Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat has reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to sustainable development that is aligned with its Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030.
According to a Ministry of Natural Resources release yesterday, Bharrat made these remarks in Cali, Colombia, where he is currently attending the Ministerial High Level Segment of the 16th Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) from October 29 to 30. The topics he chose to focus on are 1) financing and 2) biodiversity and climate change.
Bharrat stated that while Guyana is blessed with an abundance of biodiversity, the government understands its responsibility to protect its natural heritage while pursuing economic growth that benefit the people. As such he reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through the careful integration of biodiversity conservation and economic progress.
He referred to President Irfaan Ali’s recent announced of two key initiatives that are directly aligned with Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. Firstly, leading a global alliance for biodiversity financing, which focuses on the Amazon Basin. This initiative seeks to mobilise resources and develop innovative financial mechanisms to conserve biodiversity while tackling the climate crisis. Secondly, in collaboration with Harvard and Oxford Universities, Guyana is establishing a new International Centre for Biodiversity which will promote cutting-edge research, expand nature-based solutions, and drive the development of biodiversity credits, all of which are central to the nation’s sustainable development agenda.
Bharrat said that these initiatives are vital components of the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, which remains the cornerstone of Guyana’s national development framework. He held up the biodiversity credits programme, modelled after the successful forest carbon credits under the Guyana-Norway Agreement, as a prime example of how the government plans to integrate economic progress with ecosystem conservation. This mechanism, he assured, will ensure that biodiversity protection is not only an environmental priority but also a driver of sustainable economic development.
The Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, the minister pointed out, serves as a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable development, recognising the value of Guyana’s forests and ecosystems. “We are demonstrating that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand. Guyana’s vast forests, which cover more than 85% of our land area, are critical not only for biodiversity but also for global climate stability.”
The Natural Resources minister contended that there exists an “inextricable” link between climate change and biodiversity loss that is undeniable. “In Guyana, our forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by capturing carbon, while our rich ecosystems provide resilience in the face of environmental challenges.” He also acknowledged the invaluable role of Indigenous peoples and local communities in biodiversity conservation.
Bharrat told the gathering that the collective efforts of Parties, with the invaluable support of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, are essential to making timely and strategic decisions that will determine the success of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the release added.
