UK renews commitment to Guyana’s climate, environment conservation efforts

Guyana and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their dedication to addressing climate issues and conservation efforts, emphasising their renewed collaboration to safeguard natural environments.
The commitments were made by President Dr Irfaan Ali and British High Commissioner to Guyana, Jane Miller on Thursday during a reception to commemorate the birth anniversary of King Charles III, who has renewed his patronage of the Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development (IIC).
“This demonstrates his [the King’s] continuing commitment to advancing sustainable rainforest management and climate change resilience,” President Ali stated.
“Guyana is grateful for His Majesty’s deep commitment to environmental sustainability and we will continue to work with the United Kingdom in ensuring the protection and conservation of our natural environment.”

The English Monarch became IIC’s Patron in 2000 when he was HRH Prince of Wales, after visiting Guyana and the Iwokrama rainforest. He has since been a strong supporter of Iwokrama’s work to develop modern rainforest conservation models and practices, and its innovative approaches to showing value for the ecosystem services that tropical forests generate.
President Ali has recognised that the UK has been a strong supporter of Guyana’s role of providing strong leadership on climate, environment, and forestry.
He explained that Guyana has committed to bringing together the world superpowers in biodiversity and leading the effort towards ensuring that by the United Nations General Assembly in 2026, “biodiversity will be on the agenda and that a payment mechanism, market-based mechanism, value-based mechanism will be developed for biodiversity assets within Guyana and among those countries that would have secured…biodiversity”.
In further elaborating on Guyana’s global leadership on these issues, President Ali reminded that the country is currently co-chairing a Commonwealth initiative on forestry and the role of forestry in combating the effects of climate change.
For her part, Ambassador Miller announced that the UK would expand its work in the forestry sector in Guyana, noting that “we will be deliberately responding and complementing the amazing work of others, responding to Guyana’s priorities and also complementing our ongoing work with the Guyana Forestry Commission on forestry governance”.
She also noted that the blue economy must not be forgotten and as such, reminded of efforts made by the UK to support the blue economy in Guyana.
The diplomat revealed that two local organisations – Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) and the Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) – received UK grants to bolster their work in the Barima-Mora Passage and the Mahaica Wetlands respectively.
Ambassador Miller further noted that the UK has been assisting Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries in the development of a regional ocean governance policy, which she said is crucial in ensuring the sustainable use of marine resources across the Caribbean.
The sustainable growth of the blue economy is captured in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 (LCDS 2030).