Suriname
Having a low-lying coastal area and the majority of the population living in the coastal zone, Suriname is very vulnerable to the potential impacts of sea level rise. In recent decades, Suriname has experienced an ongoing attack from the Atlantic Ocean and in certain areas coastal erosion has already reached worrying levels causing large-scale inundation and sudden changes in local ecosystems. Hence, the main aim of the NCAP project in Suriname was to strengthen the capacity of Suriname to deal with the possible aspects of sea-level rise and to contribute to the formulation of national policy and planning.
The NCAP project in Suriname was designed as a follow-up to phase one of the Netherlands Climate Change Studies and Assistance Programme (NCCSAP), which took place between 1996 and 2001. Whereas the NCCSAP project in Suriname focused on the vulnerability of the entire coastal zone to sea-level rise, the NCAP project focused its efforts on studying in more detail the impacts and vulnerabilities of two specific coastal area Greater Paramaribo and Wanica, where the main concentration of population and infrastructure are found.
The study started with mapping the present and future land-use and socio-economic activities in the project area. Based on these maps, and considering future scenarios of sea-level rise, the project team developed and identified possible adaptation measures using expert judgment. The results were then discussed with stakeholders and people living in the area and presented in a final map.
The project team also actively supported the development of Suriname’s National Climate Action Plan and organized a well-attended International Conference on “Water and Future Development in Suriname”, which, amongst other things, provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different water development ideas in the area.
Outputs:
Technical reports describing the 
present and future land-use and socio-economic activities in Greater Paramaribo and Wanica
Contact Details:
Ms. Henna Uiterloo
Ministry of Labour, Technological Development and Environment
Environment Department
Heerenstraat 40
Paramaribo
Phone: +597 475368
Email: milieu_atm@yahoo.com
