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Climate change in Suriname
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<h2 id="greenhouse-gas-emissions">Greenhouse gas emissions</h2> <p>Suriname has claimed a net-negative carbon economy since at least 2014.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> This is in large part because dense forests cover over 93% of the country.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> Most of the <a href="/facts/Rainforest/IEY5TMEc">rainforest</a> is still in pristine condition,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> however it is being threatened by gold mining<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> and logging companies.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>Agriculture contributes 40% of the country's emissions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p> <h3>Petroleum industry</h3> <p class="note">Further information: <a href="/facts/Staatsolie_Maatschappij_Suriname/8MFK9mcg">Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname</a></p> <p><a href="/facts/Petroleum/IQV0bHVd">Petroleum</a> exports are an important part of the <a href="/facts/Economy_of_Suriname/hh7w3g25">economy of Suriname</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> much of which is controlled by the state owned <a href="/facts/Staatsolie_Maatschappij_Suriname/8MFK9mcg">Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname</a>. As of January 2020, an American corporation, <a href="/facts/Apache_Corporation/Fmt4ntGm">Apache Corporation</a>, was drilling wells in Maka Central.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="impacts-on-the-natural-environment">Impacts on the natural environment</h2> <h3>Temperature and weather changes</h3> <p>According to the World Bank, temperatures have already increased across the country, with a significant increase in hot weather.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> Though precipitation has not shown any significant trend changes,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> projections suggest significant changes in different parts of the country.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h3>Sea level rise</h3> <p>90% of Suriname's human activity is on the Northern coast, which is particularly vulnerable to <a href="/facts/Sea_level_rise/Pb5MGJxb">sea level rise</a> and <a href="/facts/Saltwater_intrusion/kTNApmu0">salt water intrusion</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="impacts-on-people">Impacts on people</h2> <h3>Economic impacts</h3> <h4>Agriculture</h4> <p class="note">Further information: <a href="/facts/Agriculture_in_Suriname/2QcfSWof">Agriculture in Suriname</a></p> <p>Though agriculture is a decreasing part of the total economy of the country, accounting for 9% of GDP in 2012, it is the third largest part of the Surinamese economy employing 15% of the population in 2009.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> Changing weather and flood events are expect to have significant negative effects on agriculture in the country.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> 49% of the economic losses of May 2006 floods in Suriname were agricultural.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> </p> <h3>Health impacts</h3> <p>The greatest risk Suriname faces is the flooding of the rivers. The population is concentrated around major rivers like the <a href="/facts/Suriname_River/RSLlqk4z">Suriname</a>, <a href="/facts/Commewijne_River/hYe7KHbH">Commewijne</a>, and <a href="/facts/Marowijne_River/45sYLEDm">Marowijne River</a> in an area a few meters above sea level.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> In 2006 and 2015, there were majors floods even resulting in deaths.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="mitigation-and-adaptation">Mitigation and adaptation</h2> <h3>Policies and legislation</h3> <p>The Surinamese government was proactive about updating its <a href="/facts/Nationally_Determined_Contributions/p3FWRzHK">Nationally Determined Contributions</a> statement in 2020, second only behind the <a href="/facts/Climate_change_in_the_Marshall_Islands/7jt6h081">Climate change in the Marshall Islands</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> The major commitments included maintenance of forests as a <a href="/facts/Carbon_sink/Gv7uXVmT">carbon sink</a>, 35% <a href="/facts/Renewable_energy/6Bu6IrpF">renewable energy</a> by 2030, and <a href="/facts/Sustainable_farming/XLdTEVAC">sustainable farming</a> and transportation investments.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Suriname's climate promise, for a sustainable future". UN News. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422" target="_blank">https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Suriname's Second National Communication - In Progress | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation". www.adaptation-undp.org. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/surinames-second-national-communication-progress" target="_blank">https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/surinames-second-national-communication-progress</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Suriname's climate promise, for a sustainable future". UN News. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422" target="_blank">https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Suriname's climate promise, for a sustainable future". UN News. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422" target="_blank">https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Central Suriname Nature Reserve". Unesco. Retrieved 8 June 2020. <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1017" target="_blank">https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1017</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Een weg komt nooit alleen" (PDF). University of Amsterdam (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 June 2020.[permanent dead link] <a href="http://www.cedla.uva.nl/20_research/pdf/vDijck/suriname_project/chispa_artikel.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.cedla.uva.nl/20_research/pdf/vDijck/suriname_project/chispa_artikel.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Wanze Eduards and S. Hugo Jabini. Suriname Forests". Goldman Environmental Prize. Retrieved 8 June 2020. <a href="http://goldmanprize.org/2009/southcentralamerica" target="_blank">http://goldmanprize.org/2009/southcentralamerica</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Suriname's Second National Communication - In Progress | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation". www.adaptation-undp.org. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/surinames-second-national-communication-progress" target="_blank">https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/surinames-second-national-communication-progress</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Suriname | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation". www.adaptation-undp.org. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://www.adaptation-undp.org/explore/south-america/suriname" target="_blank">https://www.adaptation-undp.org/explore/south-america/suriname</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Blum, Jordan (2020-01-22). "Climate change also poses a threat to oil's exploration budgets, report finds". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Energy-transition-threatens-oil-and-gas-14994639.php" target="_blank">https://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Energy-transition-threatens-oil-and-gas-14994639.php</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Historical Climate Data Suriname". climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/climate-data-historical" target="_blank">https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/climate-data-historical</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"Historical Climate Data Suriname". climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/climate-data-historical" target="_blank">https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/climate-data-historical</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Climate Data Projects Suriname". climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/climate-data-projections" target="_blank">https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/climate-data-projections</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"Suriname's Second National Communication - In Progress | UNDP Climate Change Adaptation". www.adaptation-undp.org. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/surinames-second-national-communication-progress" target="_blank">https://www.adaptation-undp.org/projects/surinames-second-national-communication-progress</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"Impacts on Agriculture". Climate Change Knowledge Portal. World Bank. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/impacts-agriculture" target="_blank">https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/impacts-agriculture</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Impacts on Agriculture". Climate Change Knowledge Portal. World Bank. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/impacts-agriculture" target="_blank">https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/impacts-agriculture</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Impacts on Agriculture". Climate Change Knowledge Portal. World Bank. Archived from the original on 2020-06-07. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/impacts-agriculture" target="_blank">https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/suriname/impacts-agriculture</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"Over 350,000 Surinamese to benefit from flood risk management". Prevention Web. Retrieved 9 June 2020. <a href="https://www.preventionweb.net/news/view/63703" target="_blank">https://www.preventionweb.net/news/view/63703</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"'Doden als gevolg overstromingen Suriname'". nu.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 June 2020. <a href="https://www.nu.nl/algemeen/728526/doden-als-gevolg-overstromingen-suriname.html" target="_blank">https://www.nu.nl/algemeen/728526/doden-als-gevolg-overstromingen-suriname.html</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"Wateroverlast in Suriname door zware regen". Waterkant (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 June 2020. <a href="https://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2015/06/01/wateroverlast-in-suriname-door-zware-regen/" target="_blank">https://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2015/06/01/wateroverlast-in-suriname-door-zware-regen/</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"Suriname's climate promise, for a sustainable future". UN News. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422" target="_blank">https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>"Suriname's climate promise, for a sustainable future". UN News. 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2020-06-07. <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422" target="_blank">https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/01/1056422</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>