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Suriname pledges to shield 90% of forests, far beyond global conservation goal

During Climate Week in New York City, Foreign Minister Melvin W.J. Bouva pledged to permanently protect 90% of Suriname's tropical forests on behalf of President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, who took office two months ago.
Suriname already blankets about 93% of its land in rainforest and stewards over 15,000,000 hectares, which scientists say makes it one of only three countries acting as a carbon sink.
A coalition of environmental donors pledged $20 million, and Suriname's government plans to update conservation laws by year-end, aiming to recognize Indigenous and Maroon lands.
Indigenous leaders cautioned the pledge will be meaningless without enforcement, warning weak infrastructure, corruption and illegal mining already threaten communities, while lawyer Hugo Jabini urged legal recognition of Indigenous and tribal land rights.
The pledge far surpasses the 30x30 global target to protect 30% by 2030 and comes weeks before COP30 U.N. climate summit in Belem, Brazil; conservationists hailed it as unprecedented amid rising deforestation this year.

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