Agriculture is the leading source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Haiti, accounting for 49% of total emissions. Within this sector, 58% of emissions are due to enteric fermentation and 29% due to manure left on pasture. Five other agriculture subsectors, including manure management and rice cultivation, are responsible for the remainder of emissions. Energy sector GHG emissions are also significant, consisting of emissions from other fuel combustion, transportation, manufacturing and construction, and electricity and heat production.
Haiti’s GHG emissions grew 62% from 1990-2011, with an average annual change of 3%. Sector-specific average annual change was 2% for agriculture, 6% for energy, 2% for waste, 26% for industrial processes, and -2% for land-use change and forestry. Agriculture emissions increased by 1.2 MtCO2e (39%) from 1990-2011, with 57% of Haiti’s land used for agriculture in 2005. Farming in Haiti is practiced on a small scale, with little industrial-type farming, and farmers typically keep ruminants on plots of farmland that are fallow or idle.
Rice cultivation is another important source of methane due to the decomposition of organic matter in flooded soils. Irrigation causes prolonged water stagnation due to drainage difficulty, leading to significant methane emissions. Employing altered water regimes, new hybrid rice varieties, improved drainage methods, and direct seeding can mitigate emissions from agriculture. Energy emissions increased 54% from 1990-2011, with the residential sector being the top energy consumer in Haiti.
Haiti’s carbon intensity is slightly more than double the world average in 2011, indicating substantial potential to reduce GHG emissions as the economy grows. The country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) commits to unconditionally reducing GHG emissions by 5% (10 MtCO2e) by 2030, relative to the 2030 business-as-usual (BAU) reference scenario. It also commits to a conditional reduction of 26% (35.24 MtCO2e) by 2030, relative to the 2030 BAU scenario. The BAU scenario takes into consideration the policies and strategies as reflected in the Strategic Development Plan of Haiti – Emerging Haiti 2030.