CARICOM - Caribbean Community Secretariat

10/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/30/2024 10:44

Statement by the Hon. Vickram Bharrat, Minister of Natural Resources, Guyana| High-Level Segment, 16th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on[...]

"As part of our ongoing efforts, Guyana has undertaken a preliminary revision of its national biodiversity targets through an inclusive and consultative process. We engaged stakeholders across all levels - Indigenous Peoples, local communities, civil society, and the private sector - to ensure our targets reflect both global ambitions and local realities."

Honourable Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my honour to address you on behalf of His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. As a nation blessed with an abundance of biodiversity, we understand the profound responsibility to protect our natural heritage while pursuing economic growth that benefits our people. Today, I reaffirm Guyana's commitment to advancing sustainable development through the careful integration of biodiversity conservation and economic progress.

His Excellency, President Ali, recently announced two key initiatives that are directly aligned with Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. First, we are 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. Second, in collaboration with Harvard and Oxford Universities, Guyana is establishing a new International Centre for Biodiversity. This centre will promote cutting-edge research, expand nature-based solutions, and drive the development of biodiversity credits, all of which are central to our sustainable development agenda.

These initiatives are vital components of the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, which remains the cornerstone of Guyana's national development framework. The biodiversity credits programme, modeled after the successful forest carbon credits under the Guyana-Norway Agreement, is a prime example of how we plan to integrate economic progress with ecosystem conservation. This mechanism 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 serves as a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable development, recognising the value of our forests and ecosystems. We are demonstrating that economic growth and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.

As part of our ongoing efforts, Guyana has undertaken a preliminary revision of its national biodiversity targets through an inclusive and consultative process. We engaged stakeholders across all levels - Indigenous Peoples, local communities, civil society, and the private sector - to ensure our targets reflect both global ambitions and local realities.

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. As a developing, oil-producing nation with ambitious infrastructure projects, we face the challenge of balancing economic growth with environmental preservation. However, through the Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, we are committed to ensuring that development proceeds without compromising our natural capital. Our forests will continue to serve as vital carbon sinks and biodiversity hotspots, supporting both climate action and ecosystem resilience. This will be boosted by the expansion of our protected areas from 9% to 30% land mass by 2030.

The inextricable link between climate change and biodiversity loss is undeniable. In Guyana, we see this relationship firsthand. 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. It is for this reason that our leadership in biodiversity financing and the development of biodiversity credits is so essential-not just for Guyana, but for the global community.

We also recognise the invaluable role of indigenous peoples and local communities in biodiversity conservation. These communities have been the guardians of our ecosystems for generations, and their traditional knowledge is crucial to our efforts. We are committed to ensuring their full participation in our national biodiversity strategies, as their contributions are key to the success of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the forthcoming update of our NBSAP.

As we look ahead, 2030 is not far away. 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. We must act with urgency and purpose to implement the framework in ways that will leave a meaningful impact on biodiversity conservation for both present and future generations. Strategic and decisive action is required now, if we are to protect our planet's ecosystems and ensure that biodiversity continues to sustain life on Earth.

Thank you.