Latest update January 18th, 2025 7:00 AM
Govt. examines reforestation, solar power for mined out bauxite areas
-Harmon tells desertification forum in Ecuador
Government is examining a number of options for mined out bauxite areas, including reforestation, as well as the introduction of solar energy to residents living there.
One of five high-profile panelists last week during a forum in Quito, Ecuador, for the Global Observance for the World Day to Combat Desertification, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon made mention of the people of Coomacka, Region Ten, wh
Minister Harmon (r) making his presentation during the forum in Quito, Ecuador.
o are affected by constant flooding when water from the rains come down from the hills.
Harmon appealed for solutions that will solve problems like this.
He assured the gathering that Guyana is committed to addressing the issue of degradation, land desertification and drought.
Minister Harmon was one of five ministers who addressed the gathering and answered questions. The other ministers were from Ecuador, Grenada, Jamaica, Honduras and Poland.
Specifically being discussed by the panelists were policies and practices to invest in sustainable land management.
One of the questions posed to Guyana was how land degradation neutrality (LDN) targets will be integrated in this country’s Green State Development Strategy.
Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is the state where the amount and quality of land resources, necessary to support ecosystem functions and services and enhance food security, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.
To date, over 110 countries have engaged with the LDN target setting programme and considerable progress has been made since the 2030 agenda was adopted in 2015.
Minister Harmon (r) making his presentation during the forum in Quito, Ecuador.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa (UNCCD) is a convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements.
According to Minister Harmon, in his response to the gathering, Guyana has completed the reporting process for the land degradation neutrality (LDC) target-setting programme in 2017.
The process commenced in 2016 and involved several rounds of consultations.
In fact, he disclosed, Guyana has managed to advance its Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) framework which was launched earlier this year as a guiding document.
According to Minister Harmon, Government has recognized the importance of land degradation neutrality and how it would be implemented in the strategy.
He explained that this is a role to be supported by the sustainable land management project, funded by the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund (GRIF), and implemented by the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission (GLSC) as the national focal point.
“The outcomes and outputs of the project are crosscutting in nature and are expected over the life of the project to ensure net positive impact of land reclamation and maintaining forest cover whilst enabling continued sustainable development and improved livelihood opportunities for the country’s population,” he disclosed.
Harmon, speaking on Guyana’s plan to host a meeting in January, said that Guyana will seek to highlight several areas as it relates to its success story in achieving land degradation neutrality.
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