THE Guyana delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference (COP21), held earlier this month in France, attained its agenda to secure a legally binding Paris Agreement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and protect vulnerable states. Guyana’s principal objectives going into the negotiations were to secure a legally binding agreement, a long-term goal for deep emissions’ cuts consistent with a 1.5 degree warming pathway, led by developed countries.

It also sought an article that anchored REDD Plus and previously approved COP decisions in the agreement, provision of finance to help developing countries combat climate change, using $100B as a floor to scale up from 2020, anchoring the loss and damage mechanism in the agreement, and the provision in the agreement for special consideration for low-lying coastal countries and small islands (SIDS) in terms of finance, mitigation commitments, and reporting.

While centred on the larger negotiations for the creation of a climate agreement, the conference offered opportunity for advancement of a number of bilateral and multilateral relationships, which Guyana sought to capitalise upon.

Guyana played a key role in the negotiating blocs of CARICOM, The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and the Coalition of Rainforest Nations. CARICOM countries stood firm in their call for 1.5 degrees as the warming limit to be included in the agreement and its support of the REDD+ framework, which is particularly important to Guyana and Suriname.

In addition, Guyana pursued a number of bilateral engagements, meeting with the Norwegian delegation, Italy and the Green Climate Fund. Meetings were also held with high level representatives from Conservation International and the World Wildlife Fund.

The Green Climate Fund, which administers the financial mechanism within the UNFCCC supporting projects and programmes in developing countries for climate change mitigation and adaptation, accepted a readiness support proposal from Guyana. Guyana’s proposal for institutional strengthening of its Climate Change apparatus to implement its Climate Resilience Strategy and Action Plan (CRASP), which is currently being developed, and to increase its access to GCF funding for future projects, was approved for the US$300,000 grant to be implemented over the next year.

At close of the conference, a dedicated Article for Forests — in particular REDD Plus — which secures the previous COP decisions on REDD Plus as a framework and provides for support, including through results-based payments for forest conservation and sustainable management of forests, and provides a corresponding COP 21 decision which provides for financing for REDD Plus, was established. Guyana played a leading role in securing this Article and Decision.

The Guyana delegation was headed by Minister of Governance Raphael Trotman and Minister of Finance Winston Jordan. It also included George Talbot, Permanent Representative of Guyana to the United Nations; Andrew Bishop, Chief Negotiator, Ministry of the Presidency; Troy Torrington, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations; negotiator Kandila Ramotar – Climate Change Officer; Michelle Kalamandeen – Biologist and Civil Society Representative; Jocelyn Dow – Civil Society Representative; Stefan Rickford Knights – Student and Youth Representative; and Teresa Gaime – Technical Officer, Department of Natural Resources.