On Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Evelyn Wever-Croes attended a meeting with Minister Rob Jetten and Minister Mark Harbers of the Netherlands, along with all the islands/countries in the Kingdom. Present at the meeting were Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas of Curaçao, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs of Sint Maarten, and the Governors of Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius. The topic of the meeting was the climate agenda, in which each of them signed their commitment to the 8 points stipulated in the agenda.

The Prime Minister indicated that with this signing, Aruba is making its commitment to continue on the path to achieving the goals of making Aruba a more sustainable and resilient country in the face of climate change. As is known, climate change is due to rising temperatures, which can be felt in stronger storms, causing damage to our roads, coral reefs, and beaches.

The Prime Minister indicated that the idea of coming up with a climate agenda for the entire Kingdom was born last year in Aruba during the Energy & Climate conference that Aruba organized together with Minister Jetten. It was there that Aruba made its commitment, and the Netherlands committed themselves to making funds available to help Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius.

With the signing of the climate agenda, the countries have reached a climate agreement consisting of 8 points. The points include:

1. To accelerate the energy transition and to have better access to clean and affordable energy;
2. To have a resilient infrastructure to climate change;
3. To improve water and waste management;
4. To stimulate a circular and sustainable economy;
5. To intensify the protection of the ecosystem;
6. To come up with economic and financial incentives;
7. To work more closely together and share the knowledge and expertise we have;
8. To monitor and evaluate.

These are the agreements that were spoken and signed during the meeting, in which the Netherlands will make funds available to the countries in the Kingdom to be able to comply with these points. The Prime Minister expressed his great satisfaction with the outcome of this meeting, where it can be seen that after the conference last year, now everything is becoming more concrete in which the Netherlands will put its funds and that it is willing to help us achieve the climate agenda.

What this could mean for Aruba in the future

The signing of the climate agenda is a major step forward for Aruba in its efforts to address climate change. The Netherlands’ commitment to providing financial assistance will be essential in helping Aruba achieve its goals of transitioning to a clean energy economy and becoming more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

The specific impacts of the climate agenda on Aruba will depend on how the 8 points are implemented. However, some potential benefits could include:

• Increased investment in renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power
• Improved energy efficiency in homes and businesses
• Development of climate-resilient infrastructure such as seawalls and storm drains
• Protection of natural resources such as coral reefs and beaches
• Creation of new jobs in the green economy

The climate agenda is a long-term commitment, and it will take time to see the full benefits. However, the signing of the agenda is a positive step forward for Aruba and its future.

In addition to the potential benefits, there are also some potential challenges that Aruba will need to address. These include:

• The high cost of transitioning to a clean energy economy
• The need to build public support for climate action
• The potential for job losses in the fossil fuel industry

Despite these challenges, the Aruban government is committed to taking action on climate change. The climate agenda is a roadmap for achieving the country’s goals, and the government is working with the Netherlands and other partners to implement the agenda effectively.

The climate agenda is a major opportunity for Aruba to transform its economy and become a more sustainable and resilient society. The government and the people of Aruba will need to work together to seize this opportunity and create a brighter future for the country.