Aruba. Island of Sustainable Solutions

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1 Aruba Island of Sustainable Solutions

2 Foreword Since being elected in 2009, my government has set out to create a balance between quality of life and sustained economic growth. It focuses on various social and educational programs as well as infrastructural and technological developments that have not only stimulated the economy, but also focuses on the health, happiness and wellbeing of our citizens. As the Government of Aruba and its partners work to achieve our vision of sustainable and shared prosperity, we are honored with the opening of the Aruba Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Development, an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and the Government of Aruba with the support of the Government of the Netherlands. Aruba hopes to become a model for other island nations around the world in their quest to becoming sustainable societies. Hence, it is truly a pleasure to share our knowledge and expertise with you and present this booklet, which aims to showcase Aruba s best sustainable practices based on the SDG s. Mike Eman Prime Minister of Aruba

3 Table of content Social and Education Cluster 4 Technology Cluster 6 Economic Cluster 12 Environment Cluster 14 Peace and Justice Cluster 16 Partners 18 3

4 Social and Education Cluster 4 Social Provisions Aruba is home to one of the most reliable and comprehensive welfare systems in the region. Based on the solidarity principle, Aruba is proud that it can provide its citizens with universal health care services, general pension benefits and various financial assistance programs for those who qualify. Universal Healthcare All legal residents of Aruba are entitled to public health insurance coverage, which provides access to the same health care services to all beneficiaries. Undocumented migrants receive emergency medical assistance. General pension Every Aruban citizen is entitled to an old age pension at the age of 65. In 2012, a mandatory general pension plan for employees in the private sector was also introduced. This is a supplemental pension plan, in addition to the existing general old-age pension. Food security The Government of Aruba recognizes the importance of food security and focuses on ensuring the availability, accessibility, utility and stability of food on the island. In collaboration with several international partners, Aruba is creating capacity building skills and knowledge in support of food security.

5 Social and Education Cluster Education Every child on Aruba has a right to education. The Compulsory Education Act stipulates that children, irrespective of their legal status, must attend school and receive an education. Considering Aruba s multicultural and multilingual society a multilingual system of education is being introduced. Dutch is the main language of instruction in schools and the PRISMA project was developed to help all recently migrated children learn the Dutch language and to foster integration into Aruban society. The Government of Aruba has also developed various schools and specialized centers for children who are in need of a specialized form of assistance to complete their education. Center for the Development of Women The center s primary focus is on promoting equal rights and equal opportunities for both women and men in Aruban society by operating on the principle of gender equality. Aruban women enjoy a high participation in the labor market and generally have a high level of education. The underlying goal of the center is to make vulnerable groups of society become more self-reliant. It seeks to achieve this by making them aware of their rights and by offering guidance and support by organizing informative gatherings and workshops. 5

6 Technology Cluster Renewable Energy 6 At the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012, Aruba announced its intent to transition towards 100% renewable energy use by the year In these past 3 years Aruba has made considerable headway in developing its renewable energy capabilities and capacity while simultaneously reducing its emissions and moving away from a reliance on heavy fuel oil to generate power. By harnessing its natural resources, Aruba has made a jumpstart towards its goal to transition to 100% renewable energy by The climate provides favorable conditions for viable ventures both in the public and private sectors. Aruba is already producing around 20% of its energy needs from renewable sources and needs to generate around 100MW to meet its electricity demands. The island is currently looking at other renewable energy options in addition to wind, solar and energy storage technologies to ensure grid stability. Using the Renewable, Affordable and Sustainable framework, Aruba is making sure that the advancements made are affordable for the entire population.

7 Technology Cluster Wind With an estimate of 5,000 hours of wind per year, the wind park is situated on the northeast side of the island and was established in The wind park contains 10 wind turbines generating 30MW and accounting for about 20% of the electricity demands on the island. At the moment, the Government of Aruba is examining the installation of another wind park that could generate another 26MW. Solar Aruba is home to the largest solar park in the lower Caribbean. Located at the International Airport Reina Beatrix, it provides much needed shade to the cars parked underneath and generates 3.4 MW of electricity. The Government of Aruba is incorporating solar panels on the rooftops of public buildings, public schools, multi-functional accommodation buildings and the harbor in Barcadera. Private citizens have also started installing solar panels on their roofs as they are increasingly aware of the benefits of switching to alternative energy. 7

8 Technology Cluster The Water and Electricity Company provides a monthly updated RE watch. Waste to Energy The first waste to energy plant to be built in the region is located in Aruba. Both owned and operated by a private company, it utilizes innovative technologies in order to reduce waste while simultaneously generating energy. In its first phase, the plant will generate 2MW and in its second phase it is projected to reach between 8 to 10MW. The total amount generated will be used by the Water and Electricity Company in its electricity grid. All recyclable material will continue to be extracted from the waste and exported. 8

9 Technology Cluster Sustainable Water Management Cycle Aruba provides excellent quality drinking water to its citizenry and its visitors. Its desalination technology is a success with the lowest seawater desalination cost in the region despite the costly technology. It is worth mentioning that no occurrence of Legionnaire s disease has ever been reported in Aruba. The Continuous Desalination Efficiency Improvement Process (CDEIP) based on many years of practical experience and focuses on an important part of sustainability. The process improves efficiency and efficacy and also empowers the workforce. Aruba is also home to three wastewater treatment facilities, where around 95% of the island s wastewater is fully treated. Effectively no untreated wastewater is disposed in the sea. These advanced treatment plants utilize tertiary filtration and UV disinfection technologies, which allow for a large portion of the wastewater to be reused for irrigation and internal plant operations. 9

10 Technology Cluster 10 Airport The International Airport Reina Beatrix, is a modern airport with daily connections and preclearance services to the USA and the Netherlands for passengers. With more than 2.2 million passengers passing through its gates annually, the Happy Flow project, launched in May 2015, provides a safe, secure and swift solution to an the increasing passenger flow. The project was granted the Best Immigration & Arrivals Initiative award 2015 by the Future Travel Experience Awards. Harbors Aruba is home to three harbors, with cruise, cargo, bulk and oil transshipment capabilities. All harbors are International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code certified. Aruba can confidently state that it is equipped to serve as a regional hub for cruise, cargo and business related needs. Public Private Partnerships (PPP) The Government of Aruba developed a unique system that adapts a particular PPP concept to small scale economies that can be applied by fellow SIDS. The PPP concept has been successfully used and is currently being used to finance the green corridor project, a road connecting the west side to the east side of the island.

11 Technology Cluster Internet providers performance Aruba has a great internet network infrastructure that provides the island with the fastest recorded internet download speed across 28 Caribbean islands. The download speed data was recorded by Ookla, a recognized provider of broadband testing, that is able to continuously track Internet speeds and performance globally. Aruba ranked first in the region with a recorded speed of Mbps while the average download speed across the Caribbean was recorded at 9.65 Mbps. Besides enjoying fast internet connectivity Aruba has a high internet penetration of 83.8% of its total population according to Internet World Stats. Bureau of Innovation Utilizing the Triple Helix concept, the Bureau of Innovation is the creative think tank inside the Government of Aruba. Working within the sustainability paradigm, the Bureau of Innovation works in the intersection that is found between the technological, social and economic areas and is aimed at establishing a sustainable knowledge economy on Aruba. The Bureau recognizes the importance the government, academia and the private sector play in developing and achieving such an economy. 11

12 Economic Cluster Aruba as a gateway: Europe meets the Americas Aruba s economy depends for 80% on the tourism industry. In the first decade of developing its tourism industry, the focus was on growth, however currently a shift has occurred as the Government of Aruba has chosen for Quality over Quantity. In this aspect Aruba is developing sustainable tourism practices in each branch within the tourism industry. Whereas our tourism sector continues to be successful, diversifying the economy and reducing Aruba s reliance on a single sector is integral to the Government s long term strategic goal. Therefore, Aruba has been developing a new economic pillar - a knowledge based economy - to bring greater diversification, sustainable economic growth and stability. In particular, leveraging its strategic geographic location in the wider Caribbean sea, situated at the crossroads between Europe and the Americas. The gateway serves to further propel economic development and diversification based on knowledge, innovation and sustainability and focuses on the following sectors: sustainable technology; intelligent distribution; creative industries and tourism. 12

13 Economic Cluster Developing the knowledge economy The focus on the following industry sectors are central to Aruba s long-term sustainable growth strategy; tourism, creative industries, intelligent distribution and sustainable technology. Aruba can confidently state that it is equipped to serve as a gateway for business related needs and its entrepreneurs are developing innovate solutions to solve issues related to the realization of economic, cultural and social value creation with its services. Aruba Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development for Small Island Developing States The Centre of Excellence is aiming to strengthen innovation and resilience by offering a platform for South-South cooperation and exchange of knowledge on renewable energy, public-private partnerships, water management, tourism, the environment and health sustainable practices. The Centre will be organizing high level training programs on creating sustainable development roadmaps; provision of In-Country Technical Assistance and the development of a virtual platform with access to knowledge products and learning tools. With Aruba s technical expertise and experience in sustainable development the island is seeking to collaborate and share its knowledge with fellow SIDS and provide opportunities to advance sustainable development efforts. 13

14 Environment Sustainable societies 14 Like fellow SIDS, Aruba is on the frontline of climate change and is already experiencing challenging impacts. The ocean is directly affected by the consequences of climate change, producing challenges such as sea level rise, water acidification and the disruption of ecosystems. For SIDS, ecosystems play a central part in terms of food security, social cohesion, habitat protection, culture and their economy. In responding to these challenges, Aruba launched an awareness campaign on energy. The Green s Cool project teaches children the importance of recycling and becoming environmentally conscious. Aruba has also introduced incentives for the commercial and private adoption of energy efficient and renewable energy products. Aruba is committed to work on a prosperous and sustainable society.

15 Environment Cluster Habitat and Species Protection Aruba has three protected natural reserves: National Park Arikok, which covers nearly 18% of the island; the Spanish Lagoon, which is listed as protective wetland site; and various important bird habitats designated by the Birdlife International organization. The status of endemic flora and fauna are steadily being monitored and studied on the island, which ensures the preservation of our rich natural habitat. Aruba is proud of its beaches and its clean seawater, as practically all wastewater is treated before being disposed of in the sea. Aruba recognizes the ecological importance of marine life and the need for its species to be managed responsibly to protect and preserve the marine environment, wildlife and coral reef. 15

16 Peace and Justice Cluster 16 Happy Island and Happy Communities The Government of Aruba has adopted the concept of smart growth for community development. As this concept goes beyond the transition to renewable energy, it focuses on three goals: creating world class walkable destinations for residents and tourists; providing incentives for households to retrofit and for commercial energy efficiency; and implementing a sustainable approach to the tourism sector that creates an inspirational holiday destination. As such, the government has developed the Bo Aruba (Your Aruba) and Bo Bario (Your Neighborhood) programs, which include the renovation of the two urban centers that of Oranjestad and San Nicolas and 20 other neighborhoods on the island. The priority of these programs is to create more parks and public spaces to foster movement, walkability and to bring people together as Aruba recognizes the important link between health, happiness and wellbeing. To further stimulate greater social cohesion and social capital, every neighborhood on the island will be receiving new community centers or multi-functional accommodations, which offer various social services and activities all under one roof to Aruba s citizens.

17 Peace and Justice Cluster Peace, Justice and Security The Constitution of Aruba enshrines its citizens with inalienable rights that are safeguarded and upheld by local institutions and the Kingdom. The balance of power, rule of law and due process are embedded in the Constitution and the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba s governmental institutions have a continuous commitment to the principles of good governance. As Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, defense and protection of Aruba s territorial integrity is a Kingdom affair. Many international treaties and conventions signed by the Kingdom are extended to Aruba as well. Its independent Financial Intelligence Unit monitors and reports on suspicious financial transactions as a manner to prevent the financing of terrorism and transnational crime. The Government of Aruba recognizes Human Rights in accordance with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Aruba is dedicated to, among others, improving the rights of women, minorities and workers, and combating human trafficking. Aruba is a committed partner engaging in close cooperation with the Kingdom and international partners to enhance security, peace and prosperity within the region. 17

18 Partners International Partnerships Host of the UN-OHRLLS follow up SIDS PPP Forum in 2016 United Nations Development Programme Aruba Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Development for Small Island Developing States TNO Caribbean Branch Carbon War Room Rocky Mountain Institute IRENA Clinton Climate Initiative 18

19 Contact Picture credit: Anuar Habibe To create the type of prosperity that is also sustainable means focusing on doing more with less so that creating prosperity today need not sacrifice the quality of life of future generations. Mike Eman Prime Minister of Aruba Contact information Ministry of General Affairs, Science, Innovation and Sustainable Development L.G. Smith Boulevard 76 Oranjestad, Aruba T +(297) F +(297) E pd@kabinet.aw 19

20 L.G.Smith Blvd. 76 Oranjestad, Aruba Tel. (297) Fax. (297)