Influencer Albert Martis

Interview March 2024

Managing climate changes in Curaçao

Could you share with us some information about your family life?
My parents were from Bonaire. My parents came to Curaçao to work a the Shell refinery. I was born in Curaçao but I still have strong roots in Bonaire. I am known at the yearly Regata in Bonaire and the Club Boneriano here in Curaçao. I am the 9th child out of 10 siblings, I am married and have two children both are studying in Holland. My grandfather used to be a carpenter and he had travel to Curacao to do maintenance work on the Ponton Bridge here in Curaçao. My father followed in his footsteps and also became a carpenter at the age of 16/17 years, but at the end of his career, he was one of the captains of a Shell tug boat. His steady rise during his career was an inspiration as I considered him a role model. My mother was a wife and took care of us and she was the one that attended parent evenings at school. She always came home and told us, my brothers also, that we were good students but we liked being playful during the classes distracting the other kids at school, ha, ha. My father had a strong perseverance to achieve his goals once he set a goal. He used to tell us that we could achieve anything in life as long as we were disciplined enough. My father started his journey at the “Brakkeput” a vocational school that was also a boarding school in Curacao. In hindsight, it is remarkable how many people in high-ranking positions in Curaçao attended “Brakkeput”. The other day I talked to Will Johnson the ex-politician from Saba and he also attended Brakkeput All those who attended Brakkeput were very successful in their careers.

I am a Christian, and that deep belief and faith in God has helped and still helps me a lot in my work and personal life.

Could you share something about your educational background and your experience?
I graduated from High School and at the same time, I challenged myself, simultaneously earning a degree as a teacher trainer in Mathematics (LO-Wiskunde) that I was doing in the evening hours. I was good in Mathematics. After High School, I also started a course to become a teacher trainer in Physics (LO-Natuurkunde) before I left for Holland to study to become a teacher trainer. After my first year in Holland though, I decided to switch to study Physics at the University of Nijmegen in Holland. My thesis when I graduated was on how to measure the effects of smog on plants by measuring certain gases when plants are exposed to different concentrations of ozone gas. I was advised to do a PhD at the University of Bonn in Germany, which I did. My thesis was aimed at how by develop a prototype photoacoustic laser based spectrometer to measure gasses (markers). With this system we could measure different aspects of the effects of smog (pollution) on plants and humans. It is based on the same principle as how we detect if a person has COVID-19 when we don’t detect the virus but markers that the virus creates to determine if the person has COVID-19. If there is smog in a certain area when a person inhales this, it affects the lung cells of this person, creating certain gasses and these is what is measured. As the severity of smog was related to the atmospheric condition, I also got involved in studying Meteorology. After my PhD, Curaçao wanted me back on the island and the job interview with the then Director of Meteorological Service of Netherlands Antilles & Aruba, Mr. Arthur Dania, took place on the train. Mr. Dania invited me to join him on a visit to KNMI as an advisor, on a planned procurement of a new Radar System for the Meteorological Service. I was hired despite the official “employees stop policy” that was in place during those days.

My experience
As from 2000, I led the climate research division and coordinated the National Climate Outlook Forum, represented the Netherlands Antilles at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and was an editor of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Assessment Report. As the new director of the NMHS of the Netherlands Antilles since 2008, I successfully coordinated the migration of the meteorological responsibilities to the other parties in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, as part of the constitutional reform in the Kingdom. The transition of these responsibilities to the governments of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands was successfully completed. Based on consensus among the parties and with the World Meteorological Organization, the WMO membership was changed in the congress of 2011, to “Curaçao and Sint Maarten.” This was done to avoid losing our membership. To guarantee the safety, efficiency and continual improvement of the newly establish Meteo Curacao, new governance systems were implemented. These systems include result-based management and budgeting, cost recovery schemes, a quality management system, an early warning system and monitoring systems. The cultural change and training for the staff were also achieved, together with the staff, by organizing several meetings at different levels. For this reason, our organization became a center of excellence for our government.

So I combined my expert knowledge with leadership knowledge and skills, like determining in what direction we wanted to go, with a forward-looking vision, and anticipate and I didn’t want to get involved too much in operational matters (micro management). I want to create the right conditions for the personnel in order for them to perform at their best. I don’t want to be the only focal point in the organization. That is why we coordinate our efforts internally and I mentor some employees so that we are better able to give the best information possible for everyone, and by doing that save the lives of people.

I wanted to lead, not manage the organization as I got a lot of insights on how to do this by following multiple training at the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), a UN organization. I also followed some John Maxwell courses. At international level, I got involved and actively participated in the International Climate Change programs of the WMO since 2003.

At international level I served in several leadership positions where I further expanded my acquired experience in the meteorological field and international governance. These positions include Co-chair of a Panel of the Commission for Climatology, Vice-president of the Regional Association IV, Co-Chair West Tropical Atlantic Decade for Ocean IOCARIBE, and member of the WMO Executive Council in the Working Group Strategic and Operational Planning and Constituent Body Reform. As the WMO Second Vice-President of the WMO I became the chair of the EC Technical Coordination Committee to inform the EC about the technical regulatory framework, compliance, risk assessment, and research to operations and collaboration and coordination between the technical bodies and regional associations. Furthermore, I became the co-chair of the Joint WMO IOC collaborative board and co-chair of the Western Tropical Atlantic Region, a Transparent Ocean IOCARIB with the goal to align the strategies of the organization in the area of ocean studies.

As the Director of the Meteorological Service of Curaçao, you are also presiding over a platform Curaçao Climate Change Platform (CCCP) working to prepare for climate change. Can you expand a little bit on this?
In Curaçao, we rolled out the same strategy that was used internationally, to manage the Climate Changes in Curaçao. This strategy was formulated by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and this organization together with Al Gore won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 2009. The strategy is to first create clarity about climate change based on scientific evidence. After this was rolled out, we would start addressing the political and policy aspects.

In the beginning, there was the Club of Rome, where all the participants in this forum would discuss science and policy at the same time without having any meaningful impact, as there were too many differences of opinion on the approach. There was a need for a different approach. That is when the IPCC took over. We are using the same strategy in Curaçao, here we also have the scientific part that is separated. Once there is agreement on the science part, then the policies are drawn and offered to the politicians. This national Platform was formally founded after the Covid in 2022, but it has been having informal meetings since 2015. This was after the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We have the government, private business sector, Universities, and NGOs participating.

What are the goals of the platform?
The platform has three goals.

First of all to work towards improved resilience of Curaçao to climate change;
Secondly, promote further growth of the island’s biodiversity;
Thirdly together with the key players in the energy sector work towards making Curaçao use 100 % renewable energy and becoming the number one front runner on renewable energy in the Caribbean.

We are involved as Meteo in the Hydrogen project planned to be stationed in the sea. We offer information on the wind and waves to this project group. Building floating windmills has to prove its viability, as our seas are very deep. But it is important to know that if we want to migrate and 100 % on electricity, it is important to know that there are not sufficient raw materials available in the world to make batteries considering the demand for electricity. In that context, Hydrogen could be a good alternative, but some companies are hesitant to make the transition. It is important to see what the car companies are going to do with this dilemma.

Last year I was elected as a member of the Executive Council of the WMO. As member of the Council we have to coordinate and oversee the execution of several programs regarding weather, climate water and hydrology worldwide. Our main goal is to assist member nations, especially the most vulnerable, to become more resilient to the socioeconomic consequences of extreme weather, climate, water and other environmental events;

It is in our regional Hurricane Committee, together with other directors, that I received the valuable teaching on how to best serve our countries to save life and property. And so, if there is a Meteorological Service that cannot issue warnings easily, due to the absence of legislation, infrastructure, or an early warning system at the national or community level, that makes me worry a lot, even if it is not my country. Learning of all the challenges the developing countries faced, I decided to contribute to the solution with different approaches.

The benefits to be gained?
That we in Curaçao become more resilient to change. Like last year during August and September the temperature were very high. We don’t want our youth to miss out on classes at school, this is not good for them. We don’t want businesses to shut down because of the weather. That is not good for our economy.

That is why we need to have a strategy. After heavy weather, we lose money.

The rise of the sea level can affect our Tourism, just a slight increase can affect our beaches and we are already experiencing this. So through our efforts, we try to mitigate the impact. We are now in a phase where we are in a transition to renewable energy. Once we have passed through this transition, as Curaçao is full of renewable energy sources like the sun, the wind, and the sea, this will minimize the impact of the usage of energy on our balance of payments.

By 2045 we want Curaçao to be 100 % working on renewable. With the signing for the construction of Windmills at Koraal Tabak, we will reach the 50 % mark dependency on renewable energy.

What is your BIG WHY or driving motivation to be who you are right now?
Working at Meteo I have seen what the forces of nature can do and how it impacts societies. My mission is: “How to offer the best possible information so that lives can be saved and the material effects of the forces of nature can be mitigated”.

This is what I want to do as my hobby. “How to give the best possible information to save people’s lives”. How can we help our society to move in that direction? Give people the tools and guidance so that more people can support these ideas. This is my goal with this platform that I chair at the moment and the regional organization that I preside. In the board I have stressed this point very clearly, we need to give better information to save lives and material damages.

What are your plans for the coming years for the coming 5 years from now?
5 years from now, we in Curaçao and the Region will be very far in the implementation of policies addressing climate change I have a responsibility towards the whole world.

What are the challenges that you are dealing with? And how are you dealing with these different challenges you confront?
We work a lot based on project management and a lot of us are stuck in this. But we need to take a step further and also ask ourselves: “What is the impact of our projects and we need to measure these impacts to evaluate if it is sustainable. This is our biggest challenge at the moment. Like we can’t build a windmill park and consider it done, once it is operational. We need to measure its impact on the community and maybe take additional steps to make the project a sustainable one.

Do you use your inner voice to evaluate when dilemmas show up? How does that work for you?
I go to my WHY and the What I want to achieve. I will ask myself and others, why I am doing what I am doing and I get my answers. My WHY gives me my destination. There are many roads leading to Rome, but we have to reach Rome whatever happens. Thus asking good questions, makes me achieve my goals quicker.
I follow online training. I love Simon Sinek.
I have been to courses of John Maxwell and still get their newsletter, John Maxwell.
I followed courses that the United Nations offers and I follow other organizations of the UN that work in regions that have more or less the same challenge that we have and study how they implement their strategies;
I talk locally with wise and experienced people with a vision, on policy matters. And there is WMO, those in WMO I also talk with and learn from them.

What are your strengths?

• I am very good at breaking complicated things down so that they become easier to understand. Once understood we can then step by step build it up again until it reaches its level of complexity again;

• I am good at mentoring other people. I have learned to get things, it is better to also teach others so that they are also able to solve complex issues;

• another way to get things done is to look for the busiest people to get them to work in a group responsible for reaching a goal. Because busy people are so busy they are also very efficient and work vastly to get it over with. They will offer you a quality product very quickly;

• I have a high social-emotional intelligence.

Do you have hobbies or interests that you are also passionate about?
I love hiking and mountain biking.

If you Albert meet a stranger on the bus (let’s say in New York or Medellin Colombia) and they would ask you to introduce yourself, what would you answer?
I am the director of the Meteorological Service of Curaçao and our goal is to help save as many people’s lives as possible.

‘WATCHING THE WEATHER TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY‘

How would you describe Albert in one word or one sentence?
I love philosophizing on why people behave like they do and on top of that look for solutions. I am very result-oriented.

Who are the persons that have inspired you the most in your life/career?
My professor in Holland suggested I go to Germany for my Ph.D. He encouraged me to ag as he saw a lot of potential in me. Arthur Dania, the former director of Meteo, was my mentor when I came back to work in Curaçao. Mr.Dania and other Directors of departments those days, they we more than willing to mentor me as I adapted to my working environment and that was great.

What is a trait that is still a work in progress?
Prioritizing enough time to have One-on-One with my employees. I am so involved with important big projects outside of Meteo but I need to prioritize time to also be able to do this.

What was a defining moment in your life?
Career-wise: Tropical Storm Tomas was a defining moment in 2010 for me. Because of all the investigations that took place. The question was how come, the Meteo didn’t give better information to the community.
Personal: The day I got married.

What would you want your Loved Ones, family, friends, and others to say about you let’s say 20 years from now?
20 years from now on my birthday my Loved Ones, family, and friends will say that “I love socializing”.

What makes you stay optimistic about the future of the world?
Despite all the challenges we have, some people are convinced that we have solutions for these challenges, locally and internationally.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?
For us to move forward we must look ahead. What is important if we look ahead is coordination, especially between the directors of the different Ministries. I would love to see the Heads of Department’s consultation being re-introduced. Just meeting each shortly regularly will help get better coordination, decisions and thus results, because of the synergy. We also need to inform our population on what the different responsibilities of Ministries, the cabinet of the Ministers are, and the other agencies that are part of the government.

One of the 250 Influencers

Dr. Albert Martis embodies a remarkable fusion of social-emotional intelligence, relentless determination, ethical integrity, and collaborative leadership. He has seamlessly integrated his passion with his professional pursuit, leveraging his extensive expertise, diverse skill set, and expansive network to fulfill his lifelong mission of “preserving lives” amidst the looming threat of climate change. From the outset of his academic journey in Physics to the culmination of his PhD research, Dr. Martis has been deeply immersed in the discourse surrounding climate change.

His career trajectory led him to the forefront of climate action as the Director of the Meteorological Service of Curaçao, where he plays a pivotal role in shaping climate resilience strategies. Additionally, he assumes the role of Chair of the Curaçao Climate Change Platform, fostering synergies among governmental entities, businesses, and NGOs to tackle climate challenges collaboratively.

A perpetual learner, Albert has actively pursued leadership development initiatives, including renowned programs such as those offered by John Maxwell, to refine his leadership competencies and cultivate a culture of teamwork. His affiliation with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has further enriched his perspectives, culminating in his appointment as a board member and vice-president of the International Climate Change Platform. Here, he has spearheaded transformative reforms aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.

Dr. Martis’s distinguishing trait lies in his pragmatic approach to implementing climate change strategies, informed by a judicious blend of academic rigor and practical ingenuity. His advocacy for stakeholder collaboration as a guiding principle is underscored by his profound social-emotional intelligence and scientific acumen. Dr. Albert Martis emerges as a catalyst for change and continues making a profound impact on society, both locally and regionally. In acknowledgment of his exemplary contributions, Dr. Albert Martis is considered one of the 250 community influencers championing sustainable development, both on our island and on a global scale.
Look at the list of the Influencers we have interviewed or reported on, up to now.

The goal of the core group of Share2Uplift for 2024

The goal of the Share2Uplift movement is to: “Identify 250 leaders from all walks of life to connect, align and create impactful changes in all walks of life, which includes intergenerational collaboration by the end of 2024.” We will use interviewing Influencers, meet-and-greet events, “train-the-trainers”-programs on “Emotional Mastery” and “Intentionality “as national intervention strategies, to reach this goal on top of our goal to scale up the possibilities to connect, align and create impact via a virtual platform. We believe that by collaborating with Miguel Goede on the virtual Vision 2030 platform, we will accelerate the possibilities to connect the diaspora and others elsewhere in the world and on the island willing to constructively create impactful changes in Curaçao, to join.

As Share2Uplift, we are fully trying to align with this thinking of Center for Curriculum Redesign to promote this agenda in our educational systems and workplace. So, in that sense, we fully support any initiative to make our educational system 21st-century proof.

Share2Uplift aligners are those that:
– Create an inspiring vision of the future;
– Motivate and inspire people to engage with that vision;
– Manage the delivery of the vision;
– Coach and build a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision. These criteria are now being polished.

We also consider these 5 values the most important ones for Share2Uplift aligners. They are:

• Peace from within;
• Compassion;
• Respectfulness;
• Integrity;
• Responsibility.

As we will progress towards this goal, we will update you on the progress.

Personal Coaching tips

This week we will share some short videos related to Climate change strategies and Sustainability. We will upload one of these videos every day on our Facebook page

Sustainable Development Goals explained with 3 useful tips | Environment SDG Sustainability – YouTube