National Climate Change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan for Suriname (2014-2021)

Suriname’s National Climate Change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan (NCCPSAP) is a regulatory instrument which aims to implement climate resilience measures cross-sectorally in the coastal area and in the interior to reduce the country's vulnerability to climate change. It captures environment, spatial planning and disaster risk management across multiple planning themes. The concentration of population is particularly high in the coastal areas. They are most exposed to climate-related disasters, e.g. flooding due to poor drainage, mangrove deforestation and abundant rainfall. A main objective laid out in the plan, is to develop and implement law, policy and regulations for climate resilient spatial planning and management to promote urban growth.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Legislative, regulatory and strategic instruments›Dedicated strategy, plan, or law

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Soil quality
Water management (e.g. reuse)
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Watershed restoration/water quality
Drought and fire risk
Flood risk: pluvial and fluvial / soil permeability
Heat stress and heat island effect
Landslide risk
Social cohesion
Social equity
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

Besides ecosystem-based options, it touches upon engineered & built environment options, including sea walls and coastal protection structures, improved drainage, storm and wastewater management or floating houses. Moreover, the plan introduces Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Integrated Water Resources Management or urban upgrading programmes.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Blue areas

Green areas for water management

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Effective

Sustainable in the long-term

Locally appropriate

Potential to be replicated / upscaled

Inclusivity

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and the Environment

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and Environment (ATM) is in charge of coordination and preparation of environmental policy and monitoring of its implementation. Numerous ministries are included in the process too, such as the Ministry of Natural Resources regarding management and exploitation of mineral resources, water and energy or the Ministry of Physical Planning Land and Forest Management regarding land use planning. Furthermore, the Ministry of ATM identifies agencies and non-governmental institutions that should be involved in the NCCPSAP Implementation Team. The national Council for the Environment is an advisory body to the Ministry of ATM.

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

The multidisciplinary NCCSPAP Implementation Team of the Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and Environment, shall represent all key stakeholders, including non-governmental institutions. These organizations shall establish a climate change focal point who will be a member of the NCCSPAP Implementation Team. The importance of public participation is highlighted throughout the whole plan. A framework for early stakeholder involvement shall be created to take interests of stakeholders and affected parties into consideration.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Citizen councils or consultation for co-planning (e.g. workshops, surveys)

Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Targeted actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public national budget

Public regional budget

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Yes

There will be a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) program during the inception phase (2014-2016). Its objective is to provide guidance on a results verification process and a reporting protocol, assess the effectiveness of investments in climate actions and how approved actions relate to other plans, for example, the National Forest Cover Monitoring Plan. 2014. The program will be established by the NCCPSAP Implementation Team in coordination with the Ministry of Finance.

Did an evaluation take place?:

Yes

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

The National Climate Change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan for Suriname 2014-2021 is very ambitious and focuses through its implementation both on NBS and ecosystem restoration. Climate resilience actions are implemented through awareness raising campaigns and integration into education. Furthermore, it builds the basis for the Suriname National Adaptation Plan 2019 - 2029.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The plan follows a holistic approach, includes all crucial national development planning themes, from energy to health to sustainable forest management and elaborates on past climate resilience actions and the status quo. Key points of its strategy is the Suriname's Climate Change Policy roadmap, finance opportunities, cross-sector approaches or technology transfer.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Suriname. Available at: https://www.fao.org/faolex/country-profiles/general-profile/en/?iso3=SUR (Accessed: 30.01.2023). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2015). National Climate Change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan for Suriname 2014-2021. Available at: https://www.fao.org/faolex/results/details/en/c/LEX-FAOC171350 (Accessed: 30.01.2023).

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