On my way to the Caracol Industrial Park in the North of Haiti, I was observing the precarious way in which goods and people are often transported. Luggage, goods for market, livestock, and people often squeeze onto any available space on colorful tap-taps or speeding moto-taxis. Having worked in Haiti for the IDB for over 5 years, watching traffic go by reminded me of how … [Read more...] about Top four ways to improve Environmental and Health and Safety aspects in Haiti
What do condoms, safeguards, and sustainable development have in common?
In the state of Acre, a remote corner of the western Brazilian Amazon, lies the staple of the rubbertappers’ livelihoods, latex. This milky fluid is released when the rubber tree is cut and hardens once it’s exposed to the air. Latex has been a vital source of income for vulnerable forest communities for decades. However, up until the late 1990s, the combination of unclear … [Read more...] about What do condoms, safeguards, and sustainable development have in common?
Big Data Bridging the Environmental Information Gap
Availability of quality data is essential to solving environmental problems and monitoring impacts. Furthermore, ecosystem service analysis, which is used more and more to address environmental management challenges, is often data intensive, requiring information from multiple sectors, at different scales, and with spatial and temporal qualities. Unfortunately, collecting … [Read more...] about Big Data Bridging the Environmental Information Gap
Two ways governments put a price on forests
Forests are highly valued for the wood and other non-timber products they provide such as fruit, food, medicinal products, and countless other benefits with aesthetic and spiritual value. Forests also play an important role in protecting the soil, generating water and oxygen, and housing very rich biodiversity. Their value to humanity is immeasurable. These attributes of … [Read more...] about Two ways governments put a price on forests
Translocation: To move or not to move
New infrastructure often requires space, and many development projects have to destroy or modify habitats in order to make that space. Even with the most careful planning, the reality is that trees may need to be bulldozed and wildlife may be killed. To avoid this, it is a common practice to move- or translocate- plants and animals out of harm’s way, and re-plant or release … [Read more...] about Translocation: To move or not to move