GUYANA is positioning itself as a model of sustainable development, with President, Dr Irfaan Ali recently unveiling a vision that integrates nature-based solutions into climate action, especially as it relates to the need for sustainable housing.

President Ali,  in a recent televised interview on the sidelines of COP30, noted that Guyana’s development strategy goes beyond traditional climate targets, as the nation seeks to integrate biodiversity protection and economic progress into a single framework.

As he highlighted the fast-paced development the world is undergoing, the President firmly stated: “It’s not only about climate change, carbon credit; it’s about nature-based solutions for every single problem that we have, and this is where Guyana is leading and that is what the LCDS is designed to do. It’s designed to look at a development model that incorporates nature, that incorporates climate consideration in the results that we want to achieve, whether it’s housing, the use of natural gas…”

The Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 remains a cornerstone for national development and it has mapped the path of a new growth trajectory in a non-polluting way and as President Ali has consistently highlighted, Guyana is leading the way in finding solutions to global challenges including climate security, food security and energy security.

SUSTAINABLE HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT

President Ali explained how Guyana aims to promote affordable and resilient livelihoods, while simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the forests.

As part of this agenda, the President disclosed that there are ongoing discussions with Habitat For Humanity to develop sustainable housing that has a component of nature-based solutions.

Additionally, the Ministry of Housing has already underscored its commitment to exceed the ministry’s delivery goals while incorporating environmental responsibility, including plans to integrate climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and fire-safety infrastructure into future housing schemes.

This direction aims to set new standards for sustainable development.

The Government of Guyana earlier this year announced a ground-breaking collaboration with The King’s Foundation and Qatar Foundation’s Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future. This partnership aims to further President Ali’s vision for sustainable urban development as outlined in Guyana’s LCDS.

As part of this initiative, a signature-building will be constructed in Georgetown, utilising local materials, techniques, and expertise, alongside international best practices.

This building will serve as a model for how cultural and environmental heritage can inform modern practices in urban planning. It will provide a crucial template for sustainable urban development and locally led construction in Guyana. Insights gained from this collaboration will be shared with other countries facing similar challenges, including Qatar, fostering a global network of knowledge exchange and learning.

The two-year collaboration is a key element of Guyana’s partnership with The King’s Foundation, focusing on the LCDS 2030 priority of Sustainable Cities and Towns. This initiative emerged from discussions initiated by President Ali during his visit to Scotland in October 2024.

FORESTS, BIODIVERSITY AND CARBON FINANCE

Beyond energy and housing, Guyana continues to uphold its long-standing commitment to climate action and sustainability, and President Ali’s remarks on Guyana’s leadership in nature-based development can be backed by the nation’s achievements.

Through the LCDS, indigenous communities are allocated billions from carbon-credit revenue for development.

In the first year 2023, the funds were distributed to indigenous communities. A total of US$22.7 million was distributed to more than 200 Indigenous communities that year. Last year, the sum was US$23.27 million.

Meanwhile, Vice-President, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo had stated earlier this year at the National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference that the communities will receive US$23.27 million again this year.

This means that indigenous communities will continue to be able to develop and implement projects for their economic and social development.

Notably, Guyana has entered into a US $750 million agreement with the Hess Corporation to purchase at least $750 million worth of credits from Guyana between 2022 and 2032 to support the conservation of Guyana’s forests.

Earlier this year, technology giant Apple, undertook a new step in its sustainability efforts by purchasing 100,000 jurisdictional carbon credits, sourced from Guyana’s vast forest.

Since the relaunch of LCDS 2030 in 2022, Guyana has achieved world-leading milestones, including becoming the first country to receive jurisdictional forest carbon credits under the ART-TREES framework and completing a large-scale carbon-credit sale valued at up to US$750 million through 2030. Carbon revenue, expected to reach US$200 million this year, has already surpassed US$400 million over three years, exceeding the achievements of any other nation.

President Ali had also expressed hope that Guyana will unveil new forest-carbon agreements by the end of the year, aimed at further strengthening the country’s position as a global leader in forest conservation and low-carbon development.

Guyana continues to stay steadfast on the path to ensuring its forests continue to stand as a vital global asset, while delivering one of the most ambitious energy transitions in the world, creating thousands of jobs in sustainable forest use and in low-carbon sectors and investing in the infrastructure to protect against climate change and biodiversity loss.

CREATING VALUE CHAINS

President Ali had also said that Guyana has been championing incorporating nature and creating a value chain.

He said: “You cannot tell a community that we want to protect your ecosystem without telling them how we want to develop your infrastructure, how we are going to give you better health care, better education…”

It was on this note that the President expounded on the ongoing initiatives  that are not only converting ecosystems into value-chains, but are also reducing carbon emissions while boosting local industries such as eco-tourism.

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide and a significant source of income for many countries. It provides employment, revitalises local economies, and connects people across cultures. Yet, like other forms of development, tourism can also bring problems, including social displacement, loss of cultural heritage, economic dependence, and environmental degradation.

For Guyana, the way forward is through sustainable tourism, with eco-lodges leading the charge.