– even as Guyana gears for elections
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo is optimistic about Guyana maintaining a high level of representation in Durban, South Africa, during the Conference of Parties (COP) 17 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), on November 28, even though acknowledging that national elections will be given a significant degree of attention.
Speaking to members of the media at a press conference Tuesday at the Office of the President, the Head of State, an avid climate change activist, said the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential hopeful, Donald Ramotar could take on the mantle, if elected.
“He (Donald Ramotar) views climate issues as very important and I’m sure that he will pay the highest level politically to this matter,” President Jagdeo said, noting that the struggle must continue to maintain the momentum.
At the conclusion of the 16th COP of the UNFCCC in Copenhagen, Denmark, an agreement was signed with a pledge of US$10B for fast start funding per annum.        
The pledge was described by President Jagdeo as among the few successful outcomes of the Copenhagen summit.
Guyana has maintained an influential position in climate change negotiations, at present co-chairing the Interim Reduced Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Partnership with Germany, since July 1 this year.
The Partnership is a temporary initiative for collaboration among countries to scale up actions and finance for initiatives to reduce emissions from REDD+ in developing countries, with focus on support for developing capacity building and performance based REDD+ efforts, based on individual national circumstances.
Under the agreement, meetings will be co-chaired by one developing and one developed country Partner representative, both selected for non-renewable terms through an inclusive and transparent selection process.
President Jagdeo at present sits on the board of the Guyana Green Growth Institute which was established to pioneer a new model of economic growth, known as “green growth”, and address poverty reduction, job creation and social inclusion, with work that addresses environmental sustainability, such as mitigation of climate change and biodiversity loss and security of access to clean energy and water.
Climate change has proven to be a phenomenon with a threatening impact on the livelihoods of people around the world; and according to President Jagdeo, “we are on a path to destruction.”
“People don’t feel it, but we are on a path to a five degree rise in global temperature. If this continues for the next 30, 40 years, you could end up with some catastrophic events… switching of currents…global temperature rising, sea level rising… forests dying off naturally,” President Jagdeo said.
Guyana has dedicated its 15 million hectares of forest to the fight against climate change, with a call on the international community to recognize the role forests play in this fight and the need for forest-based incentives.
With the rate of global temperature rise however, President Jagdeo said forests stand a slim chance of survival.
“If we continue on this trajectory, we may not even do anything to preserve forests, because they may just all die off naturally, with consequences for rainfall patterns and desertification and a whole range of unbelievable consequences,” President Jagdeo said.(GINA)