Former Norwegian Minister defends Guyana-Norway climate and forest partnership

Mar 26, 2013 News

Former Norwegian Minister of Environment and International Development, Erik Solheim, has defended the “Guyana-Norway climate and forest partnership” by citing significant economic and environmental benefits for Guyana.

Norway’s former Environment and International Development Minister Erik Solheim.

Solheim, via e-mail to this newspaper, yesterday dismissed any unorthodox act in relation to the partnership, and charged that Guyana and Norway have made history in this “first-of-its-kind partnership.” Solheim was clearing the air on why his country had chosen to tie bundles with Guyana in tackling the issue of climate change.
“I have been grossly misrepresented in your article of 21 March on the Guyana-Norway climate and forest partnership. I have not made any statements along the lines you propose to ‘quote’ in this article. It is simply an untruth, and I expect an apology.”
This issue was duly explained by the newspaper. The initial publication from which the quote was taken has not been challenged.
According to the Norwegian official, Guyana is among the few countries that keeps deforestation low and embarks on a low carbon development path. Solheim highlighted the “high political commitment Guyana has shown in this area.” He reiterated “Guyana’s high forest cover and exceptionally low deforestation rate.”
“Twenty per cent of the world’s remaining tropical forests are in such countries,” he said. “It is crucial to the health of the planet that these countries are incentivized to keep it that way. Guyana’s commitment to use the funds generated through the partnership on low-carbon development, in particular as regards to putting the country on a clean and renewable energy trajectory and investing heavily in adaptation to unavoidable climate change,” was also considered prior to the partnership.
Solheim added , “The pay for performance- partnership could serve as a model for the world, as developing and developed countries alike struggle with the defining challenge of our time – avoiding catastrophic climate change.”
The core merit of the partnership, Solheim said, is in solving the challenges of climate change “for real, and not on paper.” He said that the world may learn something for this cohesion, while adding that Norway and Guyana have made admirable progress since work started in 2009.
“Obviously, much remains to be done. However, I am confident that Norway continues committed to the partnership with Guyana and that the two countries will succeed with their joint efforts to keep deforestation low and to create a low carbon development path for Guyana.”
“The people of Guyana should be proud of this partnership. Climate change is the defining challenge of our time. Guyana and Norway are trying very seriously to deal with it. That, in itself, is an example to a world which will have to change, urgently, if certain disaster is to be avoided.”

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Head of the Climate Change Unit, Shyam Nokta, also told Kaieteur News that Guyana is one of few countries in the world that is being paid for the climate services our forests provide, with Brazil and Indonesia being the only other two.
He said that Guyana and Norway’s partnership is now the world’s second largest Interim REDD+ scheme. So far, Nokta noted, Guyana has earned US$115 million in payments for forest climate services through the Norway partnership and the payments, along with national and other sources of financing are being channeled to implement projects outlined in the LCDS. In total, the partnership may see Guyana earning up to US$250M by 2015.
A Norwegian writer, Chris Lang, however opined oblivion towards Norway and Guyana’s relationship since prior to Solheim and former President Bharrat Jagdeo signing a Memorandum of Understanding, there had been no connection between the two countries.
The writer had quoted Norwegian stallholders as viewing Norway’s move towards Guyana as being “quite naive”. Another official, it was pointed out, described the partnership as “bad aid” adding that “Guyana is among the most corrupt countries in the world. Jagdeo was steering it like his own farm. They don’t even have a law for public procurements!”