Guyana’s successful Iwokrama conservation model highlighted at COP29

– as success story is showcased in film to delegates in effort to raise awareness

Guyana’s successful implementation of its forest conservation model at Iwokrama was recently highlighted at the United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP29), which is being held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
During a COP29 side event on Tuesday, Guyana’s conservation efforts in collaboration with Indigenous communities were highlighted during a ceremony co-hosted by Namibia, Seychelles, and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
A short film was broadcasted during the event, titled ‘Take only what you need; the success story of the Iwokrama Forest’. According to Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, Iwokrama is a groundbreaking success story that deserves to be told on the international stage.

The Secretary-General further noted that if the world is to have a viable future, it is necessary to acknowledge and empower indigenous communities, who have proven their ability at sustainable livelihood.
“The Commonwealth Secretariat premiered this film at COP29 so delegates could hear the voices of Guyana’s Indigenous Peoples and see the ground-breaking Iwokrama Forest model’s success,” Scotland explained.
“The incredible progress of the last 200 years has come at an unsustainable cost. For a viable future, we need to acknowledge that Indigenous Peoples have managed their societies more sustainably. Justice, empowerment and solidarity with Indigenous Peoples will unlock a genuinely prosperous future for us all.”
Vice Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Sonia Latchman, spoke proudly of the Iwokrama film that was being broadcast to the COP. According to her, it is evident that Guyana lays a model for how to achieve a solution to the climate crisis.

“The video we saw says it all – in Guyana, we have the solution to the climate crisis, and we have a very good model for other countries to follow as it relates to diversity in Guyana, from rainforests to savannahs, and wetlands.”
“Indigenous Peoples are very important. Our voices must be heard, our rights respected, and we must be invited to the table. Guyana should be an example because our model is working – not just for all Indigenous Peoples but for all citizens back home,” she said.
Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat is being represented at COP29 by Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) Chairperson Vanessa Benn, who was also featured in the short film. According to Benn, the Government of Guyana is intent on continuing its partnership with Indigenous people when it comes to Iwokrama.
“We co-manage practically 1 million acres of this tropical forest, in partnership with indigenous communities who’ve been using this forest for decades.

They’re involved in the monitoring, the management, the implementation of projects and generally all our activities. And in terms of decision-making, they’re part of that process as well. So, they’re true partners.”
According to Benn, indigenous people’s knowledge is considered parallel compared to modern scientific knowledge. She noted that with each successive generation, this knowledge continues to inspire more and more indigenous youths to dedicate their time to managing the forests.
“We’re seeing wonderfully how children who started off learning about the flora and fauna, the biodiversity of this environment in which they live and how they’re able to move up that ladder and become Toshaos, chiefs in their villages, helping them to support their livelihoods and continually manage these beautiful forests, which we’re blessed with,” Benn added.
Iwokrama Rainforest was created in 1996 under the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development Act of 1996. It was set up as a protected area to show how forests can be used for social and economic benefits, such as food and medicines, while at the same time being sustainably managed and protected.
In addition to its rich biodiversity and ecosystem, Guyana’s total forest covers some 18.4 million hectares, stores more than 19.5 gigatonnes of carbon and removes some 154 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually.
With more than 80 per cent of the country being covered by forest, Guyana can sequester approximately 19.5 gigatons of carbon. This strategy thus plays a crucial role in the global fight against climate change.
As a result, the Government of Guyana, through the Expanded Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, managed to sign a deal with Hess Corporation for up to US$750 million for 30 per cent of the carbon credits Guyana’s forest offers.
Since the signing of that deal in December 2022, Guyana has managed to support Amerindian communities in the development of sustainable projects that would serve as new sources of revenue.
The deal with HESS came on the heels of Guyana being the first country to receive a certification of more than 33 million carbon credits by the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) on December 1, 2022.