The National Congress on Climate Adaptation took place at the NBC Conference Center in Nieuwegein, Utrecht, on Monday, June 17. Various speakers discussed climate change in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom during a well-attended break-out session. In photo, from left: Former Dutch MP and St. Maarten Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien Wuite, Associate Researcher at Island(er)s at the Helm Riddhi Samtani, Junior Innovation Officer at Bonaire Innovation and Technology Lab Anthony Janga and Dutch Youth Climate Movement board member Tishana Martijn.
~ Highlighting the disproportionate effects of climate change for islands ~
UTRECHT--The National Congress on Climate Adaptation took place at the NBC Conference Center in Nieuwegein, Utrecht, on Monday, June 17, focused on accelerating the adaptation of the Netherlands to the changing climate. Among the several sessions was a well-attended break-out session on climate change in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with speakers from the various islands.
The session was organised by the Province of Utrecht, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Climate Adaptation Services Foundation (CAS), the research programme Island(er)s at the Helm, the Climate Research Initiative Netherlands (KIN), and the Dutch Research Council.
Former Dutch Member of Parliament (MP) and St. Maarten Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien Wuite acted as chair, integrating her own work of representing these critical issues on a national level and asking thought-provoking questions throughout.
Representing St. Maarten and Research Initiative Island(er)s at the Helm was Riddhi Samtani, who highlighted the importance of climate adaptation, inclusivity and sustainability for all six Caribbean islands in the kingdom.
Associate researcher Samtani spoke on behalf of Francio Guadeloupe and the core team of researchers leading the initiative. In her presentation, she highlighted the project’s core aim: to bring together researchers and societal partners to employ a mixture of technical, traditional and contemporary knowledge practices for studying climate change adaptation through a long-term perspective.
Samtani stressed that a core aspect of the project is the collaborative framework with various stakeholders. This initiative, Islanders at the Helm, aims to strengthen the knowledge infrastructure in the Caribbean and the Netherlands, creating a space for dialogue among different yet equal voices from distant geographical places.
Speakers from both the Netherlands and the Caribbean shared their experiences and expertise when it comes to climate change in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom. Giacomo Galli of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management gave insights into the current state of the climate plans in development for the Caribbean Netherlands.
Curaçao native Timo Kelder of Stichting Climate Adaptation Services provided an overview of the various climate challenges the islands face and highlighted the climate adaptation risk mapping for Bonaire, Saba and Statia.
Junior Innovation Officer at Bonaire Innovation and Technology Lab Anthony Janga from Bonaire and Dutch Youth Climate Movement board member Tishana Martijn from Curaçao, together with Samtani, reflected on the process, approach, and content of the climate plans
during the panel discussion. They also discussed ideas, potential actions that one can take to contribute to climate adaptation on the islands and the critical role of youth in the decision-making process.
Chairman of the National Climate Resilience Council Ryan Peterson from Aruba and Acting Island Governor of Bonaire Nolly Oleana were also present and asked to share their insights on climate change in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
“The Congress was a significant step in highlighting the disproportionate effects of climate change in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,” said Samtani. “It was encouraging to see the representation of the Dutch Caribbean present, including local youth leaders, as well as the issues being brought to the forefront and discussed in depth.
“However, I hope that future National Congresses will include the islands from a more holistic Kingdom perspective. It’s crucial that we work together more closely within the Kingdom and ensure that the islands are not only mentioned in breakout workshops but also during the plenary sessions.”
