand, underscores the need for meaningful consultation and participation of displaced people in the planning and implementation of resettlement programmes. More recently, Grenada’s second nationally determined contribution (NDC) registered the need for policy coherence in tackling loss and damage due to climatic impacts. In particular, the NDC also emphasized the need to effectively address the challenges related to human mobility and vulnerable settlements. On the premise that good policy and planning needs timely and reliable data, and with the goal of enhancing policy and planning, this study assessed the national data systems on migration, environment, disaster and climate change in Grenada