We are approaching the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. Colorado State University (CSU) is forecasting 17 named storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes—above the historical average (14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes). And we know all too well: just one can be enough to change everything.

But this is not just about meteorology. The Caribbean countries, Mexico, and Central America —especially small island developing states (SIDS)—remain highly vulnerable. Why? Because of settlements built in high-risk zones, fragile housing, informal economies, weak infrastructure, and unreliable basic services. Add to that the inequality in access to information and resources, make many communities far more exposed than others.

Every year, hurricanes cause not just billions of dollars in damage and losses, but also interrupt long-term development processes. Just in 2024, Hurricane Beryl impacted 16% of Grenada’s GDP, and 30% of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’. In Dominica, Hurricane Maria (2017) impacted 92% of its GDP.

With forecasts pointing to an especially active season, the time to act is now. Here are some key recommendations to help you prepare:

1. Anticipation: Check your home’s condition, your workplace or your business, as well as your basic services. Reinforce whatever needs attention. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

2. Organization: Within your family, assign clear roles. Who is responsible for what in case of an emergency? Set meeting points and identify trusted contacts. Communication may fail, but organization saves lives.

3. Planning: At the community, institutional, or business level, update your preparedness and continuity plans. Define safe zones, evacuation routes, and identify those who will need special support.

4. Information and Communication: Knowledge is power. Update your risk maps, follow official channels, and ensure that the entire community is well informed before, during, and after any storm.

Aware of this situation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has activated its Hurricane Preparedness Mechanism for the second consecutive year, focused on strengthening response capacity in the Central American and Caribbean regions.

In 2024, we worked hand in hand with governments, communities, and the private sector in:

- Jamaica and the Dominican Republic: focused on the reactivation of economic activities—in the latter, complementing the livelihood recovery initiative supported by the European Union.

- Honduras: with community preparedness actions funded by ECHO, using multidimensional risk analysis.

- Colombia and Venezuela: piloting the RAPIDA risk analysis tool to improve information management.

- Cuba: integrating a gender perspective in hurricane preparedness and response.

Looking ahead to 2025, the Mechanism will continue expanding its impact in Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.

In this context, the upcoming launch of the Regional Human Development Report titled “Under Pressure: Recalibrating the Future of Development in Latin America and the Caribbean” comes at a crucial time. This report will be an essential tool for better understanding the factors that increase the vulnerability of our communities, and for driving transformative solutions that strengthen preparedness and disaster response capacity. It is a key resource for understanding, preventing, and transforming our reality in the face of growing climate risks in the region.