GEO Haiti 2010

GEO HAITI • 2010
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One cannot discuss the degradation of Haiti’s environment without emphasising the influence
of disasters on its exacerbation. Haiti’s geographical location, its land occupation patterns and
generalized poverty are the main factors which increase Haiti’s vulnerability to the risk of disasters
and climate change. The occurrence of disasters in Haiti has caused extensive material damage
including a significant loss of human lives. However, some progress has been achieved on the
issue through the development of a National Risk and Disaster Management Plan (PNGRD) and
local and community Civil Protection Committees, allowing decision-makers to improve their
capacity to cope with natural disasters. Public awareness-campaigns on hurricanes and mitigation
projects have also been successful.
Nevertheless, the implementation of actions often presents some weaknesses, as for example,
a lack of coordination and the overlapping of activities by the institutions involved in risk and
disaster management. These deficiencies can be attributed to an overhead governance problem.
In summary, decision-makers will have to establish response mechanisms in order to face the
major environmental challenges in Haiti, those characterised by anthropic pressures on its natural
resources. Some possible mechanisms have already been mentioned, but others will have to be
anticipated in order to ensure better intervention and management of Haiti’s environment. Among
these, we could mention the following:
• Institutional strengthening;
• Public-awareness and educational programmes;
• Implementation of early warning systems;
• Establishment of weather stations in high risk zones;
• Vulnerability studies on a national scale;
• Rehabilitation programmes for the marine and coastal environment;
• Implementation of systems to combat erosion (land, gully);
• Implementation of systems to regulate watercourses;
• Creation and management of protected areas;
• Implementation of replenishing and reforestation programmes (planting, sowing, pest
control);
• Definition of the role of the various actors participating in environmental management in
Haiti.