Haiti Climate Initiative with Sean Penn & French Officials

Around the globe, seasons are shifting, temperatures are climbing and sea levels are rising. Rising temperatures due to deforestation and excessive emission of Carbon are responsible for changing patterns of rain and melting of snows, especially in the Polar Regions. Rising seas threaten to inundate low-lying areas and islands, threaten dense coastal populations. Climate change is undoubtedly the greatest humanitarian crisis of our time. By 2050, according to the United Nations, more than 130 port cities and habitats around the world would be at risk from severe storm-surge flooding, damage from high storm winds, rising and warming global seas and local land subsidence.

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Recently, during the first week of October, the French and Haitian Government officials, including French President François Hollande, met to discuss and sign a 'Letter of Intent' on a new initiative of a climate partnership named "Haiti Takes Root" under the leadership of actor Sean Penn (CEO). The program will include local farmers, experts and authorities and educate them on matters relating to agriculture and guide them in a way so that they can respond appropriately to the climate change issues. Rapid deforestation of Haiti began during the colonial period, and was intensified when coffee was introduced in 1730. Even in 1920's, forest covered nearly 60% of Haiti. But now, a mere 2% of Haiti's original forests remain. By most accounts, cooking fires are the major culprits behind the nation's loss of trees. Seventy-one percent of all fuel consumed in Haiti is wood or charcoal. Every year, the country's 9 million plus inhabitants burn a quantity of wood and charcoal equal to 30 million trees-- that's 20 million more trees than Haiti grows yearly.

This powerful partnership will look to find the most effective and sustainable ways to restore and reforest degraded areas in Haiti. It will further work to increase forest cover, improve the quality of soil and vegetation, A team of experts will finalize the framework of "Haiti Takes Root" in the tune of United Nations Climate Change Conference (CoP21) which will take place in Paris between next November 30 to December 11.

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Read more: Environment, France, Energy Environment

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