Guyana pledges 70% reduction of carbon emissions by 2030 at COP26

…as President Ali tells world leaders decisive actions needed

In keeping with his position to set realistic and achievable targets, President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced that Guyana will be aiming to reduce its carbon emissions by 70 per cent in 2030 through a progressively cleaner energy mix.
He made this declaration during his presentation at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday morning.

Addressing world leaders, President Ali pointed out that the fate of civilisation rests on the outcome of COP26. He noted that climate change has presented leaders with an ultimatum to either take immediate and drastic action or be subjected to a global disaster.
“Indifference and inaction will be costly. Already, we are far behind in limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The coming decade, therefore, must be the decade of decisive action,” he stated.
To this end, the Head of State outlined that Guyana has already started playing its part in addressing the climate crisis and will continue to do so.
“We will decouple economic growth and emissions through a progressively cleaner energy mix, with the aim of reducing our carbon emissions by 70 per cent by 2030. We will invest in low carbon opportunities for jobs, ecosystem services and social inclusion through an expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy,” the Guyanese leader posited.

Only last week, President Ali launched Guyana’s renewed Low Carbon Development Strategy – LCDS 2030, which will drive the country’s energy transition using a mix of renewable sources. Already, Cabinet has approved the construction of the Amaila Falls Hydropower Project (AFHP), which will add 165 megawatts of clean power to the national grid.

Forests
Meanwhile, the Guyanese Head of State went on to emphasise to world leaders the importance of sustaining forests. He noted that Guyana has already undertaken efforts to maintain its forests – which is almost the size of England and Scotland combined, storing 20 gigatons of carbon – as a global asset.
“We will work with local communities in conserving, protecting and sustainably managing our forests, biodiversity and freshwater supplies,” he pointed out.
Given the powerful arsenal that forests possess, President Ali underscored its key role in the global fight against the climate crisis and advocated for benefits to ensure their sustenance.
“Forest-rich countries must be provided with the incentives necessary to keep their forests intact and to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Mindful that deforestation contributes 16 per cent to annual global emissions and in recognition of the ecosystem and climate services provided by forests, it is imperative that we finalise the rules for carbon markets and REDD+ so as to properly value tropical forests and the climate services which they provide,” the Guyanese leader stressed.

Honouring ambitions
However, even as Guyana outlines its pledges to the existential global fight, the Head of State posited that this commitment must be shared and upheld by everyone, especially the developed countries which contribute more to the climate crisis.
“We must set more ambitious goals to reduce emissions, and we must honour, to the letter, those ambitions. All countries have an obligation to act but the world’s foremost polluters have a greater duty to institute steeper emission cuts,” Ali charged.

In fact, the Head of State indicated that while Guyana recently became an oil producer, the country fully supports the removal of subsidies from fossil fuel production and advocates for a strong global carbon price.
Moreover, the President added that “climate change affects us all – rich, poor, developed and developing States – but its effects are more severe on the poorest and most vulnerable – especially Small Island Developing States and low-lying coastal States. For us it is a question of survival. We can use this summit to change the present trajectory.”
Against this backdrop, the Guyanese leader threw the country’s support behind the position of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and is aligned with the Alliance for Small Island States (AOSIS), the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Leticia Pact, the DHAKA-Glasgow Declaration and the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, among others.
He further highlighted that immediate action is needed to ensure the pledge of US$100 billion per annum, made one decade ago, to support climate action is met. He warned that dishonouring these pledges is a recipe for disaster.
“We are at a historic moment in our civilisation. History must not judge us as having only counted our losses. It must instead herald our efforts to confront one of our planet’s greatest threats – climate change… Let future generations say, when it mattered the most, we made a difference,” the Guyanese Head of State implored.
To this end, President Ali reiterated that Guyana is prepared to work with international community for collective action. (G8)