Suriname’s first female president, Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, sat down with Mongabay to discuss her goals for the U.N. Climate Change Conference taking place next week in neighboring Brazil.She’s been a vocal proponent of climate financing for countries meeting their emission targets and conserving the rainforest.At the same time, Geerlings-Simons is grappling with Suriname’s deep-seated mining industry, which often skirts regulations and destroys natural ecosystems with mercury and cyanide.Geerlings-Simons said she recognizes the importance of extractive industries for funding the country’s infrastructure, law enforcement and the agencies that provide environmental oversight.
PARAMARIBO, Suriname — With the U.N. Climate Change Conference coming up next week, Suriname finds itself at the center of a global debate about how to reduce carbon emissions and prevent deforestation. COP30 will see nearly 200 countries converge on the city of Belém in the Brazilian Amazon, with multiple climate policy solutions on the agenda. Neighboring Suriname, despite its small size and influence, will have a uniquely large voice at the event.
The South American country has managed to keep 93% of its national forest cover and boasts net-negative carbon emissions, meaning it absorbs more CO₂ than it emits — a rare feat achieved by only two other countries: Panama and Bhutan. As a member of multiple international coalitions, including the G-Zero Forum, Suriname has used its conservation success to lead calls for Indigenous rights, biodiversity protections, and financial compensation for smaller countries that have already met emissions targets.
