By Rear Admiral (Rtd.) Gary A. R. Best, Presidential Advisor on the Environment

CONSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

THE greening of Guyana’s economy is a clear expression of the Government’s intention to forge an improved development pathway for the country over the coming decades. Government’s action is supported by the following:

(a) Paragraph 9 of the preamble to the Guyana Constitution, which provides for its people to “demonstrate our commitment to protect our natural environment and endowment”

(b) Article 36 of the Guyana Constitution, which mandates that “the well-being of the nation depends upon preserving clean air, fertile soils, pure water, and the rich diversity of plants, animals and eco-systems”

(c) Article 25 of the Guyana Constitution, which directs that “every citizen has a duty to participate in activities designed to improve the environment and protect the health of the nation”

And (d) Article 14, which provides for “…creating, promoting and encouraging an economic system capable of achieving and maintaining sustainable competitive advantage…”.

At a quick glance, we find that the preamble and articles reflect two distinct features. Firstly, they link protecting and sustaining development of the environment and sustainable economic development; and secondly, they promote an inter-sectorial approach to environmental and economic development.

Greening of Guyana’s economy is also an expression of Guyana’s commitment to intensify its contribution to the global actions against climate change. The recent Paris Agreement (December 2015), concluded at the meeting of members of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, urges all nations to contribute to emissions’ reductions. The world’s attitude to climate change has moved from viewing it as a large negative to seeing it as an opportunity for the world’s community to develop along a new pathway that provides inter- and intra-generational equity driven and conditioned by the scientific evidence of climate change. There is no better ‘other’ in the context of Guyana’s Constitution than the greening of Guyana’s economy.

A KEY OUTCOME

The plan to create a green economy in Guyana should provide an integrated set of national and international activities, all connected to each other, with the end state of creating vertical and horizontal integration of actions across all sectors. It is useful for Guyana to integrate all of its policies and activities in a manner that allows for specific identification, direct funding, and avoidance of tracking and duplication. A useful starting point would be the identification of policy misalignment and actions to achieve policy alignment.

SO WHAT IS GREENING?

Greening Guyana’s economy means building an economy that reduces environmental risks and ecological scarcities. It is an economy that is low-emissions-driven, resource efficient, and socially inclusive; an economy which fosters economic growth and development while ensuring that the nation’s natural capital continues to provide the resources and environmental services on which our existence relies.

In a green economy, therefore, the Government of Guyana may use public and private investment funds to drive green and income growth, which in turn reduces carbon emissions and pollution, enhances energy and resource efficiency, and prevents the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. In the final analysis, it is a new model of sustainable development for Guyana, and it aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IS A KEY ELEMENT

Another way of understanding greening is to interpret it as a process of decarbonizing the economic and productive sectors, both internally and externally, given that many of our imports (the current mainstay of national economic development) have embedded carbon from high-emissions-developed and developing countries. A key activity for Guyana is to promote and encourage the development of a wide range of alternative energies that are suitable for development of the country’s hinterland and coastal communities. These alternative energy sources include micro and medium hydros, wind, solar, biomass (particularly wood waste), solar-hybrids and biofuels. The transition to alternative energies not only reduces the carbon content of our own energy emissions, but also the carbon content of our national products now and in the future.

Of course this is separate and apart from anticipated reduced energy costs and expected increased competitiveness of the productive sector. Granted that alternative energy solutions are fairly new to Guyana, the identification of Bartica as the nation’s first green model town provides a unique opportunity to pilot alternative energy solutions at a local scale. This model town should pilot alternative energy grid tie systems, smart metering, individual household sale of excess energy, and a competitive process for energy supply to residents through public-private partnerships or private investments. Likely outcomes are cheaper energy and the removal of Government subsidy on energy.

SOME GOOD LIFE BENEFITS

Economically, our nation will benefit from increased GDP; that is: production of green goods and services and increased revenue from pricing ecosystem services; economic diversification, such as improved management of economic risks and reduced vulnerability; innovation; access and uptake of green technologies, such as improved market confidence; increased employment, as green investments are generally more employment intensive, with direct benefits in terms of poverty reduction in communities. The latter is particularly true in the case of agriculture, where green technologies such as the use of scientifically developed seeds (hybrid, early maturing) and water harvesting technologies (wells, ponds, irrigation, reservoirs, waste water treatment) all tend to improve the agricultural productivity and yield of farmers.

Rebalancing our economy towards a green economic pathway will also result in new markets in areas such as biofuels; renewable energy; increased financial instruments, such as green bonds and organic food production. In particular, retrofitting current infrastructure and buildings, and climate proofing all new development — including financial instruments — provide abundant opportunities for new jobs, green services, and increased income for all citizens to enjoy the good life. (Comments can be sent to towardsagoodlife@gmail.com)

Mr Best is a retired Rear Admiral and former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force. He is an Attorney at Law and the Presidential Advisor on the Environment. He also holds Masters Degrees from the University of the West Indies and the University of London. His research areas include climate change governance, climate change finance, international relations, and environmental law.