nment of Haiti to mitigate and address climate change within the country has been severely compromised. Compounded by the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010, where a majority of government infrastructure was destroyed and many of the public sector employees killed, these social and political issues have limited the government’s ability to respond, and exposed the people of Haiti to the persistent and destructive effects of climate change.
Climate change is one of the clearest manifestations of the complex links between the human and natural environment. While the impacts of climate change are undoubtedly negative for much of the world, a society’s capacity to adapt will play a critical role in determining what kind of impact those changes will ultimately have. For Haiti, a perfect storm of physical and socioeconomic factors has converged to heighten the country’s vulnerability to climate change: as the physical impacts of climate change continue to impact this already stressed country, a wide range of initiatives and partnerships will be required to strengthen the country’s resilience in a changing climate.
This blog is the first in a three part series analyzing the effects and future of climate change in Haiti. The second will focus on the differences between Haiti and its neighbor the Dominican Republic, and the third will focus on the critical partnerships to address climate change and vulnerability in Haiti.