– as deal comes one step closer to effect at UN

By Ariana Gordon in New York
PRESIDENT David Granger (Guyana) was on Wednesday the first of the world leaders gathered at the annual United Nations General Assembly to be congratulated by the UN for signing on to the Paris agreement on climate change.More countries signed on to the pact on Wednesday, taking the total to 60, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.
The deal, agreed by nearly 200 countries in Paris last December, needs ratification by at least 55 countries, representing 55 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions to take effect. The 60 countries represented more than 47.5 percent.
The United Nations said 14 countries, representing 12.58 percent of emissions, have committed to joining the agreement in 2016, which would allow the threshold of 55 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions to be reached.
“What once seemed impossible is now inevitable. I’m confident that by the time I leave office the Paris agreement will have entered into force,” Ban, whose second five-year term ends on Dec. 31, told an event on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly.
Mr Ban congratulated Guyana at a special “High-Level Event on Entry into Force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.”
Guyana ratified the Paris agreement on April 22 last. During his address at the UN earlier this year, President Granger described the Paris Agreement as the “most ambitious international environmental agreement in modern history.”
He said the signing of the Agreement by Guyana was out of the need for strong action to fight climate change. “Guyana, through the pursuit of a Green Economy, will spare no effort to contribute to both a sustainable future and to an effective global response to climate change,” the President said in April.
Guyana has committed to implementing initiatives in the forest and renewable energy sectors, including through the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) Plus programme.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday at the opening of the UNGA in New York, President Granger during his address before world leaders, described Guyana as a “green state” and noted the country’s efforts in combating climate change. He said too that Guyana’s “green state” is consistent with building climate change resilience while mitigating the effects of climate change.
“Guyana promises to continue to work towards the agenda’s goals, particularly by contributing to limiting increases in global temperatures; and, work towards a ‘green path’ of development that is in accord with the Agreement’s nationally-determined commitments.”
Guyana, he said, is pursuing a “green path” so as to better understand how to protect its biodiversity and manage its complex eco-systems sustainably. Guyana, he said , is an important partner in the global environmental movement and has partnered with several countries in this regard.
Giving his address at the UNGA on Tuesday, President Granger believes that while he can’t measure the response of fellow leaders, his message of a ‘green state’ was well received. He said the ‘green state’ is consistent with the UN COP1 Agreement, the Paris Agreement and the Agreement for sustainable development goals (SDGs).
“I do feel that although, even in the absence of feedback it has been very positive. I didn’t strictly come to discuss world affairs; I came to discuss Guyana’s ability to fulfil its obligations under the accord and agreement. The SDGs are central to our development and we have extracted from the SDGs the green elements which in my view can satisfy Guyana’s needs for economic development, energy, for environmental protection and also for the employment of young people.”
President Granger believes it is the right time that the UN has thrown its “weight behind that programme” and noted that Guyana’s adoption of the green agenda coincides with the objectives of the UN.
He said Guyana’s message over the past year has been consistent and will continue to be consistent as he continues bilateral meetings. “We feel that the visit so far to the UNGA has served Guyana’s national interest and has given Guyana an image in the international community as a reliable partner on the entire green agenda and climate change agenda.”
Asked whether Guyana has received support given its climate change agenda, the President said since 1989 when it conceptualised the Iwokrama project. “We have attracted support from a variety of countries, most notably Norway and also quite recently Germany… there have been different initiatives from Japan, Netherlands and other countries in various areas, forestry, environment, protected areas…I would say we are likely to receive more assistance, particularly from those countries which generate a lot of greenhouse gases.”
President Granger explained that the position Guyana has taken is that the country’s forests “actually helps the earth to breathe” and as such, Guyana should be seen as “an asset to mother earth.” Guyana’s advocacy he said is timely, as the international community is more attentive now than in previous years.
Guyana has committed to improve timber monitoring and maintain a high level of timber legality; increase value-added activities in the forestry sector so as to augment carbon storage in long-use wood products; intensify the sustainable management of our indigenous communities which own and manage 14% of our national territory; introduce a national Emissions Reduction Programme (ERP) to add two million hectares under conservation, encourage more efficient mining and logging activities and implement Reduced Impact Logging(RIL) and invest in solar power, wind power and hydropower to transition more rapidly to renewable sources of energy and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels up to 2020.