Coastal Resilience Assessment (Suriname)

A World Bank Technical Assistance, supported by the ACP-EU Natural Disaster Risk Reduction programme, has carried out a Coastal Resilience Assessment (CRA) for the Greater Paramaribo area which is threatened by combined coastal flooding and erosion. The aim of the CRA is to provide evidence and tools to support the Government of Suriname to develop coastal management policies and interventions to address these hazards. Evaluation of coastal dynamics and coastal flood risk was undertaken to determine the hazard extent and scope for mitigation actions. Assessment of effectiveness and economic analysis showed that restoration of floodplain processes, including mangrove preservation and regrowth, is a crucial element of building coastal resilience for Paramaribo. However, the assessment also showed that ultimately flood mitigation through a mix of structural and non-structural interventions will be required.