Large turnout by Region Three residents for LCDS 2030 consultation

Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, MP, said he was happy with the level of interest being expressed by Guyanese on the consultations on the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030.

Scores of persons turned out for the exercise on Saturday at the Leonora Secondary School, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

Minister Indar told residents, “Our government is going in this direction, and we want to make sure we consult with you and that you also know of it, so you know why we are doing it, that you understand it and you also can question it and add to it so that it can become better as we go along. It is in its draft stage, so we are coming out to all the communities, and we are meeting with our people to have this consultation.”

The minister told the residents the strategy is based on four objectives: to create new incentives for a low-carbon economy, protect against climate change and biodiversity loss, stimulate future growth: clean energy and low-carbon development, and align with global climate and biodiversity goals.

Since the development of Guyana’s first LCDS in 2009, the country has maintained more than 99.5 per cent of its 18 million hectares of forest. Guyana also boasts one of the lowest deforestation rates in the world, having the capacity to store about 19.5 billion tonnes of carbon-monoxide.

“This strategy is designed to put Guyana at a place where we are a model for the rest of the world. There is no country on earth that has a Low Carbon Development Strategy as Guyana; we have a model strategy,” the minister asserted.

He highlighted that between 2009 and 2015, Guyana’s ability to preserve its forest earned the country US $212.52 billion in payments from Norway. Minister Indar said government will continue to advocate for carbon tax for its role in the fight against climate change.

“If Guyana is having its forest standing, we believe that we should be rewarded for that. We are doing the world a service; it is a global service we are doing here. We are providing a carbon sink for harmful gases that are emitted in the atmosphere by countries that do not have this kind of strategy and do not possess or have the kind of target to reduce their carbon emission,” Minister Indar stated.

Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Paul Cheong and NDC Chairman Jainarine Narine made brief remarks in support of the LCDS and government’s consultation exercise.

Residents were also given an overview of the LCDS by Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC), Vanessa Benn.

Persons interested in making recommendations can do so by visiting www.lcds.gov.gy.