The Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment on Wednesday opened a two-day workshop aimed at finding ways to include payments for sustaining eco-system services into the national Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems, as part of its efforts to manage and sustain Guyana’s natural resources.
Minister Robert Persaud told participants from the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) and non-governmental organisation (NGO) Winrock International that government has taken an integrated approach to managing these resources. “The preservation and sustenance of our natural resources are necessary, if we are to ensure that maximum benefits are derived, as we (government) pursue aggressive sustained utilisation of natural resources,” he said at the workshop.
According to the Government Information Agency (GINA), the workshop also examined case studies on successful Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). The Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) has complemented other initiatives and has kept the country on a path of sustainable development, which led to the passing of the Protected Areas Bill last year. In keeping with this, a Protected Areas Commission was constituted, while Shell Beach, the Kanuku Moun-tains and the Kaieteur National Park were gazetted as protected areas. “The commission has been developed, to achieve that balance as set out in the LCDS, and to ensure that we comply with international standards,” Persaud said.
The minister also gave assurances that government stands ready to develop more mechanisms in order to accrue more benefits from other incentives. “…A well managed ecosystem can provide valuable resources for a country. It is also important as it comes at the eve of the RIO +20 conference to be held in Brazil later this year,” he added.
Meanwhile, Katie Goslee, a representative from Winrock International, said the NGO has been working with the GFC since 2010 to help to develop the MRV system under the REDD+ initiative.
Winrock focuses on climate change and other areas. To date, several projects have been completed, including the Change Assessment for Forest areas, identification of Land Use Changes and the development of a National Forest Carbon Monitoring System. “Apart from the many successes of the collaboration, we are in the process of developing carbon emission factors, as the PES will be incorporated in Guyana’s National Monitoring, Reporting and Evaluation systems,” she said.
In addition, Annette Arjoon-Martins noted the importance of conservation and biodiversity with respect to natural resources. “When local communities are empowered to become stewards for their natural resources, it is the best effort, in my opinion, that a country can make,” she said.
GINA noted that the workshop is also expected to discuss issues such as the challenges and successes of community-based monitoring of ecosystem services; water shield services; potential markets and buyers of forest ecosystem services in Guyana and local livelihood concerns. The workshop as being conducted as part of the MRVs roadmap, it added.
