The Guardian: Haiti expects the worst from new hurricane season

With the start of a new hurricane season, the Guardian reported on Haiti's ill-fated history and how the country is fearing that this year's hurricanes may take the biggest toll in people's memory. Yet Haiti is still recovering from last year's hurricanes:

Even in Gonaives – the focus of international relief for Haiti, with visits from Clinton and celebrities including Wyclef Jean – a third of the town remains in ruins. Dozens of people are still living in plastic tents on a scrap of waste-ground on the edge of town. Gary Dupiton, the town engineer, thinks it will take five years to restore the town completely, provided it does not flood again.

This suffering may well be a very visible consuequence of a lack of adaptation to climate change:

It took until last year for the country's elite to begin to see a connection between the devastation of the landscape, and natural disaster. "I have to admit that for the majority of the business society, managing water, managing soil, climate change, these are all things that they talk about on CNN and BBC, or that you hear Al Gore going on about," said Gregory Brandt, a prominent businessman. "It's not for us. I'd say the majority was aware but not concerned."

The country has seen a massive deforestation, which increases the impact of mud floods running downhill towards the ocean making its way through Haitian towns and cities. Efforts by humanitarian organisations, such as Oxfam, to encourage planting of new trees may prove to be 'too little, too late'...

Listen also to Suzanne Goldenberg commenting Haiti's experience with hurricanes and deforestation.