Environmental issues in Haiti

People capture a Rhinoceros iguana on Limbe Island, Northern Haiti.
Household rubbish used to build a causeway in Cap-Haïtien.

Environmental issues in Haiti include a severe deforestation problem, overpopulation, a lack of sanitation and sewerage treatment, and inadequate domestic garbage collection and disposal.

Issues

Deforestation

Further information: Deforestation in Haiti
A satellite image of the border between the denuded landscape of Haiti (left) and the Dominican Republic (right).

In 1923 forests covered nearly 60 percent of Haiti. In 2006, less than 2% of the land was forested.[1] Haitians burn wood charcoal for 60% of their domestic energy production.[2] Deforestation has led to soil erosion, which has decreased agricultural yields and resulted in deadly landslides.

Because of Haiti running out of plant material to burn, Haitians have created an illegal market for coal on the Dominican side. Conservative estimates calculate the illegal movement of 115 tons of charcoal per week from the Dominican Republic to Haiti in 2014. Dominican officials estimate that at least 10 trucks per week are crossing the border loaded with charcoal.[3]

Most of Haiti's governments have paid only lip service to the imperative of reforestation.[4] The main impetus to act came from abroad.[4] A 15-year Environment Action Plan, authorized in 1999, proposed to stop deforestation by developing alternative fuel sources. Political instability and lack of funding have limited the impact of this reform effort.

Overpopulation

A dense slum in the capital Port-au-Prince.

The increasing Haitian population also contributes to the degradation of the environment. As of 2012, the Haiti's population count was at 10.6 million. Urban environments suffer from a lack of sanitation. Vast slum areas, especially in the capital Port-au-Prince are filled with people living in squalid, unsanitary conditions.

References

  1. ↑ Country Profile: Haiti. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (May 2006). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. ↑ "The charcoal war".
  3. ↑ "The charcoal war".
  4. 1 2 Malik, Boulos A. "Forestry". A Country Study: Haiti (Richard A. Haggerty, editor). Library of Congress Federal Research Division (December 1989). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Library of Congress Country Studies.

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