AS the world gathers in Georgetown for the first Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit, Guyana takes centre stage.
It is not just a location for environmental discussions; it is a leader setting the agenda for a planet in crisis. This summit goes beyond being another event on the calendar. For Guyana, it offers a chance to reshape its future and address the plight of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems and marginalised communities.

Guyana’s forests cover 86 per cent of its land area, store over 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon, and capture more than 153 million tonnes of carbon each year.
In an era when climate summits are often led by wealthy, industrialised nations, the choice of this small, biodiversity-rich country to host the summit is a strong statement. Guyana is using its natural resources and proud conservation achievements to gain international influence.

By bringing together world leaders, scientists, Indigenous representatives, and innovators, Guyana urges the world to recognise the true worth of its natural resources and, importantly, the role that frontline nations must have in addressing the global crisis.

This effort is more than a symbolic act. President Irfaan Ali’s pledge to double protected areas by the end of the year and to safeguard 30 per cent of Guyana’s land and marine ecosystems by 2030 is based on scientific evidence, legal frameworks, and community involvement.

The summit signifies a shift from merely losing biodiversity to actively restoring and valuing it.
Guyana is developing new financial tools, such as biodiversity credits, bonds and debt-for-nature swaps, to attract urgently needed investment in conservation. This approach serves not only Guyana but also acts as a model for other biodiversity hotspots seeking fair financing solutions.

The stakes are high. Globally, efforts to reach the goal of protecting 30 per cent of land and oceans by 2030, known as the “30×30” target, are stalling.
Most countries are off track, bogged down by red tape and slow funding. Guyana’s summit promotes international co-operation and, more importantly, calls for tangible commitments to stop and reverse environmental damage.

By creating a framework for biodiversity markets and taxonomies and working with global partners, such as the World Bank, Conservation International, Indigenous networks, and governments like Brazil, the summit changes how we value nature economically and politically. Biodiversity credits are not about compensating for failures; they are rewards for genuine stewardship.

The risks of species extinction, deforestation, and wetland loss are no longer just news headlines. They are stark realities that harm economies, threaten food security, and diminish human dignity.

With this summit, Guyana is not merely asking for help. It is issuing a strong call for systemic change, urging the global community to move past empty promises and act with urgency and fairness.

If this summit achieves its goals, its results will resonate far beyond Georgetown, shaping discussions at COP30 in Brazil and affecting United Nations agendas.
Guyana is demonstrating that conservation can lead to development, that ecological health is linked to human progress, and that leadership in environmental stewardship can emerge from anywhere.

For Guyana and the future of biodiversity on Earth, this summit is truly historic.