Best practices in climate adaptation

This page mainly contains links to publications on the restoration of coral and mangrove forests. The forests help to protect the coast against flooding. Below is a list of interesting studies. Over time, we intend to add more best practices to the page. Do you know of a good example of climate adaptation in the Caribbean part of the Netherlands? Let us know via the helpdesk form.

Coral restoration

Nature restoration around Lac Bay on Bonaire

To restore and enhance the natural environment in and around Lac Bay on Bonaire and to create options for sustainable leisure activities, the Bonaire National Parks Foundation (STINAPA) has received a grant from the European Development Fund under the Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity Programme. Among other things, STINAPA aims to restore seagrass and coral, and conduct a water quality study in the bay. In addition to protecting nature, the activities will help to retain sand, thus breaking the waves and combating beach erosion. More information can be found in the Klimaatalarm voor Bonaire (Bonaire Climate Alert).

Mangrove restoration

Mangrove Maniacs

The Mangrove Maniacs volunteer foundation on Bonaire is dedicated to protecting mangrove forests and restoring damaged mangroves. Mangrove forests are important in terms of biodiversity, providing a habitat for birds, fish, and crustaceans. As a natural buffer between the land and the sea, they also protect the coast against the rising sea level and storm surges. Furthermore, mangroves are capable of sequestering large volumes of CO2. Below is a link to the Mangrove Maniacs website and to a KNMI video on mangrove restoration:

Links to interesting studies

  • The Climate Summary compiled by the Meteorological Department Curaçao provides information on the climate in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
  • The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) has a dedicated website providing weather and climate information on the Caribbean Netherlands.
  • Island(er)s at the Helm is a research project of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Its goal is to develop sustainable and inclusive solutions to render the Dutch Caribbean islands resilient, also from a social perspective, to the consequences of climate change.
  • The Resilience Restoration in the Caribbean Netherlands project of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is contributing to halting the decline of the coral reefs in the Caribbean Netherlands. It is also helping to improve ecosystem services and to enhance local organisations.
  • The SEALINK project is a research project in which scientists coming from various angles are collaborating to study coral reefs in the Dutch Caribbean.
  • The PARATUS project is a European research project aimed at reducing the risk of complex disasters and at improving relief following such disasters.
  • The Flooding and Water Quality on Dutch Caribbean Islands story map is the result of a Deltares “hackathon” aimed at protecting areas against flooding and at improving forecasting capabilities relating to extreme weather events. By 2030, the project aims to have models and tools for protecting millions of people against flooding and for safeguarding freshwater quality for people and nature.

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