GEO Haiti 2010

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GEO HAITI • 2010 40 disappearance of its forest, with few geographical zones having been spared. As previously mentioned, the topography of Haiti naturally predisposes it to erosion, and given the abundant rainfall in this tropical zone (on average 1400 mm/ year), the mountain watersheds have undergone significant soil erosion. For many years, agriculture has occupied a special place in the Haitian economy. This since Haitian State was established a little over two centuries ago, and when most of the former slaves had made it their main activity. Nevertheless, recent statistics show that there has been a sustained decrease in the percentage of the population involved in this sector over the years. From 1950 to 2000, the percentage of those involved in agriculture fell from 85% to 62%.while the urban population increased from 12.17% to 36% over the same period. Almost all of Haiti’s large cities are located near the coasts, at very low altitudes, and surrounded by imposing chains of mountains which serve as watersheds. It is estimated that 16,000 MT of soil are washed away each year, a large portion of this passing through cities and leaving piles of mud on streets and bridges, thus rendering them impassable (DPC, 2006), including schools, homes and hospitals. This highly sedimentary runoff also causes serious destruction to tourist facilities and to the urban population’s drinking water supply systems. Moreover, the biological diversity, once rich from an ecological, specific and genetic point of view, is declining as a result of over-exploitation and inefficient management. For this reason, twelve (12) species of animals have disappeared from Haiti; 44 species of flora and fauna are highly endangered, 24 are endangered and 49 are in a vulnerable state. It is highly likely that this data does not reveal the full extent of the phenomenon. According to a recent investigation, there would be at least 230 species of birds in Haiti, a diversity recently confirmed by two scientific expeditions, one to Macaya Park (2004) and another to La Visite Park (2005); www.birdlife.org). It revealed that there would be about 12 endangered species. The wetlands, notably the Saumâtre and Miragoâne Ponds, are the habitat to many species. At Saumâtre Pond for example, there are saurian species such as the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) as well as aquatic birds, such as the pink flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber). The impact of biodiversity loss in Haiti has not been extensively studied, although the consequences have exceeded what could be termed as a “simple threat”. They rather represent what could be qualified as “a silent catastrophe”. Unfortunately, aside from the efforts of a few specialists working in the field of biodiversity in Haiti, very few people show a concern regarding the effects of this erosion. With respect to atmospheric pollution, despite unimpressive manifestations, this seems to be limited to the urban areas. A wide variety of gases are emitted into the atmosphere mainly through domestic, agricultural and industrial activities as well as through traffic. The main gases are: CO 2 , CO, CH 4 , N 2 O, NO x , SO 2 . It is believed that these emissions, although not excessive, are causing severe health problems. Other emissions of atmospheric pollutants, emanate from activities associated with the burning of waste. As expected, the composition of the air in Haiti varies according to areas, whether rural or urban, and the presence of atmospheric pollutants would be more intense in cities than in the countryside. However, the impact of air pollution in Haiti is not well known, as evidenced by its omission from the most recent National Health Service’s reports. Atmospheric pollution resulting from human activities is not without consequences to the environment. Indeed, the concentration of greenhouse gases would cause serious climatic upheavals in poor countries, usually badly equipped and very vulnerable to such concentrations. Climatic events have increased significantly over a number of years and there is ample evidence of their impact on the country.
State of the Environment Report 2010 The unrestricted exploitation of quarries which provide mineral materials for the construction industry, mainly destined for Port-au-Prince, represents a threat to the city. Indeed, the activity is practiced mainly in the vast massive mountain range surrounding the capital, exposing some sections of the city to the risk of floods and landslides. With respect to mining, the country has a strong potential that is under-used. The recorded mineral deposits show a considerable quantity of both metal and non-metal ore. As stated above, available data on mining in Haiti shows its under-exploitation. The ore used in the construction industry is the most widely extracted and most of the quarries are located in the Portau-Prince metropolitan region. On the issue of mining legislation, the country’s national legislation was enacted in 1976 and reviewed in 1990-1991. It regulates exploitation as well as the conditions on the granting of prospecting, research and concession permits. The quarries provide raw materials to be transformed for further use; this process however, produces waste. Some are convinced that it contributes to a sand build-up and silting of the coastal and marine zones. Waste that is discarded in this way is carried along through the drainage canals before being dumped into the sea. This type of pollution destroys the spawning area of certain marine species and prevents the migration of others. Researchers have confirmed that the conch is migrating to less polluted areas. There is fear that the fishing industry in Haiti has been severely affected by this marine pollution and that the coral reefs are equally affected. There is not a lot of qualitative data on this issue although it is strongly suspected that sediment is causing the necrosis of the coral reefs in Haitian waters. Geological instability resulting from the unregulated exploitation of quarries sometimes can cause landslides and other land movements. However, human activity is only partially responsible for the destruction of the Haitian environment. Natural phenomena such as earth tremors, cyclones and torrential rains are also contributors, often turning into disasters. Cyclones reaching heights of 12.5, with a strength surpassing those of other developing island-nations, render the population extremely vulnerable and have terrible consequences on human settlements. In Haiti, the geo-morphological and hydro-meteorological threats are those of greatest concern. Each region within the country is somewhat more vulnerable to one form of natural disaster, and also to variable degrees. Therefore, the risk of a natural disaster can be greater or lower, depending on the region. The environmental problems in Haiti are largely the direct consequence of the poverty that plagues a large percentage of the population. These problems are exacerbated by inefficient public management. An environmental policy that serves the entire country should be linked to a sustainable economic development framework. Finally, Haiti is facing a set of enormous challenges namely, natural resource and environmental degradation, the erosion of its biodiversity, loss of arable land, uncontrolled building practices and absence of territorial management structures. Uncontrolled population growth also places considerable pressure on resources: the abusive use and parcelling of land lead to a subsistenceoriented agriculture that cannot meet the basic alimentary needs of the population. Also, the uncontrolled construction activities, weakening slopes and obstructing ravines, consequently increase the vulnerability of the country to natural disasters. These facts show that the rapid degradation of the country is the result of the government’s inability to enforce the established standards. Hence, the urgent need, in the absence of an immediate solution to the problem of poverty, is to install fundamental environmental provisions based on the Environmental Action Plan, emphasizing the rehabilitation of ecosystems and safeguard of protected areas, including the promotion of national assets. 41
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GEO Haiti 2010

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