Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit underway in Guyana 

Guyana has opened its doors to the world for its inaugural Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit that kicked off at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Wednesday.

The historic event brings together global leaders, conservationists, scientists, and financial partners to address the urgent biodiversity crisis facing the planet.

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth. It is essential to the planet and the survival of humans.

Following the South American country’s blueprint on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), Guyana took a bold step to champion the conservation of biodiversity.

Addressing the Summit, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali stressed that the time is now to protect biodiversity, noting that 50 per cent of biodiversity globally has already been lost.

“Today, we’re not simply launching an initiative, we are igniting a global movement to protect the living fabric of our planet, and I’m proud that this movement begins here in Guyana, with the support and partnership of all of you in this room.”

He described the alliance as a platform for cooperation, action, and investment in the world’s shared ecological future.

The alliance, according to President Ali, is built on an acknowledgement of the following “three powerful commitments”: (i) biodiversity is the infrastructure of life; (ii) measuring biodiversity is the foundation of meaningful action; and (iii) investing in biodiversity is not a luxury—it is a necessity.

He noted that while over 85 per cent of Guyana’s land remains forested and undisturbed, making a concerted effort for biodiversity protection is necessary since the country “is home to over 1,200 bird species, 225 mammals, and nearly 8,000 unique plant species.”

The event, which ends on July 25, will focus on contributions from major international institutions and organisations, including the United Nations, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, Amazon Conservation Team, Yale Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, and the Indian Space Research Organisation.