latest_news Curaçao Climate Change Platform

People who support and those who oppose the idea that the climate is changing agree that Curaçao should do what it can to lessen the adverse effects of these changes. The island needs to become stronger and better able to handle these challenges. This includes dealing with problems like sudden floods, coastal issues, extreme heat, drought, and strong winds. These events can lead to disruptions, fatalities, and damage to property, as well as harm to the island's flora and fauna on land and in the sea.

One result of the many issues that arise from these events is that they can indirectly hurt the economy. On the positive side, there are new opportunities for Curaçao because using alternative energy sources like the sun, wind, and sea has become more practical. This means Curaçao can become a leader in using these new energy sources, develop expertise, and create a center of knowledge in this field.

Our vision:

By 2030, Curaçao aims to enhance its ability to address the challenges posed by natural disasters, climate change, and the preservation and regeneration of biodiversity. Simultaneously, we aspire for Curaçao to emerge as a key player in harnessing renewable energy.

Our long-term and overarching sector-wide objective are:

1.      Improved understanding of the impacts of climate change on Curaçao

Specific knowledge of climate risks for Curaçao is essential to understand their consequences. Therefore, it is important to further investigate the regional physical changes of current climatic patterns. The following priorities have been identified for this purpose:

  • - More knowledge about changes in the physical systems that constitute the climate.
  • - More understanding of the influence of physical changes on biological systems.
  • - More insight into the impact of physical changes on human systems.

 

2.      Achieving a neutral Carbon footprint.

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the application of new energy-efficient technologies. Additionally, the efficiency of wind turbines, solar panels, and storage batteries has significantly increased. There are also promising new technologies such as energy storage in hydrogen, affordable electric vehicles, LED technology, SMART systems, and improved waste-to-energy options

Therefore, it is essential to research the feasibility of these new technologies for implementation in Curaçao. Moreover, due to the favorable climatic conditions on the island and the existing expertise in solar and wind energy, there is a strong business case to further increase the share of green energy. Priorities for these long-term objectives include:

  • - Increased knowledge of applicable renewable energy forms.
  • - Enhanced understanding of energy-efficient systems and transportation.
  • - More knowledge about responsible waste management.

 

3.      Strengthening resilience of the community and biodiversity

Like many regions globally, Curaçao will face the negative impacts of climate change. These effects will manifest across various sectors, such as infrastructure, commerce, tourism, and healthcare within the nation. The ultimate outcome is a disturbance in both the quality of life and the economy, resulting from the repercussions of climate change.

Hence, it is essential to promote sectoral adaptation efforts to minimize the negative impacts of natural disasters and biodiversity loss caused by climate change, ultimately enhancing the nation's resilience. To attain this objective, the following elements have been given priority:

  • - Establishing and improving green infrastructure.
  • - Developing and enhancing water management.
  • - Improving the built environment with special attention to our world heritage sites such as Historic Willemstad.
  • - Implementing and improving coastal zone management.
  • - Ensuring the preservation of culture and integrating it into new strategies.
  • - Guaranteeing our food security and creating a new economic pillar in this context.
  • - Strengthening the economy and financial sector.

 

4.      Building capacity for the sustainable design and implementation of programs and projects in the field of climate change and creating awareness.

To ensure the implementation and updating of the climate policy derived from the climate roadmap, the knowledge and expertise of organizations, their experts, and specific target groups will be further strengthened. This is a highly complex and inter-ministerial process, requiring the attraction of international funds to support the national budget. Therefore, it is crucial for our experts to have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to design and implement programs and projects.

 

Involving the youth is essential for the sustainability of the initiative. Throughout the entire process, awareness campaigns will be conducted to keep policymakers and the community informed about the progress and related actions at both national and local levels. The priorities include:

  • - Strengthening the knowledge and expertise of organizations and specific target groups to ensure the implementation and updating of climate policy. This also includes the establishment of a center of excellence for climate change.
  • - Increasing youth engagement.
  • - Creating awareness among policymakers and the general public.