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Thursday 23 July 2020

Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA):

Lack of focus on nature conservation and climate change

resiliency as part of corona crises response

pacts of climate change. pacts associated with the
There should also be more climate crises has the po-
consideration given to the tential to be more severe
providing of support for in terms of impacts to the
the implementation of a islands as the Corona cri-
circular economy, making ses has been and as such,
the islands more resilient to the conservation of natural
the external shocks which resources should be central
will be inevitable consider- in the discussions on reform
ing that the Dutch Carib- for the islands,” concluded
bean is a climate change Bervoets.q
hotspot. The negative im-

KRALENDIJK, BONAIRE — centered on the liquidity natural areas and the asso-
The Dutch Caribbean Na- support for Curacao, Sint ciated critical ecosystems
ture Alliance (DCNA) is Maarten and Aruba. and habitats are crucial for
concerned about the sup- the sustainable economic
port nature conservation “DCNA has made extra development of Aruba,
and climate change is re- financing available to Curacao and Sint Maarten,
ceiving as a part of the dis- CARMABI Curacao, Fun- especially considering the
cussions within the King- dacion Parke Nacional severe economic impact
dom of the Netherlands for di Aruba (FPNA) and the the pandemic has had on
corona crises support to Sint Maarten Nature Foun- communities at the high-
Aruba, Curacao and Sint dation so that they may est risk of climate change
Maarten. “We have been continue their critical role impacts within the Dutch
following the discussions of conservation manage- Kingdom. The placing of a
between the governments ment of protected areas greater focus on ensuring
within the Kingdom regard- and ecosystems on the environmental sustainabil-
ing the liquidity support to islands, but this will only ity and climate change re-
Aruba, Curacao and Sint be enough to provide op- siliency should be a critical
Maarten very carefully and erational support in the component of ensuring the
are concerned that within short term. The support economic resiliency of the
those discussions there for nature, environmental Dutch Caribbean.
seems to be a lack of con- conservation and climate
sideration for the environ- change resiliency should “There should be more fo-
ment, nature conservation extend beyond the park cused discussions on work-
and climate resiliency on management organiza- ing within the Kingdom on
and for the islands,” com- tions and should be a part developing the tools nec-
mented the Interim Director of the structural reforms on essary to respond to the
of DCNA Tadzio Bervoets. all three islands as we are myriad environmental is-
adapting to a post pan- sues that Aruba, Curacao
The conservation network, demic reality,” continued and Sint Maarten face as
which provides support the Bervoets. small island developing
Protected Area Manage- states at the forefront of
ment Organizations on all In the discussions surround- the climate change crises.
six islands of the Dutch Ca- ing liquidity support there This should include the sup-
ribbean, is urging the King- have been no discussions or port for sound wastewater
dom of the Netherlands to consideration given to the management for example,
place emphasis and focus support or structural reform or the development of
on environmental and cli- of environmental and cli- strategies which will ensure
mate resiliency consider- mate policies on the three the protection of habitat
ations in the discussions islands. The protection of critical to mitigate the im-