PPP/C Govt has sound management of Guyana’s natural resources

Dear Editor,
Recently, Guyanese citizens filed the first constitutional climate case in the Caribbean to challenge fossil fuel production on the grounds that it exacerbates global warming and threatens human rights. The case, before Guyana’s constitutional court, claims that Guyana’s approval of a massive, ExxonMobil-led oil and gas buildout off the country’s coast violates the Government’s legal duty to protect the rights to a healthy environment, sustainable development, and the rights of future generations, claiming the case reflects a growing concern within Guyana regarding the risks oil extraction poses on a national, regional, and international level. However, it is ironic that some Guyanese citizens will go this far to prevent development in their own country.
What bothers me is Guyana passed an Environmental Protection Act in June 1996. The Government of Guyana now uses this as the regulatory instrument to implement environmental policy and to promote environmental management which is integral to sustainable development. This Act establishes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the institution with the mandate for coordinating environmental management and provides for the management, conservation, protection and improvement of the environment, the prevention or control of pollution and the assessment of the impacts of economic development activities on the environment.
Aiming to advance sustainable economic growth in Guyana while preserving the country’s vast natural capital, UN Environment, in collaboration with the Government of Guyana, had presented the Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 to Guyana in May 2019.
The objective of this comprehensive policy was to reorient and diversify the Caribbean nation’s economy, reducing its reliance on resource-intensive sectors. It was also aiming to open new sustainable income and investment opportunities in green sectors with higher added value, while promoting equitable distribution of benefits and opportunities to all Guyanese citizens.
The Strategy was the platform from which Guyana can start its transition to a diversified and inclusive economy, transforming itself into a ‘green state’ and serve as an inspiration to other countries in the region and worldwide.
The world has come to realise that climate change is a grim, relentless reality. There is no avoidance. Hardly a day passes that we do not see the adverse impact of climate change. It was great for us to be ahead of the game, we have challenges with our coastal zone management, El Nino, droughts and floods.
And we have industries which are now starting to have an impact on air quality and water quality. The Development Strategy sets out multiple strategic actions to strengthen fiscal and monetary policy; sustainably manage land resources; increase economic competitiveness and resilience; build resilient infrastructure; move towards renewable energy; improve trade, investment and international cooperation; and foster a healthy, educated and socially cohesive population.
The national development policy reflected then, outlined  guiding vision and principles of the ‘green agenda’ – an inclusive and prosperous Guyana that provides a good quality life for all its citizens based on sound education and social protection, low-carbon and resilient development, providing new economic opportunities, justice and political empowerment. It is evident now that PPP/C Government has a sound management of Guyana’s natural resources, which is essential to the country’s global leadership in relation to climate change and sustainable development. The country has significant potential in the conservation of forests, which cover 87 per cent of its territory.
The Government of Guyana uses the knowledge the UN Environment as the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UN Environment has worked with governments, the private sector, civil society and with other UN entities and international organisations across the world. With that being said, with reference to decision making, strategies, policies and plans.
The EPA created various mechanisms for action with respect to environmental management. The environmental monitoring capability of the EPA has been enhanced through the establishment of a laboratory facility to undertake monitoring of various chemical parameters and to determine their environmental effects.
This was established through a private sector donation. Guyana has recognised that environmental management is a multi-disciplinary task. In this regard, the EPA carries out its task through linkages with sectoral natural resource agencies and the involvement of stakeholders and other interest groups, with several projects aiming to strengthen the technical and organisational capability of the agency that had also assisted in the legal and regulatory framework in environment and natural resources management. Under these projects, the PPP/C Government had strengthened the environmental management capacity of selected sectoral agencies, Ministries and Local Governments with significant environmental management responsibilities.
In this regard, initial work had begun with the mining and forestry sectors with a Memoranda of Understanding already being signed.
It is widely established that sustainable development cannot be achieved without an integrated approach which involves the public and private sectors and other groups.

Sincerely,
David Adams