Suriname, a small South American nation blanketed by lush rainforests, has just made a pledge that’s sending ripples through the global conservation community. On September 29, 2025, Suriname’s government announced its commitment to permanently protect 90% of its tropical forests—a move that conservationists are hailing as one of the most ambitious climate and biodiversity promises ever made by an Amazonian country, according to The Associated Press.
The announcement came during Climate Week in New York City, a gathering that sets the tone for international negotiations ahead of major summits. Foreign Minister Melvin W.J. Bouva delivered the pledge on behalf of President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, who took office just two months before this landmark declaration. In her remarks, Geerlings-Simons reflected on the unique position her country holds: “We understand and accept the immense responsibility of stewarding over 15 million hectares of tropical rainforest in a world that is seeing her forests fall day in and day out.”
Suriname already boasts the world’s highest proportion of forest cover, with an astonishing 93% of its land cloaked in tropical rainforest. Most of this expanse remains primary forest, undisturbed by logging, agriculture, or mining. It’s not just a national treasure—it’s a global one. Scientists point out that Suriname is one of only three countries worldwide that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits, making it a vital “carbon sink” and a critical buffer against global warming.
This pledge doesn’t just meet expectations—it shatters them. The widely supported “30×30” goal, backed by the United Nations, calls for countries to protect 30% of their land and oceans by 2030. Suriname’s new target triples that benchmark, setting a new standard for Amazonian stewardship just weeks before COP30, the U.N. climate summit scheduled to take place in Belem, Brazil, at the heart of the Amazon rainforest.
According to The Associated Press, Suriname’s government plans to update its conservation laws by the end of 2025. These updates are expected to create stronger legal protections for forests and could, for the first time, formally recognize the ancestral lands of Indigenous and Maroon peoples—descendants of enslaved Africans who found refuge in the rainforest centuries ago. The new legal framework also aims to foster opportunities in ecotourism and the burgeoning carbon credit market, offering economic incentives for keeping forests standing.
Backing this bold initiative is a coalition of environmental donors, which has committed $20 million to finance the effort and support local jobs tied to forest protection. Conservationists have praised the move as unprecedented for the Amazon, a region that has seen deforestation rates climb in 2025 despite repeated international promises to reverse forest loss. Russell Mittermeier, chief conservation officer at Re:wild, a global conservation nonprofit, remarked, “This sets a new standard for the Amazonian region as a whole, which has suffered from serious deforestation in recent decades.”
Suriname’s rainforests aren’t just vast—they’re vibrant. They’re home to iconic wildlife such as jaguars, giant river otters, tapirs, and the dazzling blue poison dart frog, as well as more than 700 bird species. Advocates argue that keeping these ecosystems intact is essential not only for the survival of local communities but also for stabilizing the global climate.
But there’s a catch—one that’s been echoing through the statements of Indigenous leaders and environmental advocates alike. Hugo Jabini, a lawyer from Suriname’s Saamaka Maroon community and a 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize winner, told The Associated Press that the pledge will mean little unless the government addresses the longstanding issue of Indigenous and tribal land rights. “Suriname is the only country in the Western Hemisphere where Indigenous and tribal land rights are not legally recognized,” Jabini emphasized. “Without recognition, the very people who depend on the forest—and who are best placed to protect it—cannot truly safeguard it.”
Jabini warned that illegal mining, logging, and roadbuilding continue to threaten both the forests and the communities that call them home, despite international court rulings ordering Suriname to halt concessions. Protecting 90% of the forest, he argued, will require not just national will but also international support to create sustainable alternatives to resource extraction.
Sirito Yana Aloema, president of the Organization of Indigenous Peoples in Suriname, echoed these concerns, cautioning that the pledge will remain “meaningless without enforcement.” Aloema pointed to weak infrastructure, corruption, and the lure of illegal mining as persistent obstacles. He insisted that Indigenous communities must be recognized as the legal guardians of the forest, stating, “To protect our forests, we need to be in the forest. The best people to do this are the Indigenous people and the Maroon people.”
The stakes are high, and the challenges are real. Despite international court rulings and the promise of new legal frameworks, illegal activities continue to gnaw at the edges of Suriname’s forests. The lack of formal recognition for the land rights of Indigenous and Maroon peoples leaves these communities in a precarious position, undermining their ability to act as effective stewards of the land.
Still, the optimism surrounding Suriname’s pledge is palpable. The $20 million commitment from environmental donors is expected to help create sustainable jobs and finance the kind of community-led conservation efforts that could make a lasting difference. The hope is that, with strong legal protections and international backing, Suriname’s forests can remain a bulwark against climate change and a sanctuary for biodiversity.
The world will be watching as Suriname moves to update its conservation laws by the end of 2025 and as COP30 convenes in the Amazon itself. The country’s bold promise has set a new bar for what’s possible in forest conservation. But as local leaders and advocates remind us, the real test will be in the details—especially in ensuring that those who have lived in harmony with the forest for generations are empowered to protect it for centuries to come.
In a world where forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, Suriname’s pledge stands out as both a beacon of hope and a call to action. The months ahead will reveal whether this Amazonian nation can turn its ambitious promise into a model for the rest of the world.
