EU supports Haiti to integrate environment and climate change considerations in urban development

Managing the growth of cities in Haiti is necessary to improve the country’s resilience to external shocks. To this end, the URBAYITI programme promotes Haiti’s economic, social and environmental development by strengthening the institutional framework for urban planning.

The European Union Environment and Climate Change Mainstreaming Facility has been supporting Haiti to integrate environmental and climate change concerns into the formulation of an urban policy and urban planning processes in cities covered by the URBAYITI programme. Areas covered include city development, beautification and extension, and include actions for solid waste management and improved water and sanitation systems.

The lack of strategic planning leads to chaotic constructions and inoperable sanitation systems. © Geraldo Carreiro

The Facility led a workshop that helped identify opportunities to contribute to environmental sustainability, low-carbon development and climate resilience. The workshop was attended by institutional and implementing stakeholders from the cities of Port-au-Prince, Jérémie and Les Cayes, including the technical secretariat of the inter-ministerial committee for territorial planning, the representative of the national authorizing officer and the EU Delegation to Haiti, among others.

Workshop participants reached an agreement on how to support environmental and climate change integration in URBAYITI through a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of Haiti’s urban development policy. Once they gained an understanding of SEA principles, participants were able to discuss and agree on what the SEA should cover and who would manage the process in parallel to the policy formulation process. They identified key stakeholders and how to engage them and strengthen capacities, and the expected outputs and timeframe. They also discussed potential environmental and climate change threats faced by the urban development sector and proposed actions to take these into account in the SEA and urban policy development processes.

The Deputy Mayor of Les Cayes meets with residents to hear about issues with solid waste management

For guidance on environment and climate change mainstreaming contact:

DEVCO Environment and Climate Change Mainstreaming Facility

T: +32 229 622 83

E: EuropeAid-C2-MAINSTREAMING@ec.europa.eu