GEO Haiti 2010

State of the Environment Report 2010
desired responses that are likely to bring about
improved management of the territory and
natural resources. This task was carried out with
the participation of the institutions involved in
environmental management in Haiti.
The report can be broken down into three parts:
1. The first part presents an overview of the
historical, geographical and socio-economic
situation of the country;
2. The second part focuses on the current state of
the Haitian environment. It presents the status
of the natural resources in terms of location,
exploitation and impact, also outlining the
risks of natural disasters and the country’s
situation in terms of territorial management.
3. The final section deals with policies, scenarios
and necessary priority actions for the future.
Finally, the GEO-Haiti document constitutes a
reference tool on the environmental situation in
Haiti. It can serve as a guide to decision-makers,
notably high-level State officials and Ministers, as
well as to local and international organizations that
are involved in issues relating to the components
of space and the environment in Haiti.
* Given that the current document was being
edited when the earthquake struck on January
12, 2010, it is now clear that GEO Haiti 2010 is a
vitally important tool for those involved in the
environmental management and sustainable
development of the country. At several points
throughout the document, Haitian researchers
had underscored the risk of an earthquake in the
country and most particularly, in Port-au-Prince,
while also issuing warnings relating to a possible,
very destructive catastrophe. The profound value
of the information received from our Haitian
colleagues regarding the environmental situation
in Haiti and on the risks inherent to certain practices
linked to an over-exploitation of the country’s
resources acquires now its full fundamental
dimension.
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