During Climate Week in New York City, Suriname—a small South American nation blanketed by dense rainforest—made global headlines with an announcement that conservationists have called one of the most ambitious environmental pledges ever made by an Amazonian country. On behalf of President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, Foreign Minister Melvin W.J. Bouva declared that Suriname will permanently protect 90% of its tropical forests, a move that not only surpasses global conservation targets but also sets a new standard for Amazonian nations grappling with spiraling deforestation.
The announcement, delivered at the Global Citizen NOW: Impact Sessions, arrives just weeks before COP30, the United Nations climate summit scheduled for Belém, Brazil, in late 2025. As the world’s eyes turn to the Amazon, Suriname’s bold commitment offers a rare glimmer of hope at a time when deforestation across the region has jumped by 27% this year, according to Global Citizen. The Amazon rainforest, spanning nine countries, is under increasing threat, and the fate of its forests is entwined with the planet’s climate future.
Suriname’s forests are nothing short of extraordinary. With roughly 93% of its land covered in tropical rainforest—most of it primary forest untouched by logging, mining, or agriculture—Suriname boasts the highest forest cover of any country on Earth. Scientists have long recognized Suriname as one of just three nations worldwide that act as a carbon sink, absorbing more carbon dioxide than they emit. Its forests sequester more than 900 million metric tons of carbon, making the country a critical buffer against global warming and a linchpin in global climate strategies.
“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,” President Geerlings-Simons said in remarks released by her office and cited by The Associated Press. “And it is because of this responsibility that we are envisioning an economy that is powered by our rich forests and biodiversity while providing decent jobs and incomes for all our citizens.”
The pledge far outstrips the United Nations-backed “30×30” global target, which calls for countries to protect 30% of their land and oceans by 2030. Suriname’s government has committed not only to preserving its forests but also to updating conservation laws by the end of the year. This new legal framework aims to strengthen protections for forests and could, crucially, recognize the ancestral lands of Indigenous and Maroon peoples—descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped into the rainforest.
The move has been met with widespread acclaim from international conservation groups. Russell Mittermeier, chief conservation officer at Re:wild, told Global Citizen, “I am absolutely delighted that President Geerlings-Simons has made this historic and unprecedented commitment to maintain Suriname’s forest cover at this level within her first two months in office. This sets a new standard for the Amazonian region as a whole, which has suffered from serious deforestation in recent decades.”
Backing Suriname’s pledge is a coalition of supporters—including Rainforest Trust, Art into Acres, Andes Amazon Fund, the Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation, and Re:wild—who have committed $20 million to help establish and manage protected areas, with an eye toward creating sustainable jobs through ventures like ecotourism. James Deutsch, CEO of Rainforest Trust, called the commitment “nothing short of historic,” adding, “It signals to the world that Suriname is ready to lead, not only in words, but in action, in protecting nature and tackling climate change.”
Suriname’s forests are a haven for biodiversity. The country’s 22 protected areas shelter thousands of species, from the dazzling blue poison dart frog (okopipi) to charismatic mammals like lowland tapirs, jaguars, and giant river otters. More than 100 amphibian species and over 700 bird species—including harpy eagles and scarlet macaws—call these forests home. Conservationists argue that keeping such ecosystems intact is vital not just for local communities but for stabilizing the global climate.
But for all the fanfare, some local voices caution that the pledge’s true impact hinges on addressing long-standing issues of land rights and enforcement. Hugo Jabini, a lawyer from Suriname’s Saamaka Maroon community and a 2009 Goldman Environmental Prize winner, told The Associated Press, “Suriname is the only country in the Western Hemisphere where Indigenous and tribal land rights are not legally recognized. Without recognition, the very people who depend on the forest—and who are best placed to protect it—cannot truly safeguard it.” He warned that illegal mining, logging, and roadbuilding already threaten communities, despite international court rulings ordering Suriname to halt concessions. “Protecting 90% of the forest will require international support to create sustainable alternatives to extraction,” he added.
Sirito Yana Aloema, president of the Organization of Indigenous Peoples in Suriname, echoed these concerns, saying, “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.” According to The Canadian Press, Aloema warned that weak infrastructure, corruption, and the lure of illegal mining undermine conservation efforts, and called for Indigenous communities to be recognized as legal guardians of the forest.
The government’s plan to update protected area legislation by year’s end could mark a turning point. John Goedschalk, CEO of Climate Change and Biodiversity Advisory Services, described the proposed law as “the cornerstone of conservation in Suriname for generations to come.” He told Global Citizen, “This legislation will form the cornerstone of conservation in Suriname for generations to come. It will essentially democratize conservation by making it inclusive, accessible and economically viable through the introduction of biospheres, Indigenous community conservation areas and the trade of ecosystem services. This is opening Suriname up to not only new and effective models of conservation, but it will transform the forest into the green economic engine for the country.”
Chris Jordan, Latin America Director at Re:wild, put it simply: “By protecting what makes Suriname distinctive and beautiful, and by honoring the power of nature itself, this administration is safeguarding benefits not only for its people, but for the planet as a whole. We hope their leadership and truly high ambition inspires other nations to follow suit.”
As Suriname prepares for COP30, the world will be watching to see if the country can turn its ambitious pledge into reality—and whether it can do so while ensuring that Indigenous and Maroon communities are at the heart of conservation efforts. With the Amazon under threat and the stakes higher than ever, Suriname’s forest promise stands as a beacon, both of hope and of the challenges that lie ahead.
