Fifteen sub-national consultations on Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) have been held across the country, attracting about 3,000 participants, as part of the national campaign to spread awareness of a first-ever model that calls for compensation for Guyana’s standing forests.

The process began with the launch of the strategy by President Bharrat Jagdeo on June 8 at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) at Liliendaal, and continued at Annai and Aishalton in Region Nine; Mabaruma, Port Kaituma and Santa Rosa in Region One; Anna Regina, Region Two; Port Mourant, Region Six; Kamarang and Bartica, Region Seven; Mahdia and Kato, Region Eight; and Hururu, Muritaro and Linden in Region Ten.

Information released from the Office of Climate Change at the Office of the President revealed that 3, 285 people from 222 communities, including those from the June 8, launching participated.

They were provided with a copy of the LCDS draft document and were informed of its concepts and objectives. Opportunities were also provided for discussions with representatives of the multi-stakeholder committee with the aim of shaping the final strategy document.

The strategy is a model conceived by President Jagdeo, which is calling on the international community to recognise the important role which highly forested countries such as Guyana play in mitigating climate change because of the environmental services which the forests provide, and the need for a compensatory mechanism for these services.

Given the significance of Guyana’s forests to the strategy, many participants during the consultations, particularly those from the mining and logging sectors, queried the future existence of these sectors.

On of the frequently asked questions throughout the consultations sought to ascertain whether the strategy will require mining and forestry activities to stop, and whether concessionaires would be required to reduce their activities.

The multi-stakeholder team included Government Ministers, representatives from Amerindian Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), women’s organisations and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). Its members assured residents that the activities will continue, but will be subject to strict compliance set out by the mining, forestry and environmental law.

The inclusion of Amerindian titled land in the strategy was another concern, particularly by residents of Amerindian communities who are the rights holders of a substantial part of Guyana’s forested areas.

The strategy only caters for state forests, but the inclusion of Amerindian community lands will be decided by those stakeholders. Moreover, their subsistence activities will be allowed to continue.

Several residents also queried the source of funding for Guyana’s standing forests, the locations in which the funds will be directed, and the benefits to Guyanese.

These and several other questions, including commendations and criticisms, have been acknowledged by the Office of Climate Change, and will be published on the LCDS website, the aim of which, President Jagdeo said, is to prove transparency. (GINA)