Climate Change Haiti Deforestation Hurricanes Poverty Linked

In small island countries like Haiti, climate change is exacerbated by a dispiriting merry-go-round of deforestation (removal of trees), Caribbean hurricanes and tropical storms, and the resulting landslides and floods, and lack of infrastructure and extreme poverty: Is poverty the chicken or the egg? Which came first? Or are climate and poverty co-dependent?

Since climate change is the focus for today -- Blog Action Day 2009 -- and Haiti and its poor are the focus of the Starthrower Foundation blog, it's a good time to think about how climate change affects poor countries like Haiti, and how the actions of Haitians and lack of actions of First World countries keep Haiti on a poverty continuum.

Effects of global warming on Haiti
Planetsave.com has a Top Ten list of the effects of global warming climate change; Haiti has seven of them.

Disappearance of coral reefs:
The beaches of northern Haiti near Cormier Plage are composed of sheets of dead coral:

Deforestation:
From the air, the deforested (treeless) mountains of Haiti mark the border with its greener island-mate, the Dominican Republic. Without trees to hold soil and absorb rainfall, the stage is set for landslides. Poor people do what they can to survive, and use whatever materials are available to them, like cutting trees to make charcoal for fuel.

Rise in sea levels:
As an island country, Haiti is at the mercy of rising sea levels. Major Haiti cities such as Cap-Haitien, Port-au-Prince and Gonaives are located at or near sea level. Gonaives has been devastated by floods several years in a row.

More killer storms:
Haiti is in the Caribbean hurricane zone. While 2009 saw no hurricanes or major tropical storms make landfall, the country is still feeling the effects of 2008's major hurricanes.

Crop failures:
Crop losses from storm-induced landslides and flooding in 2008 meant poor people got poorer, hungry people lost a source of food, and farmers had no crops to market.

Water shortages:
Like all poor countries, Haiti lacks the infrastructure to provide clean drinking water and irrigation for farms.

Fossil fuels use:
Poor countries like Haiti, those who have vehicles at all will have older, less fuel efficient vehicles and use more polluting 2-cycle engines. Most cars and trucks are used gas guzzlers discarded by richer countries.

Reforestation, Hurricane preparedness
The vicious cycle continues as poverty begets poverty. Even first world countries are unable to decide how to cope with the effects of climate change; poor countries cannot cope at all. Hurricane and storm warnings and shelters would help lower loss of life and property. Reforestation of Haiti would be a good start; Planting trees would help reduce the devastating effects of hurricane rains and flooding, and protect crops.

But given that Haiti is a small island nation roughly the size of the U.S. state of Maryland, would new forests in Haiti make much of an impact globally? Compared to the deforestation of millions of acres in large rain forests like the Amazon, likely not.

Making a Difference, One Child at a Time
But like Starthrower Foundation's slogan (making a difference, one child at a time), we can make a difference one poor country at a time, if needs be. Working in Haiti, we can help them to mitigate the effects of climate change; By planting one tree at a time, upgrading one vehicle at a time, cleaning one well at a time. Helping one country at time, we can help effect change over time.

As long as we don't run out of time.

-Karen Zabawa
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Related: Blog Action Day 2008

Hanna Does Damage in Haiti - No Hydro, No Supplies, No Gas

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Hello Everyone,

I arrived yesterday (Thursday) about 2 p.m. Cap-Haitien time after a somewhat turbulent trip. The descent was made from a different approach necessitating a very steep turn. One could see the devastation.

Petit Anse looked to be half submerged. We have 15 kids there. Fosenmichel [Ft. St. Michael] was as bad - we have another dozen kids there. People were just wandering through the long grass surrounding the airport, or sitting in small groups. How much more 'mize' (misery) can these people process?

Gas Lineups in Cap
Jackson [cab driver] met me with his taxi but my luggage didn't arrive. After a trip down to Lynx to be told to call tomorrow [Friday], we headed for home. As we passed a line-up about a kilometer in length at a gas station, Jackson told me he had waited 4 hours in the morning to get 2 gallons of gas to pick me up.

Bridges Out
As the bridge to the south at Gonaives was washed away (our bridge to Sen Rafayel has been out for 2 years), we are essentially cut off from the south, so no supplies, including gas, are getting here. Traffic was greatly reduced due to the gas shortage. Driving through the streets was a navigation test -- greatly enlarged pot holes, tree limbs and whole trees provided the obstacle course.

Storm Damage from Hanna
Our street (Impasse Soeurs Missionaires) was cut off by a huge tree which had been uprooted. It had fallen across the street and rested on the roof of the corner house. Jackson managed to brush underneath it and we arrived at the house.

Inside the compound looked like a war zone. Our garden area was covered with downed branches as the staff had been busy cleaning up. The largest tree on our lawn had the top removed. It landed on our hydro wires in to the house.

There is no electricity anywhere so we'll try to repair today. Our banana tree was uprooted as well, and most flowering shrubs are gone. The water which came into the house entered the office and soaked the backpacks we had just prepared for Sen Rafayel.

School Supplies Lost
Mold and mildew are already growing so we will have to burn most. Replacement cost will be enormous and the back packs we just cannot get here. Although we have not yet paid school fees due to shortage of funds, we did inskri (register) many so had sent the first load of backpacks (with text books, notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpeners, hygiene products) last Wednesday with Claudy and Louisena.

Haven't heard an update from Sen Rafayel as it is difficult to charge batteries with no gas for the generators. I had Jack charge our solar batteries to half using the generator in order to check weather this morning. Gas is almost gone so next update may be some time coming, unless we have enough sun to charge from the solar panels.

Hurricane Ike Coming
We had overcast skies and rain last night. Can only hope Hurricane Ike takes a hike north. Will try to get to town today for supplies as the cupboard is bare. So much clean up to be done and we need to try to check on our kids in the hardest hit areas. With no gasoline we may have to wait for them to make their way to us. Housing has always been a challenge and this will compound the problem.

Will touch base when possible.

Be safe
Sharon

P.S. Deb and Stan In USA : So good to hear from you. Your shining faces were missed on the shuttle yesterday to the airport. Glad you arrived home safely.

TS Noel's Aftermath in Cap-Haitien, Student Status

Hello Everyone,

I finally heard from Auguste this afternoon. With the storm, the phones and internet have been down. There's no electricity in Cap-Haitien. I don't know how or where he sent the email from. No damage, just rain from Noel. However Sen Rafayel is more isolated as the river is very high making it impossible now for any vehicles to go up or down.

Remember the bridge was washed out the week before last Christmas, making it necessary to traverse the river. In spite of the massive UN presence no one has replaced the bridge to allow vehicle traffic to resume.

Rosenie and Sherline have been diagnosed with Typhoid fever. Marlene finally got to the hospital at Milot for a consultation on the lump on her breast (she's been trying since last summer). She has a date of Nov. 21 for surgery. Modeline's date was changed 4 times in the Winter / Spring so we understand from experience that a date change is possible. Dieugrand travelled with her and will do the same for the surgery date. What surgery exactly? I have no idea.

I arrive back November 20, so I will ask Auguste to try to find a taxi driver who will take them and wait and deliver them home. Milot is about 30 miles away on roads that are in very bad shape. Public transit is available but not after surgery. If surgery takes place that day, we will bring her back to the house to recoup. If Rosenie is sufficiently recovered, I will ask her to come help. She can use the job. Timing is everything.

We will have visitors coming December 4-8, two of whom will stay at our place and will travel with us for home visits.

ale - kenbe pa

Sharon

PS If you are on Facebook, join our new group : Starthrowers in Haiti.