Supporting Sint Maarten in developing a National Adaptation Strategy

Despite ongoing efforts to address climate risks in Sint Maarten, there remains a need for a coordinated national framework to guide adaptation planning and action. While a range of initiatives exist, they remain fragmented and do not yet provide an overarching framework to prioritise risks, align efforts and support long-term resilience building. The development of a National Adaptation Strategy aims to address this gap by strengthening coordination across sectors and providing a structured, strategic approach to climate adaptation that reflects national priorities and vulnerabilities.

About the project

Under the International Panel for Deltas and Coastal Areas (IPDC) project “Supporting Sint Maarten in Developing a National Adaptation Strategy (NAS)”, the Government of Sint Maarten—through the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI)—is developing the country’s first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS-SXM). The strategy will strengthen the national policy framework by defining long-term goals, priorities and actions for climate resilience, and will provide a structured approach to prioritising adaptation across key sectors.

Between February and June 2026, the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) served as the Social Engagement Consultant supporting the NAS-SXM development process. CANARI coordinated the process in collaboration with VROMI and technical experts, leading an inclusive stakeholder engagement process to ensure diverse perspectives are reflected, and contributed to the drafting and refinement of the Strategy based on stakeholder input.

How has this project benefitted Sint Maarten?

• By strengthening climate resilience: Identifying climate risks and priority adaptation actions across sectors.

• By fostering inclusive participation: Ensuring government, private sector, civil society and vulnerable communities contribute to shaping the Strategy.

• By improving coordination and governance: Clarifying institutional roles and supporting a more coordinated approach to climate action.

• By guiding long-term planning and investment: Providing a strategic framework for implementation, financing and the development of a future National Adaptation Plan (NAP).

What activities did we undertake to achieve this?

• Conducted comprehensive stakeholder mapping and prepared an engagement plan to guide an inclusive and participatory process to develop the NAS-SXM.

• Led a series of stakeholder engagement activities—including key informant interviews, targeted consultations and a national multi-stakeholder convergence workshop—to gather technical inputs, local knowledge and stakeholder perspectives on vulnerabilities, adaptation priorities and implementation pathways.

• Collaborated with other experts in the NAS-SXM team to integrate stakeholder inputs into the NAS-SXM and support preparation of a final draft strategy for further review and national endorsement.

What did we achieve?

• Completed a comprehensive stakeholder mapping and information-gathering exercise, establishing a strong foundation for an inclusive and representative NAS-SXM process.

• Engaged 40 stakeholders through a national multi-stakeholder convergence workshop, building early ownership and a shared understanding of the NAS-SXM process, helping align diverse stakeholders around national adaptation priorities.

• Conducted 24 key informant interviews with representatives from government, civil society, the private sector, vulnerable groups, local experts and French counterparts, strengthening the evidence base for the NAS through the integration of diverse technical, institutional, community, and cross-sectoral perspectives.

• Convened three focus group discussions with community-based and vulnerable groups representatives, ensuring that lived experience and local priorities informed the Strategy.

• Integrated stakeholder inputs into three successive drafts of the NAS-SXM, strengthening the Strategy’s credibility, relevance and responsiveness to national priorities, and overall usability.

Recent project news and information

• Ministry of VROMI – National Convergence Stakeholder Workshop
• Curaçao Chronical – Sint Maarten Advances Climate Adaptation Strategy Amid Rising Climate Risks
• “Supporting Sint Maarten in developing its first National Adaptation Strategy” (social media post) – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

More information about this project

• Download the project brief
• Contact Candice Ramkissoon, Senior Technical Officer, at candice@canari.org

Related programme

• Resilience