Latest update November 25th, 2024 1:00 AM
Mar 28, 2022 News
Kaieteur News – Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs, SC Anil Nandlall has emphasized the need for forest rich countries like Guyana to be provided with incentives to keep their forests in tact amidst the global efforts to tackle climate change.
Nandlall joined the Guyana delegation inclusive of Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, Minister of Public Service, Sonia Parag, as well as A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Members of Parliament (MPs), Christopher Jones and Dawn Hastings at the 144th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly Meeting held in Bali, Indonesia, this past week.
Speaking at a High Level Parliamentary forum, AG Nandlall called for immediate action to be taken on climate change. According to the AG, the climate crisis has issued mankind an ultimatum.
He said it is “Either we take immediate steps and drastic action or subject ourselves to an infernal global disaster. Indifference and inaction equal nothing short of destruction. Already, we are far behind in limiting temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius. The coming decade therefore must be the decade of decisive action.”
Nandlall noted too that while “climate change affects us all its effects are more severe on the poorest and most vulnerable – especially Small Island Developing States and low-lying coastal states.
“For us, it is a question of survival,” he said, adding that all countries must set more ambitious goals to reduce emissions
According to the AG, all countries have an obligation to act, but the world’s foremost polluters have greater duty to institute steeper emission cuts.
He said therefore that the pledge of US$100B per annum, made one decade ago, to support climate action must be met.
To this end, Nandlall said that forests constitute a powerful arsenal in the fight against climate change.
“Forest rich countries must be provided with the incentives necessary to keep their forests intact and reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Mindful that deforestation contributes 16% to annual global emissions and in recognition of the ecosystem and climate services provided by forests, it is imperative that we finalise the rules for carbon markets and REDD+ so as to properly value tropical forests and the climate services which they provide,” the AG added.
Further, the Legal Affairs Minister noted that “Guyana by far remains a net carbon sink by a significant margin where the 18 million hectares of largely intact forests in Guyana sequesters approximately 154 m tons of CO2 annually.
“The forest provides this important ecosystem function as one of nine countries of the amazon – Guyana also has some of the highest forest cover on the earth along with one of the lowest deforestation rates.”
He said Guyana is already playing its part in addressing climate change and will continue to do so.
“We will maintain our forests – almost the size of England and Scotland combined, storing 20 gigatons of carbon – global assets. We will work with local communities in conserving, protecting and sustainably managing our forests, biodiversity and freshwater supplies…”
Nandlall added that the Government of Guyana and Parliament will continue to aggressively enact laws and regulations and implement policies on climate change.
In his presentation, Opposition Chief Whip and Member of Parliament, Christopher Jones emphasized the devastating effects of climate change globally.
“My country Guyana is one of the countries of the world that is vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in its 2021 report has Georgetown listed as one of nine cities that will be underwater by 2030; a mere eight years from now.
He said too that though a small developing nation, Guyana noted that through the pursuit of a Green Economy, pledged to spare no effort to contribute to both a sustainable future and to an effective global response to climate change.
“Our forests provide ecological and environmental services to humanity. On April 22, 2016, The Government of Guyana in recognition of its responsibility to contribute to the global efforts to combat climate change, signed the Paris Agreement at the United Nations in New York.”
“It would be remiss of me if I didn’t make mention of the fact that Guyana’s total area covers 83, 000 sq. miles which makes it the largest country in the Caribbean Community. Its forest covers more than 85% of its land mass. Guyana is what we would call a ‘net carbon sink’. That is, our forests sequester more carbon than the country’s human activity generates,” he said.
Jones added too, “With the world’s second highest percentage of rain forest cover, Guyana commands important carbon stocks. As a signatory to the Paris Accord, Guyana is fully committed to ensuring it plays its role in the reduction of global temperatures to below 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
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