Introduction to Suriname

Suriname, the smallest and least populated country in South America, has a population of 623,236,1 of which 34% is rural.2 Suriname experiences a tropical rainforest climate on parts of its northern coast, while the rest of the country has a tropical monsoon climate.3 The country regularly experiences extreme weather events, including hurricanes, floods, and droughts. This can prove highly consequential to Suriname's unequal population distribution, as nearly 90% of its population is on the oceanic coastal plain.4 Although Suriname is considered an upper-middle income country and has had strong economic growth of nearly 4.4% annually from 2000 to 2020, its success has since slowed down due to a combination of fiscal policies, balance of payment issues, and the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to significant unemployment and a rise in poverty levels.5 The industry sector accounts for 44.8% of GDP, and the service sector comprises 44.7%.6 Both heavily depend on supply chain operations linked to natural commodities like oil and minerals. On a national level, Suriname has struggled to reach youth education goals, as there are significant discrepancies between the quality of education between urban and rural areas, high dropout rates in primary education,7 and low tertiary education completion rates—only 15% of women and 6% of men.8 Suriname is a diverse pluralist society, with significant populations of East Indians, Maroons, Creole, Javanese Indonesians, Indigenous, and Chinese peoples.9

Mapping Major Climate Events and Climate-Induced Displacement

With 30% of the country’s geographical area within a couple of meters of sea level and the capital Paramaribo between 0 to 3 meters above sea level, Suriname ranks among the top ten most vulnerable countries to a 1-meter rise in sea level.10  Further, the capital, Paramaribo, hosts 66% of the population and ranks as one of the two most vulnerable administrative districts in Suriname, making it highly susceptible to any climate shocks that occur.11 In addition to its sizable population, Paramaribo is notorious for its poor infrastructure and water drainage capacity, leading Suriname to globally rank 4th for the percentage of the population impacted and 9th for the percentage of the urban area impacted if a 1-meter rise in sea level occurs.12 Climate models have estimated that a 1-meter rise may occur in Suriname by 2090, in which 7-30% of the population and 5.6% of agriculture will be severely impacted.12  Historically, the 2006 Suriname floods were some of the worst in the country’s history, affecting over 25,000 people, impacting 65% of crops and 90% of the fishing industry, and submerging over 150 villages in two meters of water.13 Further, it disproportionately affected the rural, Indigenous, and Maroon communities, illustrating how marginalized communities are highly vulnerable to the climate crisis.14 More recently, in April 2021, extreme rainfall led to floods that affected all ten administrative districts, highlighting the growing frequency of climate-induced events in Suriname.15 Since 2008, such flooding and sea level rise have resulted in over 14,000 internal displacements.16 Drought rates have also risen, as illustrated by the 2024 Suriname drought, which left the country without rainfall for over eight months, severely impacting agricultural communities and reducing northern crop yields by more than 25%.17

Mapping the Costs of the Climate Crisis

The GDP of Suriname is $3.78 billion,18 while the GDP per capita is $6,069.19 Since 2015, however, Suriname’s GDP and GDP per capita have sharply declined due to less favorable mineral prices and the country's extreme reliance on the sector.11 Suriname is highly vulnerable to external shocks as its economy has a single-point failure, where oil and gold exports make up 85% of exports and 27% of all government revenues.20 The climate crisis can further exacerbate this financial situation, as a 1-meter sea-level rise can immediately impact over 6.4% of GDP.21 Additionally, when considering Paramaribo’s relatively low elevation, modeling shows that heavy rainfall flood events will result in $91 million of damage, while coastal flood events can result in $350 million of damage.12 If current trends continue, these numbers could increase to $112 million and $700 million, respectively, by 2050.12 Additionally, Suriname’s highly extractive economy is exacerbating the climate crisis and undermining the country’s capacity for climate resilience. For example, gold mining makes up approximately $2 billion a year for Suriname’s exports22 but also acts as a considerable driver of extreme deforestation and has caused a 10% drop in vegetation health for parts of the rainforest.23 Further, increased flooding and rising sea levels can significantly affect mining activities, operations, and infrastructure.24 As a petrostate, oil is Suriname’s second-largest export, making up $280 million annually.25 The country continues to see it as a lucrative revenue source, as highlighted by a recent $9 billion investment in a new offshore oil project.26 Yet this dependence on oil highlights the need for the country to diversify its economic basis as part of its just transitions. 

Mapping Resilience and Mitigation Pathways

Despite being responsible for less than 0.01% of global GHG emissions, Suriname is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of the climate crisis.27 Towards domestic mitigation, Suriname has unconditionally pledged to have its share of renewable energy above 25% by 2025 and aims to protect 17% of all forests and wetlands by 2030.28 Suriname is considered a country with high forest cover and low deforestation (HFLD), as 93% of the country has forest cover, making it the most forested country in the world.29 The government has pledged to keep the country at 93% forest cover, making Suriname one of the only carbon-negative countries in the world since its forests act as carbon sinks that absorb more GHG emissions than emitted.30 The country has also advanced its disaster response framework by ensuring alignment with national adaptation plans, identifying gaps in current policies and programs, developing new recommendations from diverse stakeholders, and fostering new collaborative partnerships.31 To transition to renewable energy, Suriname has drawn a plan to electrify more than 200 villages through solar, hybrid, or hydropower energy.32 Through Suriname's Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) implementation, the country has avoided nearly 4.8 million tons of CO2 emissions.32  

Necessary Changes

Although Suriname is already on an excellent track for sustainable goals as a carbon-negative country, it must continue to identify and implement new adaptations for its future as the climate crisis will undoubtedly impact the country. This includes setting up a definitive, overall emissions reduction target such that the country’s actions can be measured while also developing data collection systems so policymakers can be better informed.33 Climate change adaptation also needs to be better implemented throughout the country, as most technology and infrastructure are being used in the urban and northern coasts, while many rural areas are often forgotten and not well connected. More robust strategies for diversified climate-resilient agriculture and water management tools must also be developed to safeguard necessary natural resources against flooding, droughts, and other climate impacts.33 Suriname must also find a way to diversify its economy away from extractive industries as part of global transitions to just and equitable low-carbon economies. Most importantly, Suriname must develop better flood risk mitigation strategies through new drainage systems and infrastructure, maintenance of river and ocean systems, reinforcing riverbanks, re-establishing mangrove forests, developing flood forecasting systems, and implementing a more efficient disaster response systems.34 However, there is a high financial cost as projects from the energy, transport, forest, and agricultural sectors are estimated to cost $696 million, highlighting Suriname’s need for non-exploitative financial support from international institutions and foreign actors.35