Suriname's President vows carbon-negative status will remain despite oil production: Video

As the world's greenest country, Suriname has for years maintained its status as one of the few carbon-negative countries on Earth.

With 93% of its land covered by rainforest, the country is planning to start oil production from recently discovered offshore reserves.

Although this exercise threatens the carbon-negative status of the country, President Chan Santokhi claims the status will stay the same.

"The oil production can go hand in hand with the carbon negative status because we have also implemented, in addition to the oil and gas, our solar energy program. We will increase the solar energy, which will have a positive impact on our carbon-negative status. We will protect our forests," he told AFP.

This echoes his pledge at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.

“Let’s be very clear. Suriname will maintain its carbon negative status even when the offshore oil and gas industry is developed,” President Chan Santokhi said during his speech at the High-Level Segment of the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP).