Are we winning or losing the battle for safe environments? In 1984, leading disaster risk management professionals and researchers met in Jamaica for the Ocho Rios conference on Disaster Mitigation. In this collection, key experts reflect on the progress made in disaster risk reduction since that conference, with a particular emphasis on the Caribbean. Areas of focus include: trends in disaster risk management the links between disaster risk management and development the development of community based actions the efficacy of regulations to achieve safety the evolution of risk management institutions.  The resulting volume provides a comprehensive overview of progress in the field and will be of interest to all those involved in disaster risk management and development.