THIS country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy is gaining momentum nationwide, and in the CARICOM region through the public consultations and the awareness programme, according to top administration officials.

President Bharrat Jagdeo, second left, with St Lucia Prime Minister, Stephenson King, left; CARICOM Secretary General, Dr Edwin Carrington, right; and Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister, Patrick Manning, at the end-of-summit press briefing.

President Bharrat Jagdeo, current Chairman of the 15-member Caribbean Community, secured firm commitments for Guyana’s model from his colleague heads at last week’s summit he hosted here. He said follow-up steps are in train, telling reporters at an end-of-summit briefing that “for almost everything we have done here, we have a mechanism to follow up on.”
Mr. Stephenson King, St Lucia Prime Minister, who has lead responsibility for climate change among the leaders, is due to return here next month to advance the region’s position at the United Nations summit in Copenhagen, Denmark in December, when a new global deal is expected to be reached.

King, sharing the press briefing with President Jagdeo at the International Conference Centre, at Liliendaal, said climate change deserves “our total commitment in the months and years ahead.”

CARICOM Heads in caucus at the 30th Heads of Government Meeting in Guyana recently.

He said he will meet members of the regional task force, and other players and agencies, basically to begin the process of massaging and energising the negotiations.

He and President Jagdeo reported that the leaders reached a comprehensive declaration on climate change, titled the ‘LILIENDAAL DECLARATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT’.

The heads agreed on the region’s priorities, including the reduction of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions; mitigation and adaptation; the transfer of technology; renewable energy; forest conservation; and avoided deforestation. Importantly, in the declaration, they recognised the value and potential of standing forests, including pristine rainforests, and “our affirmation of its potential contribution to Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD).”

“Forest conservation, or avoided deforestation, and sustainable management of forests are important mitigation tools against climate change in a post 2012 Agreement. We also support the approach to harmonising climate change mitigation and economic development as proposed by Guyana in its Low Carbon Development Strategy,” the CARICOM leaders said.

A section of the audience at the Region One (Barima/Waini) consultation at the Hosororo Primary School.

At the CARICOM summit, the leaders also reaffirmed support for the coordinating role of the CARICOM Task Force for Climate Change and Development, established by the Conference of Heads of State and Government, and the implementing role of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the roles of the CARICOM Secretariat, the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS) chaired by the Government of Grenada, and the CARICOM Representatives in the international climate change negotiations.

They also recognised the importance of a common regional approach to address the threats and challenges of climate change, and of the full and effective participation of the region in the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark (COP15), the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Change Summit in September 2009, and their preparatory processes.

And at his weekly post-Cabinet briefing, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon reported good feedback from the public consultations underway around the country.

He said Cabinet was advised that at the sessions last week in Region Ten (Upper Demerara/Berbice), the public turnout was impressive, and the involvement of the stakeholders and others was substantial. Luncheon said Guyanese are responding positively to the strategy, and people are getting information for greater clarity on issues.

He reported, too, that the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has tabled a motion on the LCDS in the National Assembly, with the hope that parliamentary parties will exploit opportunities in it to conduct their own consultations for the finalisation of the strategy by the end of September.

He said Cabinet recalled that the ultimate intention of the process is to build momentum across the nation, the region, and internationally for the Jagdeo Initiative.

Climate Change is also on the agenda of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, meeting here this week.

Key questions that have emerged in the national consultations include how benefits will be distributed from the LCDS; possible implications for forestry, mining and agriculture; and what impact the LCDS would have on people’s way of life and practices.

The LCDS, at its core, seeks to foster greater economic development while maintaining Guyana’s standing forest as part of efforts towards addressing climate change.

The national consultations continued Friday, with outreaches among stakeholders in Berbice, at Port Mourant.

Other meetings are due in the mining districts of Region Seven (Cuyini/Mazaruni) and Eight (Potaro/Siparuni) at Bartica and Mahdia on July 12 and 13 respectively, and in the Amerindian communities of Regions Seven and Eight at Kamarang and Kato respectively.