Suriname: Government launches new agency to formulate climate change policies

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – Suriname has launched a Climate Compatible Development Agency (CCDA) tasked with formulating government’s climate change policies.



President Desi Bourterse speaking at the launching ceremony said “the government made a strong commitment to protect our precious environment.



“We owe it to our children to prepare ourselves for the effects climate change will have on our country,” he added.



CCDA director John Goedschalk said the task of the agency will be to “consolidate all existing climate change efforts.



“By implementing the agency, Government signals to the world that it’s serious about facing climate change. The establishment of the Climate Compatible Development Agency puts us in the fraternity of developing countries that are signaling their seriousness regarding adaptation,” said the US-trained economist.



“Despite the fact that we do not contribute to climate change we stand to be impacted heavily by its effects. Our entire economic zone is located within our coastal areas, so when sea level rises we stand to lose a whole lot. That is why it’s important that we look with a certain measure of structure at how we can prepare Suriname better for climate change,” Goedschalk said.



He said based on the Kyoto Protocol, Suriname as a “Non-Annex I” country is not required to reduce its levels of emission of greenhouse gasses.



“But our classification gives us access to funding from international agencies to arm us,” he said, listing the Adaptation Fund of the Kyoto climate change Protocol as one of the funds that the new agency would seek funding from.



“This fund was established within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol, specifically to finance concrete adaptation projects and programs in developing countries. We’re signatories to this protocol. Many other developing countries have secured funding from these funds already; we’re getting in line now and we don’t have to reinvent the wheel when we’re doing this,” said Goedschalk.



He said one of his first goals is to accelerate the first carbon assessment programme in Suriname.



“We will introduce a strategy that is climate change compatible and goes parallel with Government’s development initiatives,” he said, adding that funds would also be sought under the REDD+ programme, designed to use financial incentives to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from deforestation and forest degradation.



“We’re in a unique position in Suriname. We are under threat of the effects of climate change, while we’re not a contributor to the causes of climate change and our Amazon rainforests make us one of the greener countries in the world.



“The latter also gives us access to REDD+ funding, but so far we have not executed any project of the sort yet either,” he said, adding that in this regard it’s also important to conduct a carbon assessment to measure Suriname’s own impact on its environmental assessment.



“It’s a good starting point,” he added.