Addressing the Impacts of Climate Change on the Intersecting Crises of Displacement in Haiti

The Caribbean is one the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change with a high concentration of small island developing states that are on the frontlines of its worst impacts, driving changes in migration and displacement patterns in the region (UNDP, 2024; United Nations, 2024; UNICEF, 2019). This vulnerability stems from the region's geographic location along the Atlantic hurricane belt, its high concentration of low-lying coastal communities, and its economic dependence on sectors such as agriculture and tourism that are susceptible to the effects of climate change (Mosello, 2023). Within this region, the unique context of Haiti represents a critical case study with its compounding effects of climate change vulnerability and state fragility. 

Sitting at the top of the rank on the Global Climate Risk Index and third for Long-Term Climate Risk, but 184th in readiness, Haiti is among the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change (Paul, 2024; Mosello, 2023). Experiencing frequent tropical storms, rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and flooding, Haiti’s climate vulnerability challenges are further exacerbated by its precarious socioeconomic conditions. Haiti is struggling with significant food shortages, cholera outbreaks, a crumbling economy, the absence of a functioning government, and is experiencing widespread gang violence that has placed major cities under gang control (Mosello, 2023). These intersecting crises have undermined the country’s capacity to address the impacts of climate change. Infrastructure remains highly vulnerable, and critical agricultural lands, essential for Haiti’s largely subsistence-based economy, are frequently destroyed by extreme weather events, resulting in forced displacement stemming from the physical and socioeconomic impacts of climate change (Montuma, 2023; Mosello, 2023). 

While Haiti has made efforts towards incorporating climate resilience into its national strategies, it may be less capable at implementation. Haiti’s National Adaptation Plan, National Disaster Risk Management Plan, and National Policy to fight Climate Change are examples of policies that incorporate climate resilience (The World Bank, 2024), but their effectiveness may be limited by Haiti’s institutional constraints and state fragility, particularly on addressing climate-induced migration and displacement. Although regional organizations such as Caribbean Community and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States have implemented migration response frameworks, such as temporary inter-regional placements which were implemented during the 2017 hurricane season, Haiti remains reliant on external support, as it lacks the capacity to independently adopt and execute such policies (Cantor, 2018).

Haiti exemplifies a complex intersection of climate risks, armed conflict, economic instability, and weak governance, creating a compounded crisis of displacement. This project aims to identify potential areas for policy intervention to mitigate the effects of climate change as an unnecessary burden on the crisis of displacement in Haiti.

References

Cantor, D. J. (2018). Cross-border displacement, climate change and disasters: Latin America and the Caribbean. Platform on Disaster Displacement & UNHCR. https://www.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/legacy-pdf/5d4a7b737.pdf

Montuma, M. (2023). Haiti facing the challenge of climate change. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/haiti/en/stories/haiti-facing-challenge-climate-change

Mosello, B., Destrijcker, L., & McMurray, S. A. (2023). Roots for peace: Uncovering climate security challenges in Haiti and what to do about them. adelphi research gemeinnützige GmbH. https://adelphi.de/en/publications/roots-for-peace-uncovering-climate-security-challenges-in-haiti-and-what-to-do-about

Paul, D. J. (2024). Addressing Haiti's climate security challenges: A pathway to peace and resilience. UNDP. https://www.undp.org/fr/haiti/blog/addressing-haitis-climate-security-challenges-pathway-peace-and-resilience

The World Bank. (2024). Climate and health vulnerability assessment: Haiti. The World Bank. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099070324141550718/pdf/P501993113120209c18dcc145786e0fc312.pdf

UNDP. (2024). Small Island Developing States are on the frontlines of climate change – here's why. UNDP. https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/small-island-developing-states-are-frontlines-climate-change-heres-why

UNICEF. (2019). UNICEF Child alert: Children Uprooted in the Caribbean—How stronger hurricanes linked to a changing climate are driving child displacement. UNICEF. https://www.unicef.org/media/62836/file/Children-uprooted-in-the-Caribbean-2019.pdf

United Nations. (2024). About Small Island Developing States (SIDS). United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/smallislands/about-small-island-developing-states