Guyanese delegation attends UN Biodiversity Conference

A Guyanese delegation is currently attending COP 15 to highlight strides made by Guyana in environmental protection and remain at the forefront of decision making in global climate action.

Scientists, rights advocates and delegates from nearly 200 countries are gathering in Montreal, Canada for COP 15: the United Nations Biodiversity conference.

The destruction of forests, wetlands and other natural ecosystems that clean air and water for the world's now 8 billion human residents continues worldwide. This has put over a million species at risk of extinction.

This event is a global call to action in addressing this.

A team from Guyana is attending this event which runs from December 7 to 19. This team includes representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, Protected Areas Commission as well as government representatives.

This COP aims to have countries agree on a new set of goals to guide global action through 2030 to halt and reverse nature loss.

Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud emphasised that it is important for Guyana to be represented at these events to remain at the forefront of decision making in global strategies for climate action.

“Because we take these conferences very seriously, as much as we take our international obligation seriously. We go to ensure we are part of decision making and also to highlight what we are doing nationally.”

He further stated that this gives Guyana an opportunity to showcase the strides we are making on a national level.

Significantly, Guyana is currently pursuing the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030. The LCDS outlines the mobilisation of forest resources for Guyana's development and demonstrates Guyana's long term plan for a new low carbon ecosystem economy.

Guyana's possessed more than 18 million hectares of rainforests which are estimated to store approximately 20 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, in his opening remarks at the conference, emphasised the interlinked relationship between climate action and protection of biodiversity.

He charged developed nations to take more action and provide meaningful support to ensure that developing countries have more direct, simpler, and faster access to much-needed financing for climate protection.