Aruba

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the world in multiple ways, one of them being the exacerbation of food insecurity worldwide. This paper seeks to find out how the COVID-19 pandemic affected Aruba’s food production. Through analyzing existing literature, WFP survey answers from the local population and interviewing local stakeholders. During the brunt of the pandemic, it appeared that the Aruban community had taken matters into their own hands and started producing their own food. The island does not have favorable conditions to grow crops. The intervention of technological applications is necessary to sustainably grow food on the island. In the end it seems that the island’s purchasing power is what is maintaining food security.

Pre-University engagement and education for sustainable development in Aruba: The Academic Foundation Year

Purpose Universities of Small Island States (SIS) have the potential to fulfill a crucial role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also face barriers to local capacity building. The University of Aruba partly addresses these challenges through the development of The Academic Foundation Year (AFY), a one-year pre-university program aiming to optimally equip students for higher education. This study aims to assess to what extent the program can foster the local embeddedness of the students in ecology, culture and history and an understanding of opportunities and challenges for sustainable development in SIS. Design/methodology/approach The authors provide examples of how the program incorporates education for sustainable development and how it emphasizes experiential learning. In addition, quantitative survey data and qualitative analysis of focus group meetings are used to reflect on the program’s achievements and its potential for further development. Findings The survey results suggest that AFY courses not only increase knowledge but also change students’ perceptions regarding sustainability. Indeed, key impacts emerging from the student focus group related to both academic preparation and engagement with sustainability. Reflections by teachers emphasized the importance of experiential learning, an expansive view of the SDGs and preparing students as citizens. Originality/value This study highlights that the program could provide a starting point for the development of similar initiatives in other SIS, the common basis being the fostering of sustainability literacy and social adoption of the SDGs.

Sorting Waste in a Smart Way: Conceptual Design of a User-Centered Smart Bin for the Improvement of Waste Sorting for Small Island Communities: The Case of the University of Aruba

Previous research on smart bin designs has not sufficiently explored the unique preferences and challenges faced by communities in small island states (SIS). These nations often struggle with waste management due to underdeveloped research and sustainable practices, with waste sorting being a notable issue. This bachelor thesis investigates current waste sorting challenges in the SIS context and develops a user-centered smart bin design to address these issues. Utilizing the comprehensive methodology of design thinking, the research was conducted by employing various methods categorized into six research themes aimed at answering the research questions. The study involved a sample group of students and staff members from the University of Aruba, who participated in interviews, observations, and focus groups. Additionally, brainstorming sessions were held with industry experts, and analysis methods were carried out by the research team. The findings revealed specific user preferences for technical features and architectural design elements that enhance motivation and awareness. Incorporating these considerations into a smart bin design can potentially address the lack of motivation and awareness, thereby increasing engagement in waste sorting activities on campus. Further research is recommended to investigate the generalizability and effectiveness of these findings considering different socio-culture factors.

Strengthening Economic Resilience in Small Island States: A Situational Analysis of Food Entrepreneurship, with a Focus on the Cucumis Anguria Cucumber in Aruba

The COVID-19 pandemic's border closures dealt a severe blow to Small Island States (SIS), revealing vulnerabilities in economic and food security due to heavy reliance on tourism. This crisis emphasized the necessity of robust food security systems to enhance economic resilience and safeguard livelihoods. Scant literature exists on specific challenges facing SIS food systems. This paper addresses these gaps, focusing on the Cucumis Anguria cucumber (comcomber chikito) in Aruba. Through participatory action research, consumer surveys, and expert interviews, significant constraints to food entrepreneurship are revealed, in areas such as innovation, technology adoption, entrepreneurial acumen, and risk mitigation. The study provides insights applicable to food systems in SIS, contributing to resilience-building efforts.

Aruba census boundaries

2023

Shapefile

Census boundaries for Aruban neighbourhoods, exported and isolated from Open Street Map data.

Islands at Risk - Analyzing Resource-use Dynamics from a Socio-metabolic Research Perspective

2023

Our resource-use dynamics have contributed significantly to the improvement in global material standards of living through the provisioning of essential societal services. Nonetheless, these dynamics have also impacted on the already limited natural resource-base of the Earth system on which we depend. Moreover, the characteristics of a global self-perpetuating resource-use linearity, the growing demand for finite raw materials, the high waste generation that remains unrecovered, and the increasing negative effects of climate change further exacerbate the Earth system’s vulnerabilities and exposure to risks. As such, the resource-use dynamics is posited as an important example of complex systems in need for better understanding, particularly in advancing towards sustainability and build system’s resilience. For resource-stressed settings like small island nations, the analysis of these complex systems is not only crucial, but urgent. Small Island Developing States are often characterized by sustainability challenges like limited resource-bases, reduced waste absorption capacity, a strong dependency on external resources to meet their basic needs, geographic isolation from markets which impact connectivity and resource supply, and natural and built environment that is progressively been threatened by the negative effects of climate change, which amplify the pre-existing vulnerabilities and risks for these territories. Thus, dealing with sustainability would require a deeper understanding of the interactions and trade-offs between the resource-use dynamics and the influences that internal/external factors like climate change have over these. By doing so, the system will have the ability to both contribute to global environment change, but also determine their own vulnerability or resilience to those changes. This thesis analyzes resource-use dynamics from a socio-metabolic research perspective in the context of small islands to enhance resource security and build system’s resilience, by looking into the way in which natural resources are interconnected, influenced, and managed. The analysis is spread across three main empirical Chapters, each of which contribute to advancing the arguments that arise from this work. First, in Chapter 3, the thesis analyzes the shifting resource-baselines of water, energy, and food, emphasizing the intra- and interconnected nature between essential resources and socio-metabolic risk, which builds the foundations for deeper analysis on current and future sustainability in small islands. Then, in Chapter 4, the thesis analyzes and identifies the size and make-up of material and energy flows specific to an individual case study, bringing important quantitative and qualitative insights on the potentials that reconfigured resource-use patterns may offer to minimizing or reducing socio-metabolic risk in small islands. Next, in Chapter 5, the thesis analyzes the role that critical material stocks play in driving resource-use and in furthering sustainable development, emphasizing climate change adaptation strategies to build system’s resilience. The overall framework of this thesis has demonstrated how a better understanding of resource-use dynamics may offer an opportunity to achieve resource security and self-reliance as a resilience building measure in the island context. Finally, this thesis encourages for the development and application of holistic and long-term resource management strategies through inclusive, climate and nature-based solutions that consider the trade-offs and synergies between different resource-use dynamics.

Aruba - E-Waste Generation from EEE

Dataset

This database showcases the e-waste generation amount from EEE (Electrical & Electronic Equipment) in Aruba over the period 1966 to 2025. It breaks the waste generated within EEE products including large household appliances, electrical and electronic tools, and medical devices. The dataset seeks to provide the amount of waste generated as these products reach their end-of-life stage.

Aruba - Material Composition of E-Waste

Dataset

This database showcases the material composition of e-waste in Aruba within the timeframe of 2020 to 2025. It includes key materials found in e-waste such as plastic, glass, and metals like gold, silver, and iron.

Aruba - Material Data for EEE

Dataset

This database showcases the amount of EEE products sold or PoM (Put-on-Market) in Aruba during the period of 1965 to 2025. PoM refers to the quantity of EEE products sold, distributed, or made available for use in the commercial market, either for payment or free of charge. This database showcases the consumption-based flows of EEE on Aruba; PoM is estimated as the net import (i.e., Imports – Exports).

Sustainable strategies for materials and energy recovery from municipal solid waste in small island states: a case study of Aruba.

The management of municipal solid waste (MSW) presents a perennial problem for small island states (SIS). Geographic isolation from key markets, narrow economic bases, as well as institutional shortcomings are key factors which stymie the development of critical waste management infrastructure. Given these specific challenges, strategies for improved MSW management cannot simply be translated from mainland contexts. This necessitates innovative approaches to ensure that interventions are sustainable and appropriate for the SIS in which they will be implemented. With a steadily growing population and a resource-intensive tourism sector, the island of Aruba exhibits several of the abovementioned characteristics. Located in the southern Caribbean, Aruba generates approximately 103,900 metric tonnes of MSW per annum; the majority of which is landfilled after minimal pre-treatment. While some materials are recovered from MSW for processing abroad, recycling remains in an incipient phase and there are significant opportunities for maximising the intrinsic value of the island’s waste. A baseline is first formulated to examine the operation and efficiency of Aruba’s current MSW management sector with focus placed on waste composition, volumes, mass flows and existing processing systems. Three novel strategies for increased materials and energy recovery are then investigated using material flow analysis. Results suggest that each proposed alternative can substantially improve the current recycling rate of 11%. Given the sizeable share of biogenic wastes present in Aruba’s MSW, anaerobic digestion and composting figured prominently in scenario development. The analysis indicates that incineration with energy recovery, export for co-processing in neighbouring countries, and sustainable landfilling are all feasible options for the treatment and disposal of residual wastes in Aruba. When these technologies are compared on the basis of mass balance, incineration with energy recovery best achieves the objectives of landfill minimisation and resource recovery. The MFA results suggest that export for co-processing can potentially result in a 93% reduction in landfilling as compared to the status quo. While an overall recycling rate of 38% can be achieved even with the use of sustainable landfilling, this scenario presents the least compelling alternative for MSW management in Aruba.

The Aruban Waste Manangement: a Sustainable Plastic Waste Management Program Approach Focusing on Four Key Elements-from a triple Helix Model perspective

In 2017, the government of Aruba adopted the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and initiated the process to localize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One way of achieving this goal is by using the triple helix model. The triple helix model is a cooperation model that unites industry, academia, and government into a cooperation model. Hence, within this case study, research has been done on how following a following a triple helix model perspective for upscaling a plastic waste management program. This program consisting of four key elements - the evaluation of performance management; change management in combination with innovation, and human capital investment – would contribute to the promotion of a circular economy of waste management in Aruba. Multiple different people from all three different sectors were interviewed about their experiences and ideas regarding the Aruban waste management. After a thematic analysis, it was concluded that if Aruba wants to achieve this goal by using a triple helix model, it will need improvements. The most important ones being the creation of Aruba Science Park to synchronize projects between stakeholders for effectiveness and to strengthen the link in between; creation of entrepreneurship course, for strengthen the entrepreneurial orientation; produce an environmental permit, where it has as terms and conditions a certified environmental program.

The road towards an innovative Aruba - A Q-Analysis on the Synergy Between the Creative Industry and Knowledge Economy as a Driver to Stimulate Socio-Economic Development in Aruba’s Local Innovation System

2019

In recent years, economists have come to recognize the role of technology, as well as information, innovation, and creativity, in expanding economic potential towards sustainble development. An innovative economy that is driven by knowledge, creativity, technology, and anchored in strong values will help build resilience in small island developing states (SIDS). The aim of this research is to contribute with knowledge towards the innovative development on small island states, specifically Aruba, considering its socio-economic circumstances and necessity to catch up to other developed countries. The main research question is: “How can a synergy between the creative industry and a knowledge-based economy, implemented within a Quadruple Helix Innovation Model to stimulate sustainable socio-economic development in the local innovation system of Aruba?”. This research is conducted as a case study and makes use of a mixed method approach to measure human subjectivity with the help of a participatory policy instrument, the Q-methodology. A total of 28 participants contributed to the results of this research. The Q-sorting consisted of a Q-sample of 40 statements, which was collected online with the use of the Q-sortware software. The Q-analysis of the collected data resulted in five social perspectives, which are categorized as; Team Players, Growth Seekers, Neutralists, Innovation Enthusiasts, Innovation Sceptics, and Innovators. At the end, the results conclude that a possible synergy between the creative industry and knowledge economy could thrive through a Citizen-centered Living Lab Quadruple Helix Innovation Model in the future, however, effective policy measures will be necessary to see this through.

If Only I Had My Work Permit: Career Advancement, Opportunities and Barriers among Local Born and Immigrant Workers in the Hospitality Industry in Aruba

2018

The Aruban Sustainable Economic Development: A Matter of Internationalism, Legislative Regulation, and Synergy With DALTRA N.V as Best Practice

2018

Shedding a light on the importance of Aruba’s sustainable economic development, this research explores the possibility of achieving the intended outcome through the merging of circular economy, commodity trading, free zone, and quality employment as concepts. For this purpose, TBL is adopted as a guiding principle among the stakeholders. Since Aruba is a SIDS which includes having multiple vulnerabilities and limitations, it demands entrepreneurial and governmental responsibility and accountability in the process of sustainable development. In this research, DALTRA serves as a best practice case study in collaboration with RAAK- mkb research project, named; “De Zaak is Rond”. A total of nine key stakeholders were interviewed to provide a qualitative thematic analyzed micro to macro perspective. This is in connection to the main research question; how does circular economy, commodity trading, free zone, and quality employment, contribute to the sustainable economic development of Aruba with TBL as the central concept? Answering the question through literature, it is demonstrated that proper alignment of the concepts might uphold sustainable economic development through, regulation, diversification, innovation, international trade, and human capital investment. However, the findings indicate that the inability to formulate, implement, evaluate, and control regulating legislations by the government, creates inconsistent compliance among entrepreneurs. Consequently, this in ability and inconsistency hinders the progress and resilience of Aruba due to lack of finance, competence, professionalism, ethical and moral considerations.

Evaluating the Regulatory Framework of the Aruban Public Partnership Road Infrastructure Projects in Relation to General Government Policies on Sustainable Development

2017