Georgetown: Today (April, 22, 2015) is Earth Day. It is also the 45th Anniversary of Earth Day, which was first observed in 1970.
Below is a statement by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud:
“On the first Earth Day in 1970, an astounding 20 million peoples across the US demonstrated in protest against the evident pollution, bringing environment to the front and centre in the US and globally.
Earth Day continued to be observed until 2009 mostly in the US and Canada, though a few other countries chose to participate. This changed in 2010 after the UN declared April 22 International Mother Earth Day or Earth Day for short.
International Mother Earth Day is celebrated to remind each of us that the Earth and its ecosystems provide us with life and sustenance. It also recognises a collective responsibility, as called for in the 1992 Rio Declaration, to promote harmony with nature and the Earth to achieve a just balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations of humanity.
International Mother Earth Day provides an opportunity to raise public awareness around the world to the challenges regarding the well-being of the planet and all the life it supports.
Presently, the Earth must out of necessity gear up to fight the war of climate change. As Earth’s opponent, climate change has the ability to cause untold devastation to Earth’s people and their lives. Climate change is superior in reach to any advanced missile – it can reach the whole world!
Earth Day 2015
Earth Day 2015 is celebrated under the theme “It’s our turn to lead”. This was aptly explained by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who noted that “the big decisions that lie ahead are not just for world leaders and policy-makers. Today, on Mother Earth Day, I ask each one of us to be mindful of the impacts our choices have on this planet, and what those impacts will mean for future generations “.
As we observe Earth Day, we can lead by calling for a binding Global Climate Change Treaty to be signed this year – after 20 years of attempts. Let us as individuals also lead the demand for power from renewable energy sources and energy-saving technology and as companies lead investment in renewable energy.
Guyana shows leadership in fight against climate change
In 2006, Guyana took the decision to act against climate change and made a conscious decision to chart a Low Carbon Development Path guided by a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). Guyana’s bold decision to transition into a green economy earned recognition by the Government of Norway, which, in 2009 in a first partnership of its kind between a developed and developing country, pledged $250 million to help Guyana along this path up to 2015 – of course – based on performance. Guyana has been performing well and has been benefiting from these funds which are being used to catalyse efforts to diversify the economy and provide new economic opportunities, employment and more efficient use of resources.
Improving capacity to
assess deforestation
To build its capacity to assess deforestation, the Guyana Forestry Commission developed a robust Monitoring Reporting and Verification System (MRVS) to determine its forest cover and rate of deforestation. Using this system, Guyana’s annual rate of deforestation has been found to be less than 1.0 per cent showing a small increase from 0.054 per cent in 2011 to 0.079 per cent and decreasing in 2013 to 0.068 per cent. These rates compare very favourably with Guyana’s Reference Level as agreed under the Guyana-Norway Bilateral Agreement on Forest and Climate, which is set at 0.275 per cent.
Among the significant projects aimed at mitigation of climate change is the US$80 million Amaila Falls Hydro-lectric Plant Project, which –when it is completed – will deliver 165 MW (megawatts), providing a steady source of clean, renewable energy that is affordable and reliable to meet most of Guyana’s energy needs while transitioning the country from dependence on fossil fuels.
Focus is also on adaptation to climate change because of the reality of most of Guyana’s population, agriculture and economic activities are located on the low coastal plain, which is under the threat of flooding from heavy rains and sea-level rise. As such, a US$2M Project to rehabilitate the Cunha Canal is under way to widen, rehabilitate and reroute the Canal to increase its discharge capacity and reduce incidence of flooding of the low coast and associated economic and social consequences.
The LCDS also acknowledges the importance of limiting deforestation and forest degradation from gold mining, and as was reported in the 2013, since the launch of the LCDS the Government has redoubled its efforts to ensure that mining practices are continually being improved and aligned with international best practices over time.
The Government of Guyana has been at the forefront of informing citizens both on the coast and in hinterland communities about climate change. Information dissemination, discussion and consultations have been and continue to be critical to the success of the chosen low-carbon development path. Information on progress of projects being funded under the Norway-Guyana agreement is freely available to citizens.
As well, all relevant Government Agencies are gradually mainstreaming the LCDS and climate change mitigation and adaptation into their programmes. The Guyana Forestry Commission, for example, continues to work with forestry-based communities to educate on REDD+. Further, the Environmental Protection Agency has an ongoing climate change awareness programme with primary schools and as part of its Litter Enforcement Programmes has embraced education as a tool in the fight against littering by developing an illustrated story book aimed at the nursery aged children.
A purposeful future
Following its LCDS, Guyana intends to place focus on new areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation while increasing livelihoods and income for its people. Some of the areas to be developed include business process outsourcing, aquaculture, eco-tourism, and fruits and vegetables. In addition, there will be continued focus on strengthening the forestry and mining sectors. For hinterland communities, there will be emphasis on hinterland adaptation measures, ICTs and distance learning. Other new areas that would be addressed include clean transportation and curriculum development towards mainstreaming climate change education.
Guyana is firmly on a sustainable development path, one that would lead to prosperity while placing it amongst the few countries that are walking its talk about addressing climate change. This is a future which together we should all work toward.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.