GEO Haiti 2010

State of the Environment Report 2010
expenditures in order to meet essential temporary
needs, in light of the assets destroyed. Included
in these estimates are the high costs of providing
the displaced population with temporary shelter,
water, sanitation and other basic services. Also
included (for a minimum period of four years),
are the costs related to the reconstruction of the
housing sector, which will decrease over time 11 .
In total, the resources needed for rehabilitation
and reconstruction amount to US$9 billion for
the period 2010-2013, with the following annual
allocations:
21
Table B:
Total Budget for rehabilitation and reconstruction (based on EDP methodology)
Estimated Budget (US$ million)
2010 2011 2012 2013 Total
Rehabilitation 1,606 863 398 75 2,942
Reconstruction 2,912 1,964 712 444 6,032
TOTAL 4,518 2,827 1,110 519 8,973
Until now, efforts have focused on protecting
the life of the population (particularly in relation
to hydro-meteorological hazards), and with
positive results. Similarly, as in the case of risk
and disaster management, broadening this task
to the protection of physical assets has proven
to be a challenge at the institutional, operational
and organizational levels. Post-earthquake needs
may be grouped into 4 areas of intervention: (i)
knowledge of disasters (natural and otherwise),
(ii) clarification of the roles and responsibilities of
the public and private sectors (legal framework,
regulatory instruments, etc.), (iii) organizational
and operational capacities for readiness and
response of the sectorial ministries and specialized
bodies (e.g., firefighters, the territorial committees
GRD), (iv) sectorial analysis-capacity of risks, and
planning and follow-up on the protection of
physical assets. The ultimate goal is the protection
of people, property and investments against the
various exogenous shocks.
All these actions are aimed at instilling a national
culture of prevention, focused on the transition
from a country that lives in danger to one that
knows how to manage risk.
In the future, environmental governance should
correct the serious imbalances that characterize
many aspects of the environment in Haiti and
the numerous deficiencies in its territorial
management, in order to make better use of
its resources and available land, and also to be
able to anticipate risks and disasters, to reduce
vulnerability and to improve living conditions for
everyone in the country.
11
In other types of disasters, the provision of temporary shelter and essential services for the homeless and displaced population is achieved in a relatively
short period of time. However, in the case of Haiti, due to the scope of the relief and reconstruction efforts and the limited local capacities, the
cost of these activities is quite high.