The Stimson Center, in collaboration with the Government of Aruba and the National Climate Resilience Council (NCRC), is proud to announce the initiation of a $310,000 USD investment in a comprehensive climate risk assessment for the island nation of Aruba. When completed the roadmap will help Aruba build a more climate resilient and sustainable future for its citizens.
The Climate and Ocean Risk Vulnerability Initiative (CORVI) partnership was unveiled during the Our Ocean Conference (OOC) 2024 in Athens, Greece by Sally Yozell, The Director of the Environmental Security Program at Stimson. This official conference commitment underscores the wide-reaching partnership between Aruba, its business community, local stakeholders, and Stimson who will work together to advance global climate resilience across the island and in the coastal communities where the climate crisis is felt most.
CORVI is a data-driven decision support tool for local leaders who need to make smart climate investments to improve the safety and security of coastal communities and island nations. The tool assesses risk by integrating national and local level data and information from land to sea, using nearly 100 different ecological, financial, and social risk indicators to produce a detailed and holistic risk assessment. When complete CORVI produces priority concrete recommendations for action. The project in Aruba is the 16th CORVI assessment. Since 2018, CORVI assessments have been deployed across five continents to help coastal cities understand and prioritize actions to address their climate risk.
Learn more about CORVI: https://www.stimson.org/project/corvi/
Aruba is heavily reliant on tourism, which accounts for almost 90 percent of the island’s economy and employment. Coastal and marine ecosystems serve as important tourist attractions, but are threatened by coastal development, waste management challenges, ocean acidification, heatwaves, and increased extreme weather events like hurricanes. These ecosystems, including corals, seagrasses, and mangroves, play a crucial role in supporting the island’s artisanal fisheries and provide a natural barrier against storm surges. Increased flooding from sea-level rise and intensifying hurricanes threatens Aruba’s coastal infrastructure, including hospitals, utilities, hotels, and ports. Aruba already has limited freshwater resources and due to its climate vulnerability is now dependent on its desalination plant for fresh drinking water, highlighting the critical need for climate resilience measures in Aruba to safeguard the island’s ecosystems, infrastructure, and economic sustainability.
“I am extremely proud of this moment and very grateful to the Stimson Center and its team,” said Minister Ursell Arends, the Minister of Transport, Integrity, Nature, and Senior Affairs. “We have put in a lot of work toward national engagement, alignment and partnership for the CORVI assessment in Aruba, and I am proud that we will officially launch this at home too on April 22nd to celebrate Earth Day.”
“I am thrilled to initiate this important project in Aruba with the National Government and the National Climate Resilience Council. Like many small island states, Aruba is least responsible for, yet most affected by the climate crisis, said Sally Yozell, Director of the Environmental Security Program at the Stimson Center. “We know the effects of the climate emergency are local and we look forward to working with Minster Arends who has inspired many with his energy, knowledge, and experience. This partnership exemplifies the power of collaborative action in tackling complex climate challenges. But most importantly, when finished, the assessment will provide an integrated and detailed climate adaptation roadmap to implement sustainable solutions to safeguard the island’s blue economy, beautiful places, and the people of Aruba.”
The NCRC is a national commission, comprised of government and private sector members, established by the government of Aruba to build climate resilience in Aruba. The CORVI assessment in Aruba will help support the NCRC’s development of a comprehensive 10-year roadmap to bolster resilience on the island.
The Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program explores the array of environmental threats, both human and natural, that have the potential to undermine national, regional, or global security.
The Stimson Center promotes international security and shared prosperity through applied research and independent analysis, global engagement, and policy innovation.
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