Director of Climate and REDD+ at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Pradeepa Bholanath, says young people must be placed at the centre of climate action and biodiversity conservation, as Guyana moves to strengthen science-based decision-making through education and community involvement.
Speaking on Monday during the signing of a Declaration of Intent between the Government of Guyana and the United Nations (UN) to advance participation in the Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA), Bholanath outlined an ambitious vision aimed at equipping future generations with the tools needed to shape environmental policy and conservation efforts.
According to Bholanath, the alliance is focused on ensuring that policy-making around biodiversity and climate issues begins with scientific understanding and that young people are prepared from an early age to take leadership roles in the sector.
“I’m very pleased to share with you our thinking in terms of shaping that component on youth involvement in terms of climate action and biodiversity,” she said.
She explained that one of the reasons Yale University was welcomed as a founding member of the GBA was its strong emphasis on science-driven learning and policy development.
“What they have offered, and this is a big part of the vision moving forward, is really making the case that a lot of what we need to think about at the professional level, at the decision-making and policy level, really needs to start with the science,” Bholanath said.
“And to be able to shape policy and decision-making, we need to think like scientists. And that needs to start at the academic level, within schools, at the tertiary level.”
She noted that the alliance intends to work closely with schools and tertiary institutions to build interest in biodiversity and climate-related fields among young people while helping to develop the next generation of environmental leaders.
“So, what we are looking to do through the Global Biodiversity Alliance, working through academic institutions, really is cantered on moulding young minds to be the decision-makers of the future,” he said.
Bholanath also addressed concerns regarding the involvement of international institutions, revealing that regional universities are increasingly becoming part of the initiative.
He announced that the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University of Guyana (UG) joined the Global Biodiversity Alliance in recent weeks, alongside St. George’s University and Texila American University.
“We’ve paid specific emphasis to allow for the change to commence and to begin from within,” she said, explaining that local and regional institutions are being included to ensure the transformation in environmental thinking is rooted in communities across the Caribbean and Guyana.
She further stressed that the long-term goal is to ensure biodiversity science and environmental awareness become deeply embedded in education systems and influence policy at every level.
Bholanath said: “We’ve paid specific attention to having that movement start from within, so that the change we are seeking to inculcate within our thinking, and within the documents that get published, and within science coming up to decision-making level to inform policy, that it is coming from our children,”
The Director also highlighted biodiversity conservation as one of the alliance’s four main objectives, emphasising the important role indigenous and forest-based communities already play in protecting Guyana’s natural resources.
“A lot of that has to do with incorporating the work of indigenous communities and forest-based communities. We have a lot of young people at the indigenous peoples and local communities’ level that are leading the way,” he said.
She pointed to the South Rupununi Conservation Society as one of the founding members of the GBA and an example of youth-led conservation efforts producing meaningful results at the community level.
“That is predominantly young people working to shape the solution on what conservation should look like at the community level,” Bholanath noted, adding that their lessons can be replicated and expanded to other areas.
Beyond conservation, Bholanath said the alliance places significant emphasis on training and capacity building, with universities already being engaged to help redesign curricula to make biodiversity science more practical and accessible.
“A lot of this really starts with young people,” he said, while explaining that institutions are being encouraged to explore ways of translating biodiversity science into practical decision-making and policymaking.
She added that the alliance distinguishes itself from other global initiatives through its broad partnership model, which includes governments, academic institutions, indigenous communities, development organisations and the private sector.
He said, “I believe that is one of the things that will set the Global Biodiversity Alliance apart from other alliances.”
Looking ahead, Bholanath revealed that discussions are already underway with the Ministry of Education to integrate biodiversity education and elements of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 into school curricula and digital learning platforms.
“It’s about creating access and creating an excitement… we have to ensure for this to be sustained, our children as well need to feel that to take this forward,” she added.
The GBA, conceptualised by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, is a Guyana-led international initiative launched in July 2025 to bring together countries, experts and key stakeholders to advance biodiversity conservation, unlock the value of ecosystem services through carbon markets, and support the global goal of protecting 30 per cent of nature by 2030.
Headquartered in Georgetown, Guyana, the alliance is focused on developing, promoting and implementing innovative financing mechanisms, including biodiversity credits, to support conservation efforts and sustainable environmental management.
