Cognizant of the adverse effects climate change may pose to Guyana and the world at large, Government has been designing and implementing adaptation and mitigation measures.
One bold step taken by Government is the development of the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which was launched last June, and following consultations, a second draft of the strategy was created.
Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai; Adviser to the President and Head of the Climate Change Office, Shyam Nokta; Special Project Officer of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Shameza David; and representative from the National Amerindian Development Foundation, Romel Simon recently engaged residents of Karaudarnau and Maruranau, Region 9, to ascertain what has been affecting them and provide updates on the LCDS and land titling issues.

LCDS
Nokta, addressing the villagers, noted that the LCDS is a very innovative, model approach that Guyana has developed in response to climate change principally; but it also represents a new approach to Guyana’s development whereby the economy can grow along a low carbon path, and at the same time utilise its forest resources to respond to climate change at a global level.
Additionally, Guyana will be able to attract financial resources which will help in furthering its development and also prepare the country to adapt to climate change. He noted that the effects of climate change are here and referred to the El Nino conditions that Guyana has been experiencing and other natural disasters affecting other countries.
The meeting, which was held in Copenhagen, saw a political agreement among countries indicating that they are committed to efforts at the national level. “We had a political accord and there were some important provisions in that accord that have served as an encouragement to move this process forward; and one was the commitment to mobilize financial resources to help developing countries in their effort to adapt and address to climate change,” Nokta stated.
He noted that from now to 2010, developed countries will be mobilising approximately US$30B, and by 2020, will increase that allocation to approximately US$100B annually.
Nokta updated the residents on United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s initiative to organise a special group of world leaders to oversee the mobilization of these funds. President Bharrat Jagdeo is a member of this group that met on March 31 in London.
He also highlighted the Guyana-Norway agreement under which Guyana will be receiving financing over a period of five years to foster the implementation of the LCDS. Nonetheless, financing derived from this will be based on performance and the country has to minimise its rate of deforestation, he said.
Amerindian communities are in a unique situation, since forested areas fall within their land ownership, and Government is providing the option of submitting their forest for direct financial gain based on performance. Owing to the fact that this will impact their lives greatly and requires in-depth discussions and firm decisions, the Multi-Stakeholder Steering Committee has been engaged in consultations with them.
Government is currently setting up a Monitoring Reporting and Verification system to measure the country’s level of deforestation. Nokta stated that it will examine Guyana’s forest cover to see how it changes over time. Additionally, the system will use both state-of-the-art technology and on the ground measurements and assessments, working with local communities in assisting this process.
Payments gained will be set up through a trust fund arrangement which will be managed by an international reputable organization so that there is transparency and accountability of how these funds are spent, he told the Region Nine residents.

Community engagements
During discussions with the villagers, Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai, applauded Toshaos, including Maruranau’s, who have placed emphasis on educating their community members on the new development strategy that is being reviewed. She also noted that leaders of North Rupununi are well advanced in understanding what the LCDS is about and also there is active progress at Bina Hill.
Nokta added that earlier this year, he was invited by the South/South Central Toshaos’ Council to attend their meeting on the strategy and provide update.
To demonstrate the consultative approach Government has taken to ensure that Amerindians are equipped with the necessary knowledge, it was highlighted that Amerindian leaders were exposed more than once to this new concept. At the National Toshaos’ Council stage, the leaders had direct intervention at the level of President Jagdeo.
The consultations have been making much progress since residents are more aware of the strategy, its significance and benefits. However, they are requesting further information to clarify some of the questions that have arisen over the period. This, Nokta said, will be ongoing to foster greater understanding among Amerindian communities. He praised the communities for their involvement in the strategy thus far, which resulted in the productive discussion on the LCDS in their village.
“The LCDS represents a vision for our country, it will put us along a new development paradigm, it is a forward thinking strategy that will allow us to utilise our forest resources in a sustainable way and at the same time make a significant contribution to addressing the issue of climate change; and in doing so will also open up opportunities for our country’s development and people,” Nokta stated.

Opting in Mechanism
Minister Sukhai noted that after the public awareness campaign which was conducted by the Office of Climate Change and Government of Guyana, many Amerindian Leaders who participated at that level had vowed to disseminate information regarding the strategy to their communities.
She further noted that the decision to ‘opt in’ in the strategy is one that can only come from the Amerindians.
“Amerindian communities will not be pressured by Government or anyone to make decisions in a hurried fashion or to make decisions influenced by others and without full engagement from community members,” Minister Sukhai stated.
“The opting in mechanism is under consideration at the level of the Multi-stakeholder Committee; and thereafter it will go through, as with the LCDS, a wider stakeholder engagement and in particular our communities,” Nokta stated.
When asked by residents if there is a possibility of opting-out after opting-in, Nokta stated that it is possible to opt-out; but communities need to be informed of the decision taken to reduce the possibility of withdrawing.
Residents were curious as to the benefits that will be derived from opting in, and it was explained to them that financing will help to improve their living conditions, foster quick land demarcation process and the provision of small grants for the transformation of Amerindian village economies, among many other benefits.(GINA)