RESILIENT HOUSING & HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

Restriction of New Developments in Highly Vulnerable Areas

Activities:

Develop a National Physical Development Plan that identifies the natural hazard areas, and ensure, through legislation and enforcement, that no new developments take place in areas that have been designated as highly prone to natural disasters.
Restrict new developments in areas where there is a high risk of catastrophic damage or loss of life from natural disasters.

Activities:

Undertake an assessment of existing public housing to determine the levels of risk and vulnerability to natural disasters to which these facilities are exposed.
Implement a comprehensive program to repair and retrofit all public housing that has been assessed to be vulnerable to climate-related and other natural disasters.
Where necessary, undertake flood mitigation and slope stabilization works in areas where flooding and landslides may pose a risk to public housing.
Improve water storage capacity in public housing facilities.
Encourage LUCELEC and the telecommunications service providers to bury all transmission and distribution infrastructure serving government-owned public housing to reduce the vulnerability of these services.

Activities:

Review and update existing Building Code to incorporate elements that will make buildings more resilient to climate change and natural disasters.
Implement a mandatory certification program for contractors and craft men on resilient construction.
Undertake a sensitization program for building suppliers on resilient building material.
Establish a register of contractors and builders who have been certified in resilient construction and building methods.
Work with national associations of architects and engineers to ensure that they understand the importance of incorporating resilient construction methods in their projects.

Activities:

Undertake an extensive public education and awareness program on the importance of adequate insurance coverage.
Facilitate a dialogue between insurance companies and credit unions/cooperatives to explore the development and introduction of affordable home insurance instruments that are targeted at low-income households.