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Suriname - Environment

Climate is tropical with 2 rainy seasons and 2 dry seasons. Flooding regularly occurs in Paramaribo during the “big” rainy seasons (May-August, November-February). Many roads flood, and driving can be extremely difficult and dangerous. Paramaribo has many canals and, during the worst of the flooding, one cannot see where roads end and canals begin. Due to poor drainage, flooding can last for a few days. In May 2006, Suriname experienced severe flooding in the interior. The crisis stretched the government’s resources beyond capacity and, in the ensuing state of emergency, the government relied heavily on international assistance.

The geography of the Caribbean makes Suriname vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms, whose intensity is projected to increase with climate change. Small island communities are also susceptible to salt intrusion into freshwater sources making the region highly vulnerable to rising sea level. USAID’s work in the region aims to raise stakeholder awareness of climate change and facilitate the consideration of climate change in national development planning, the transition to renewable energy, and community preparedness to strengthen the long-term viability of the small island nations in the region.

The northern, lowland coastal area is particularly vulnerable to inundation and erosion of coastal zones and other negative impacts of climate change. Some of the proposed adaptation measures include: integrated coastal zone management, the efficient utilization of water resources, and the development of salt-tolerant crops.

Suriname’s climate is semi-humid, influenced by the behavior of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The mean annual air temperature in Suriname is 27 degrees Celsius. Two rainy and two dry seasons occur annually. Suriname receives between 1500mm and 2500mm of rainfall each year. Suriname’s coastal zone is very fertile. About 90 percent of Suriname’s human activities such as agriculture and small industries are located here, along with a large share of the population. Coastal zones also include highly important ecosystems for the breeding and feeding of various species. The tropical rainforest in Suriname is one of the important natural resources, covering approximately 91 per cent or 15 million hectares of the total land area, of which about 2 million hectares or 13% has the status of Protected Areas.

The industrial base of Suriname is dominated by the mining and petroleum industries. To a lesser extent, the agricultural and tourism sectors also contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The vast majority of these industries are concentrated in coastal zones. Large-scale inundation associated with climate change could adversely affect these industries.

The United Nations in Suriname supports the Government promoting environmental sustainability and strengthening the capacity of the country to adapt and respond to climate change. United Nations agencies, mainly UNDP, FAO, PAHO/WHO and GEF/SGP, are supporting different national partners in improving environmental management to better prepare and respond to climate change.

Together with the Ministry of Physical Planning, Land and Forest Management, UNDP works in the protection of Suriname’s globally significant coastal biodiversity. The objective is to improve management effectiveness and efficiency of protected areas along the nation’s western coast.

Unsustainable mining, logging and agriculture practices in Suriname lead to land degradation affecting the environment and further making the country susceptible to climate change consequences. Mining pollution and deforestation can ultimately damage aquatic environments, and affect the livelihoods of Indigenous and Maroon communities. Improving land management practices will reduce land degradation and its consequences. UNDP works together with the Ministry of Labour and Environment to develop national capacity in sustainable land management.

The Global Environmental Facility/Small Grants Programme in Suriname supports NGOs and community based organizations that work to conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people’s well-being and livelihoods through financial and technical support. The focal areas of the GEF SGP projects are: conservation of biodiversity, combating land degradation, elimination of chemicals, abatement of climate change and protection of international waters. Since 2011, the AusAID has allocated funds towards SGP Suriname specifically targeted towards community based climate change adaptation projects.

Deficient chemical management is a serious problem in Suriname, especially when it is related to pesticides, mercury, hazardous waste management and obsolete chemicals that result in soil and groundwater contamination. They can have harmful effects on the environment jeopardizing the productive capacity of ecosystems and further exposing Suriname to increased health and food security challenges.

UNDP and UNEP support the Ministry of Labour and Management to develop and strengthen the necessary national chemicals management institutions, plans, programmes and activities to promote the sound management of chemicals in Suriname.