CONSERVATION International Guyana (CI-Guyana) has signed separate grant agreements with the Protected Areas Commission (PAC) and the Protected Areas Trust (PAT), together worth $26M, to build their respective capacity.
The recent signing occurred in the boardroom of the Department of Environment and was witnessed by Director of the Department, Ndibi Schwiers.
“I think this is happening at a good time…H.E. [His Excellency] President Granger mentioned that an additional two million hectares will be protected and this will help in the achievement of our Government’s vision. What will result from this [support] will help us with determining how we move forward and how fast we will move forward. We’re very pleased to partner with CI… CI has really been a trusted partner,” she said.
The US$100,000 PAC grant will build the commission’s capacity to realise the expansion of the National Protected Areas Commission (NPAC) through strategic planning and organisational capacity development.
One key deliverable of the funding will be the production of a baseline study and strategy the expansion of the NPAS, which will recognise the critical importance of involvement of people in biodiversity conservation.
The PAC will also increase its capacity and skills in several areas across the organisation.
The US$25,000 grant to the PAT will build its ability to finance management of the expanding protected areas system by producing a fundraising plan, materials and capacity to promote the organisation’s vision and mandate.
“If we are going to talk about strategically expanding the protected areas system, then we have to talk about strategically building the financial capabilities to at least be able to support minimal management of the system as it is now and as it expands,” CI Guyana Technical Director, Curtis Bernard, said at the signing.
CI Guyana will also provide technical and other support to the PAC and PAT.
CI-Guyana’s Executive Director, Dr David Singh, pointed out that the Government of Guyana, having signed the Paris Climate Change Agreement, has committed under its Emissions Reduction Programme to conditionally realise conservation of an additional two million hectares of terrestrial areas.
The support provided by CI-Guyana will contribute to the meeting of this commitment. “It also meets a longstanding commitment under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity,” he said.
“The work that we all do with respect to conservation of our ecological resources… is really a big anchor of Guyana’s sustainable development efforts,” Singh said.
“Since independence, successive governments have always been aware of this need… In 1989, Iwokrama was established, in 2009, the Government launched its Low Carbon Development Strategy and signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kingdom of Norway, and today, the Department of Environment is leading the preparation [of] a green development strategy…. Work with the PAC and PAT is necessary to realise Guyana’s commitment.”
PAT Executive-Director, Geeta Devi Singh, said the project is part and parcel of the Trust’s vision and strategic plan and will enable the meeting of key objectives.
Meanwhile, PAC Acting Commissioner, Denise Fraser, identified partnership as a key component of conservation and green development work.
“Managing an efficient National Protected Areas System must include the involvement of partners, stakeholders and Government in order to result in a world-class product,” she said.