LCDS 2030 a ‘unique and comprehensive’ policy – FZS’ Dr Müllner

Head of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) Department for South America and Southeast Asia, Dr Antje Müllner, has praised Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030 as a ‘unique and comprehensive’ policy.

It is one which she believes is important in the fight to preserve biodiversity and combat the factors contributing to climate change.

At the ceremony for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Guyana and FZS to improve Guyana’s protected areas system on Wednesday, Dr Müllner noted that a vast number of measures will need to be taken to tackle the current climate crisis, and as such, it is necessary to adopt a holistic, “all hands-on deck” approach.

This approach, she pointed out, is outlined in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy.

“I really want to congratulate Guyana for this strategy, which is ambitious, yes, but also very important. I don’t know of any similar document from another country that really compiles in such a comprehensive way, the many aspects of low carbon development, and also sets so clearly the goals,” Müllner expressed.

Since protected areas are a focal point for the FZS, Müllner emphasised the importance of the LCDS in outlining the planned expansion of Guyana’s protected areas system, which will contribute to safeguarding the country’s natural heritage and contribute to the global 30 by 30 goal.

“Protected areas play a fundamental role in any national biodiversity strategy. We think they are a main pillar of conserving long-term, healthy ecosystems, and the ecological functions we need for our food security and climate stability,” she said.

As such, “FZS would be glad and also proud to support Guyana’s government in designing and developing new protected areas in the coming years.”

In 2014, FZS began its cooperation with the Government of Guyana, through the Protected Areas Commission (PAC), the government agency responsible for managing the National Protected Areas System (NPAS).

Since then, the organisation has been instrumental in supporting the operationalisation of the commission in the areas of system-wide strategic planning, capacity development, and improved management of the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area (KMPA).

This new MoU, which is the second one the FZS has signed with Guyana, will span a five-year period, and will see the expansion of FZS’ cooperation in Guyana within the context of the LCDS 2030.

It will allow FZS to establish and operate a country office here, support the expansion of the NPAS, continue its collaboration with the PAC for strengthened management of the KMPA and the NPAS, foster indigenous community engagement and development, and support Guyana to advance participation in key global biodiversity and climate-related initiatives.