The Word disaster originates from the Greek dis (a negative prefix) and astrum (star), indicating a bad omen, whereas resilience comes from re (repeat) and silire (get ahead) – the ability to get back on track and overcome. At the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), we are committed to make all projects RESILIENT whether or not they are exposed to natural disasters. Latin … [Read more...] about Five steps to include disaster risk management in infrastructure projects
Environmental and Social Safeguards
The art of development in challenging institutional environments
Strengthening of national and local institutions can be challenging in the most advanced settings, and it can become a monumental task in some developing countries. Finding the right balance between long-term measures to create added value while allowing for results on the ground can prove a challenge even for the most seasoned specialists. This includes compliance with the … [Read more...] about The art of development in challenging institutional environments
Using training to improve projects’ social and environmental impact management
In 2006 the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) set the objective of strengthening national systems in order to support their development projects. The move helps ensure protection of the environment and at the same time buffer the negative effects that development projects can have on the population when their impacts are not properly detected and managed. Environmental … [Read more...] about Using training to improve projects’ social and environmental impact management
This is not my home: beyond a family’s physical resettlement
Any of us who have moved to a new home lived through an adaptation phase. And every change has an element of disorder, although the change is planned, desired and announced. However, in most cases, the discomfort lasts longer than expected, and the adaptation ends up not being concluded because simply some details or, the most critical factors for our quality of life and … [Read more...] about This is not my home: beyond a family’s physical resettlement
Videos: How do we identify and mitigate biodiversity risks
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has the most biodiverse habitat in the world, the Amazon rainforest. In addition, this region is the most humid in the world, contains the most extensive wetlands on the planet and has more than 30% of the world's drinking water reserves. Over 10% of its land surface is protected (211 million hectares). Unfortunately, this region suffers … [Read more...] about Videos: How do we identify and mitigate biodiversity risks