…Natural Resources Ministry welcomes $9.1B from Norway

GUYANA, during the period 2015-2018, recorded lower deforestation rates when compared to previous years under the Guyana-Norway Agreement, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Friday while noting that throughout the entire period (2010-present), the country maintained a forest cover of over 99 per cent.

Stating from the onset that it was pleased with the Kingdom of Norway’s release of $9.1B into Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund – the final tranche under the Guyana-Norway Agreement, the Natural Resources Ministry said the country’s successes are as a result of tremendous work done by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).

“The basis of the Guyana-Norway Agreement rests on keeping Guyana’s forest cover maintained at a high level, and concurrently, deforestation rates at a low level. The work associated with managing forest cover and monitoring and reporting on performance on an annual basis essentially that which forms the performance reporting system has been undertaken by the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) since the inception of the agreement in 2010,” the ministry explained in a statement.

Statistics coming out of the Forestry Commission indicate that Guyana’s deforestation rates stood at 0.056 for 2010, 0.054 in 2011, 0.079 in 2012, 0.068 in 2013, and 0.065 in 2014. In 2015 and 2016, the rates dropped to 0.050 and even further in 2017 to 0.048. In 2018, the deforestation rate stood at 0.051. The data for 2019 is currently being processed.
“Specifically during the period 2015 to 2018, Guyana has seen lower deforestation rates than the previous years of the 9-year reporting period to date. The MNR is especially pleased about these results as these speak to the commendable stewardship of Guyana’s forest. Throughout this entire period, forest cover in Guyana has been maintained at over 99%,” the Natural Resources Ministry stated.

It said while reporting on forest area and deforestation rates has been a key focus for the GFC, the commission has also advanced work in the area of governance, particularly under the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (EUFLEGT) and Independent Forest Monitoring (IFM).

Notably, during the period 2010-2019, GFC’s Community Forestry Programme expanded, resulting in over 500,000 hectares being issued to Community Forestry Associations, which directly employ close to 3,000 persons.

These successes, the Natural Resources Ministry iterates, are as a result of the excellent work done by Commissioner James Singh and his staff at the Guyana Forestry Commission.
“As Commissioner Singh’s long years of service ends and as he proceeds on medical leave at the start of 2020, the MNR takes this opportunity to thank him for his service and wishes him the best, health wise, and in his future endeavours,” the ministry said.
During the established period, the Forestry Community, under the guidance of its board, undertook a comprehensive effort to re-examine concessions which had been allocated whilst providing support to ensure that concessionaires are fulfilling their contractual obligations.

“During this period, some two million hectares of forest area were restored to unallocated state forest including that of the Barama Company Ltd, who voluntarily relinquished its concessions. The lower production volume can be associated with these actions though, it is useful to note, are not relevant to the deforestation rate per se,” the Natural Resources Ministry explained.

The ministry said it remains steadfast in its commitment as outlined in the revised National Forest Policy 2018. The role of Guyana’s forest, it said, is far beyond timber harvesting, and as such, includes forests for conservation and sustainable utilisation such as eco-tourism, research, biodiversity and protection.

“This is more incumbent on Guyana now that we are an oil-producing nation,” the Natural Resources Ministry said.

Over the past nine years, several aspects of the reporting commitments under the Guyana Norway agreement, including those described above, have seen close to 30 per cent of GFC staff time and budget allocated to these areas. According to the ministry, the Forestry Commission looks forward to a new round of the Guyana-Norway Agreement that will directly resource the commission for its role.

Justifying its position, the Ministry admitted that the reduction in production and accompanying log exports have negatively affected the Forestry Commission’s finances. In recent times, the commission was unable to pay its staff on time due to the lack of a reserve.

“Guyana’s Forests are its most pristine asset…We look forward to a continued strong collaboration with the Government of the Kingdom of Norway in the future,” the ministry said while iterating its satisfaction with the implementation of the agreement.
The G$9.1B released into the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund will be administered by the World Bank to finance developmental projects here in Guyana.

According to Head of the Ministry of the Presidency’s Project Management Office, Dr. Marlon Bristol, the funds will be used for projects in areas such as renewable energy, ‘green’ tourism, biodiversity, strengthening of indigenous mechanisms, and the European Union- FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) Partnership.

Guyana, Dr. Bristol disclose, will soon enter a new round of talks with the Norwegians to support President David Granger’s Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) and especially those environmental safeguards that can realise a ‘green’ economy.