‘Small Guyana’ now global force in carbon markets – Dr Singh

Guyana has emerged as a global leader in climate policy and carbon markets, with the country now setting international benchmarks in environmental innovation.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, on Sunday, highlighted that Guyana is among the first countries to achieve jurisdiction-scale certification of carbon credits, enabling large-scale participation in global carbon trading systems.

Appearing on the Starting Point podcast on Sunday, Minister Singh pointed to major agreements, including a US$750 million carbon credit deal with Hess Corporation, as well as sales to multiple international airlines under global offsetting frameworks.

“Small Guyana, tiny little Guyana, occupying such positions of leadership…These things don’t happen by magic… they require vision, credibility and hard work,” Dr Singh stated.

The minister explained that Guyana’s success in this area stems from years of strategic policy development, including the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which was pioneered when Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was president.

He noted that early efforts to promote the value of standing forests and advocate for their monetisation laid the groundwork for today’s globally recognised carbon market system.

According to the minister, Guyana’s carbon credits are now internationally certified and are being used to support emissions reduction targets within the global aviation industry.

He said this positions the country at the forefront of climate action, demonstrating that small states can lead on complex global challenges while advancing sustainable economic growth.