– Minister Persaud urges at Latin America, Caribbean Forestry meeting
AS Guyana continues to win global recognition for its sustainable forest management practice and its visionary Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud, along with Commissioner of Forests, James Singh are representing Guyana at the 26th Session of the Latin America and Caribbean Forestry Commission which would last from May 24 to 28, in Guatemala.
Minister Persaud updated the Latin American and Caribbean Congress on the progress of the LCDS; REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) initiative and the development of a Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) system in Guyana, the first of its kind in the world.
In highlighting the intense public scrutiny that the forestry sector now faces, in light of the recent global challenges caused by drastic and unpredicted climate-related events, Minister Persaud stated that Guyana has positioned itself to turn these challenges into opportunities for development while also contributing significantly to global combined efforts aimed at combating climate change.
“The forest sector contributes about 17% to the GDP and provides the major source of income for many communities. Yet, our rate of deforestation has been scientifically established as being less than 1%.”

While this has not been easy, he said, Guyana’s successes thus far have been based on a foundation of good governance in all sectors especially forestry.
Minister Persaud outlined some of the major initiatives that Guyana embarked on recently, including presenting the updated version of its LCDS which occurred on Monday last, and which took into consideration stakeholder feedback that was obtained via a process of transparent countrywide consultations.
The LCDS, he explained, is based on four key pillars: Mitigation; Adaptation; Key Low Carbon Sector Developments; and Social improvement/improved livelihoods especially in indigenous and rural communities.
Guyana is also one of the countries that has been approved for activities under the Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) of the World Bank. The Indigenous people will actually be leading many of the activities under this initiative.
Additionally, he indicated that Guyana has negotiated an agreement with Norway for results based payments aimed at avoiding/reducing forest-based emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which place the country in a position to earn US$250M by 2015.

The money will be utilised for the implementation of the LCDS; initially in areas such as support to hydropower development, setting up of an Amerindian Development Fund, continuation of Amerindian land titling, promotion of small and medium enterprises and vulnerable groups’ alternative livelihoods, establishment of an International Centre for Biodiversity Research, Low Carbon Curriculum Development and the development of an IT sector.

Speaking to the issue of community forestry, Minister Persaud informed participants at the meeting that the Government will also direct some of these funds to the 43 registered and Government coordinated community forestry organisations for their continued development.

He also touched on the issue of REDD+, explaining that, “Guyana has continuously advocated that payments for REDD+ need to be based on success in limiting green house gases, as well as on progress towards building institutions and practices to reduce these emissions.”

Guyana has also entered into discussions with the European Union to assess the feasibility of engaging in the VPA/EU-FLEGT processes and has committed to Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM) which will test, amongst other systems, the national log tagging and computerised log tracking system.

While noting that Guyana has systems in place at a national level which allow for maximising of benefits, from a global perspective, it recognises that its 18 million hectares of total forests which represent both the Guiana Shield and the Amazon Basin, is a major habitat for biodiversity and ecosystem services, and must be deployed in the fight against climate change.
However, Guyana cannot do it alone; it needs the financial incentives from sustainably managed forests. “This we see not as a grant, but as payment for a critical service that our forests, and all other sustainably managed forests provide.”
In this respect, Minister Persaud urged colleagues from Latin America and the Caribbean to vigorously advocate for a new international agreement that recognises the vital role of sustainably managed forests and avoided deforestation in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change.
“This agreement must guarantee a combination of adequate grant funding, performance based payments, and finances flowing from a market based mechanism. Access to the finances must be in accordance with financial controls, but it must be devoid of excessive bureaucracy to avoid delay and frustration. ”
In concluding, Minister Persaud emphasised that the collective efforts of those in attendance must be targeted at raising the profile of standing forests in the international negotiations so that the deserved benefits from the countless immeasurable global benefits that the forests provide will be garnered.