–over 320,000 people to benefit directly

TO reduce the risk of severe flooding, the World Bank has approved a US$45 million grant for Guyana to roll out a new Coastal Adaptation and Resilience Project.
The initiative, according to the World Bank, will see the country adapting to climate change, and reducing the risk of flooding in its coastal and vulnerable regions.
It is expected to benefit around 320,000 people, which captures approximately 40 per cent of the country’s population, including the most vulnerable.
According to a press statement, Guyana is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change.

Studies have shown that rising sea levels, among the highest in the world, expose 100 per cent of the country’s coastal agriculture, and 66.4 per cent of its coastal urban areas to flooding and erosion, with potential GDP losses that could exceed 46.4 per cent.
According to the World Bank, Guyana’s coastal drainage system comprises a unique, intricate network of canals, culverts, sluices, and pumps, and, over time, its operational capacities have declined due to insufficient investments in maintenance in previous years, and growing flood risk arising from urbanisation and the impacts of climate change.

Following the 2005 floods, the government re-emphasised the importance of flood risk management, and increased the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)’s budget.
The new Coastal Adaptation and Resilience Project will build on existing efforts to enhance flood-risk management in Guyana.
With the funding secured, Guyanese could expect to see the repair or replacement of more than 45 drainage infrastructure assets, focusing on sluices, the World Bank explained.
Further, the investments will take into consideration projected land uses, population growth, urbanisation, and climate change impacts to enhance drainage functionality for efficient rainfall runoff discharge, improve flood protection, and strengthen irrigation services.
“This initiative builds on a long-standing engagement between the World Bank and Guyana on strengthening resilience to flooding and natural hazards. With this operation, we are reinforcing Guyana’s efforts to maximize disaster risk management while protecting lives and reducing inequalities in the long term,” Diletta Doretti, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guyana and Suriname is quoted by the World Bank as saying.

“This project is also a critical component of Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), aligning with the country’s broader vision for climate resilient growth,” Doretti added.
The country’s Agriculture Ministry will be a key stakeholder in the roll out of the project effectively managing and operating the drainage system.

The project will see the upgrade of the NDIA’s asset management system, develop technical standards for flood risk management in urban areas, and provide training to enhance personnel capacity for system operation and maintenance.
The US$45 million grant is financed by the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund, which was set up and funded by Norway. Under the agreement, Norway compensates Guyana for curbing greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation.
Guyana channels these payments into implementing its low-carbon development strategy. The Coastal Adaptation and Resilience Project is part of these efforts
Only recently, the country’s National Assembly passed a historic legislation to intensify efforts at safeguarding and maintaining critical sea and river defences.

The Bill, the Sea and River Defence Bill, which was passed without any changes, will see several key adjustments, including a system for flood management, and enhanced sea and river defence management, which will see the government and the local Sea and River Defence Board having more authority.
Additionally, the Bill contains a change in the definition of sea and river defences to include natural defences like mangroves.

During his contribution to the National Assembly, Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha had said the new legislation will replace outdated provisions in the existing law which is no longer effective or relevant in the current text of climate change.
“By the end of the century, we will see the see level rising, and we will see the temperature increase by four degrees Celsius; we have to be prepared to counter that. And that is what we are doing by bringing legislation to this Assembly,” Mustapha had said.
Once enacted, the Bill will also see threats to the agriculture sector being reduced significantly.