Says Agriculture Minister
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud yesterday underlined that economic growth and environmental utilisation can no longer be viewed as incompatible goals.

He stressed this position which is embedded in the draft Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) at a Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Conservation International (CI) – Guyana and Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) seminar at the Regency Suites Hotel on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

The discussion centred on the Technical Cooperation Project titled: “Avoiding deforestation while promoting sustainable development–South America Regional Infrastructure Development Forests, and Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD): Implications for Guyana.”

“These are two important pillars of enhancing the welfare and livelihood of Guyanese, at both the community and national levels,” he said. 

In this regard, Persaud added that Government has been committed to ensuring the sustainable livelihood activities continue at all levels of operations, including community level farming activities, chainsaw logging and milling, commercial logging, and mining. 

The minister pointed out in keeping with this objective, the importance of sustainable utilisation cannot be over-emphasised.

Guyana has had a commendable reputation of strong forest management and environmental governance. 

This has allowed it to be among a small grouping of countries which have high forest cover and low deforestation rates as a result of effective forest monitoring and overall sound stewardship of natural resources.

But Persaud said he is dismayed at an uninformed view that the forest is not under heavy threat.

“I wish to point out that there is an increasing demand for our forest area. “We have numerous proposals by investors for forest and related activities as well as offers to further develop land areas in currently unallocated areas in Guyana.

Also, the lingering problem of illegal activities, and constant efforts and resources are needed to prevent such threats to forest assets,” he pointed out.

Persaud noted the Government has taken deliberate steps to balance development by taking into account the need to improve the livelihoods of all communities while ensuring sustainability of resource base.

Speaking of the seminar, he remarked the discussion is held at a strategic time as the draft Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is being finalised through the national consultation process.

In addition, Guyana Readiness Plan has been approved through the World Bank Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, and initial work on a forest carbon stock assessment is ongoing, among other related activities.

These efforts, he said, are preparing Guyana to target a forest carbon financing scheme that will attract much resources to advance transformation of the economy along a low carbon development path.

On this point, Persaud said, the Technical Cooperation Project results largely confirm the main thrust of the LCDS.

“It reinforces the LCDS’s vision of reconciling two seemingly incompatible agendas – economic growth and sustainable management of our natural resources – in a framework of an effective forest carbon financing mechanism,” the minister affirmed.

He explained, in doing so, it substantiates that sustainable development in Guyana, in this case the Linden to Lethem Road, can continue and be fostered along a low carbon development trajectory.

“We are further encouraged that this much-needed national development project – the Linden to Lethem Road – can be realised with low rates of deforestation and forest degradation, and through the implementation of an effective incentives mechanism,” Persaud stated. 

He said too, the Technical Cooperation Project has shown how one aspect of development in the LCDS can be assessed and modeled, to ascertain the effects on deforestation and degradation, in a wider financing framework.

“Specifically in relation to the Linden-Lethem Highway, it attempts to provide an assessment of forest change and resulting emissions levels, as well as projected future emissions across all forest related activities”.

He said for issues of infrastructure development, such as the Linden-Lethem road, the Government will ensure balance of economic growth and environmental sustainability is maintained.

The minister said too, in many instances, Guyana’s situations vary, greatly based on scope, scale and type of forest utilisation and management practices, rates of deforestation, and position on forest in a carbon financing scheme. 

He said with this in mind, the diverse local backgrounds make it necessary for Guyana to recognise that in addressing development needs and environmental protection, it must not take the “one size fits all” approach.

“We must do what is good and suited for Guyana and Guyanese. We intend to continue to strongly advocate our positions at several levels at various negotiation fora, as well as at technical committees and at project levels. And our voice is becoming effective,” Persaud maintained.

CI-Guyana Executive Director, Dr David Singh, also advocated that Guyana must find ways and means to maintain its forest and other intact ecosystems for the global good, while it grows its economy.

“This is the dilemma that defines a poor but highly resourced developing country. However, finding this pathway and staying the course is the key to sustainable development and a resilient and successful economy,” he observed.

The conservation expert explained the aim of the project was to provide a conceptual and analytical framework for assessing the needs, challenges and opportunities for Guyana in the context of REDD.

Also, he noted, to access the application of a REDD Framework on national development and biodiversity conservation, with specific focus on the Georgetown Lethem Transport Corridor (GLTC).

In initiating the study, the Government also recognised the GLTC serves as an excellent study site to predict future rates of deforestation and to develop and test mitigating measures and REDD enabling frameworks that could be extended to other areas.

Dr Singh said efforts were focused on understanding and documenting potential carbon emissions that would result from deforestation directly and indirectly attributable to the Georgetown-Lethem roadway, highlighting the threats to biodiversity.

The results and deliverables, he stressed, were developed and presented in a way to also enhance the Government’s ability to analyse and address possible carbon emissions from other potential land use activities.

He said based on the level of ground work undertaken, Guyana could be poised to become a global model on how to establish successful REDD initiatives in countries that have historically low deforestation rates, but whose deforestation rates are likely to increase significantly in the future if immediate action is not taken.

Presentations were also made by IDB Representative Mr. Marcos Nicola, and Ms. Pradeepa Bholanath of the GFC.