UNDP calls for wider consultation on climate change initiatives

By Samuel Sukhnandan

While recognising that Guyana has consistently sought to prioritise climate change adaptation, the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative, Shabnam Mallick, urged Government to implement strategies for

wider consultations with its citizenry.

Mallick was addressing the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Support Programme-Caribbean workshop on Wednesday, when she highlighted the importance of Guyana’s NAP, harmonising with the broader strategic processes, products and activities that are in play.

“It would also be equally, if not more, important to engage all sections of the Guyanese people on the importance of climate change stresses, and encourage their active partnership in implementing adaptation measures,” Mallick said while addressing workshop participants.

The UNDP official highlighted that Guyana is embarking on Green State Development and has now finalised a framework document for the Green State Development Strategy. The framework document is to provide Guyana with a roadmap for development along a reduced emissions pathway.

“It builds on the successes of the Low Carbon Development Strategy and other

related documents and processes, such as the Nationally Determined Contributions, Climate Resilience Strategy Action Plan, Draft National Energy Policy, and National Adaptation Strategy for the Agriculture Sector (2009 -2018),” she added.

Speaking on behalf of the Government, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said Guyana recognises the importance of reducing the risks and increasing the country’s resilience to climate change.

“We have taken steps for the integration of climate risk into national development planning, policies and programmes. Guyana has elaborated in its Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement, unconditional contributions for adaptation and is undertaking several initiatives,” he said.

Harmon said as part of Guyana vision for a Green Economy, with the support from UN Environment, the country has set out in its Green State Development Strategy Framework, Resilient Infrastructure and Spatial Development, which speaks to Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Infrastructure.

“This will be further supported, with technical assistance through Green Climate

Fund NAP readiness support, for better integrated planning on the coast and capacity building to develop a coastal community resilience plan, also with the support of UN Environment,” he stated.

Speaking about Guyana’s vulnerabilities to climate change, Harmon noted that while most may only consider the flood risk of the coast, the country’s hinterland region is also exposed, with the most recent flood occurring just over a week ago in Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni), affecting six villages and over 3000 people.

He said, “These natural hazards are expected to increase, due to projected temperatures increases and sea level rise together with higher storm surges, based on outputs of climate models. Guyana will also experience an increase in heavy rainfall.”

Meanwhile, Head, Caribbean Sub Regional Office, United National Environment Programme (UNEP) Vincent Sweeney says many countries still face several challenges when it comes to the integration and coordination of climate policies with other sectoral policies.

“… because of the operational difficulties involved, and also because sectoral policy and climate change have often conflicting or poorly aligned objectives such as forest protection policy versus agricultural production policy,” he explained.

Secondly, Sweeney highlighted the need to strengthen the capacities of local governments for action planning to adapt to climate change, in order to materialise national commitments and policies at the local level.

“It should be pointed out at this stage that the National Adaptation Plan for climate change is a process. In this sense, the national adaptation plan is not only the document itself, but also a process of dialogue between different institutional and non-institutional structures and civil society, and different sectors and levels of Government. It is a continuous, progressive and iterative process.”

In considering the long-term perspective, the UN Environment official said countries should note that often adaptation actions have been implemented in response to a series of situations.

According to him, to achieve the change required for low-carbon, resilient and equitable economies, a medium- and long-term view is needed, that is integrated with national development planning processes and strategies, issues of gender, and also with a participatory and transparent approach.

The three-day workshop will emphasise the various sectoral, gender and economic dimensions of implementing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP). Importantly, the meeting will also serve to discuss financial and technical opportunities towards implementation of NAPs in the Caribbean.

Guyana is serving as the host country for the workshop which is aimed at strengthening the capacity of public officials to develop National Adaptation Plans to tackle climate change.

Representatives from several Caribbean countries were present for the opening of the workshop.