Guyana a global example of how resource-rich nations can pursue development

…as Guyana accelerates development while championing environmental stewardship

Guyana is emerging as a rare success story in a climate-conscious development, combining extraordinary economic expansion with firm environmental commitments. A recent Al Jazeera feature highlights how the nation is pursuing sustainable growth while preserving its extensive rainforest cover.

Between 2022 and 2024, Guyana recorded an average gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of approximately 47 per cent — the highest in the world — driven primarily by offshore oil discoveries and subsequent development. Despite this rapid economic expansion, around 85 per cent of the country remains covered by pristine forest, and the Government has expressed a firm commitment to preserving this natural heritage. The tourism sector, still small but expanding, is being approached deliberately. As one guide at Turtle Mountain reflects, the approach prioritises ecological integrity.

“The manner in which the tourism is being implemented is along a very sustainable fashion,” she said, noting that most of Guyana remains “uncharted, pristine and unexploited.” Local Indigenous communities are central to the country’s conservation strategy. Marcey Joni, an Indigenous guide, emphasised the importance of the forest to her people: “The forest is very important for me and my community because we all benefit from it.” President Irfaan Ali has defended Guyana’s approach as a balanced and forward-looking strategy. He highlights the country’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), first introduced in 2009, alongside the current adoption of advanced, sustainable forestry practices.
“Keeping the standing forests … adopting the best technologies … subjecting ourselves to the highest form of monitoring and evaluation. So people should judge us on our track record,” he told the report. The Government is expanding infrastructure in a calculated way, paving roads through largely forested areas to connect remote villages to markets and services, and encouraging agriculture and community development.

Simultaneously, mining activity (particularly gold) is being regulated to avoid environmental degradation. While these efforts are seen by some as progress, others worry they could undermine Guyana’s environmental standing if not carefully managed. Ecotourism is viewed as a growth area that could benefit remote communities without harming biodiversity. The Government aims to channel some of the economic gains from oil into sustainable, community-led tourism enterprises in the hinterland, nurturing local jobs while preserving pristine landscapes. Guyana’s environmental approach stands in stark contrast to neighbouring Amazonian nations. Trees cover more than 90 per cent of its territory, and the country maintains over 80 per cent humid forest cover. Unlike Brazil or Peru, where deforestation rates have reached alarming levels, Guyana’s forest loss has remained low. Much of this success hinges on Indigenous stewardship.
In the South Rupununi region, community-led conservation patrols regularly monitor illegal mining and logging with GPS, drones and satellite phones. These groups have successfully prompted regulatory intervention. After efforts to curb wildcat gold mining near Brazil’s border, incidents dropped significantly.
Logging controls are tight as well. The country employs verification systems to ensure that timber from illegal sources does not enter the market. Experts from groups like the World Wildlife Fund have praised Guyana for maintaining such systems. Legal recognition of Indigenous land rights has further reinforced conservation. Roughly 13 per cent of the country’s land is formally titled to Indigenous groups, and these areas consistently show the strongest environmental protection results. As Guyana’s oil wealth translates into other developmental sectors, the nation stands at a critical crossroads: can it sustain rapid growth without sacrificing its environmental capital?
So far, its strategy aligns economic expansion with strong regulatory safeguards, Indigenous involvement and sustainable practices. International attention is growing, with many environmentalists calling Guyana a global example of how resource-rich nations can pursue development without permitting unchecked environmental loss.
That path is narrow, but if Guyana continues its “low-carbon” model—taking advantage of modern forestry technology, community involvement, and rigorous monitoring—it may offer a powerful blueprint for sustainable development in the age of climate change.
As President Ali said, much will be judged on performance: “People should judge us on our track record” in balancing progress with preservation.