Hazards and Risks with crude oil in Suriname
Suriname is in the top 10 from countries that will have serious problems with rising sea levels due to it low coastal plains up to 20 Km inland.
The coastal plains were formed by Mangrove forests trapping the sediments from the Amazon River. Without the mangrove, Paramaribo and all other coastal places would not have existed as they would be part of the Atlantic Ocean.
Problem 1
Crude oil is produced and stored in the vicinity of a Hindu temple (Mandir) and an elementary school (OS Huwelijkszorg).
This involves venting toxic gases such as hydrogen sulphide, which can be deadly at a concentration of 800 ppm in the air. In addition, these gases are highly flammable and the risk of explosions is not excluded.
Problem 2
An oil spill would destroy the mangrove and all biodiversity. Mangrove protects our coast from sea level rise caused by climate change. Mangroves are the only plants with special air-breathing roots.
Oil will choke the plant so that it cannot breathe, and it will eventually die. This would be a disaster for our coastal defenses against ocean waves, spring tide, hurricane spin-offs and Guyana's strong current. In addition, our fisheries and biodiversity would be destroyed.
PROBLEM 3
Mangrove forests in Suriname are already suffering from improper actions by the government and residents. Land on which important mangrove forests are located have been allocated for agriculture and allotment projects.
Areas north of Paramaribo have been severely damaged and in certain places the mangrove has been completely removed.
It is precisely during this period of global warming and the melting of the ice sheets and glaciers due to the emission of fossil fuels that mangrove forests will be very important for the protection of our coast.
It is therefore surprising to anyone who is aware of these dangers of greenhouse gases caused by the burning of fossil fuels (oil products) that there is a hurray mood with every oil discovery. Even more so because all countries have signed the Paris climate treaty to combat greenhouse gas emissions to stop global warming