Guyana continues to receive widespread recognition for its remarkable forest conservation efforts and leadership in climate adaptation. The country’s commitment to preserving its vast rainforests and advancing global climate mitigation strategies was recently lauded by Erik Solheim, International Environmental Advisor and former Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment.
On Monday, during a visit to several Amerindian communities, Solheim praised the nation’s forest protection measures and successful socioeconomic systems that benefit local communities. Accompanied by Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, Solheim highlighted the importance of the country’s forested landscape.
“No nation in the entire world has protected its rainforest as fantastic as Guyana. This greatness does not come by itself, it comes by hard work by the Government of Guyana and all the leaders here, most of them from indigenous groups,” Solheim said during his visit to Kwatamang.
Guyana’s partnership with Norway dates back to November 2009, when a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between former President Bharrat Jagdeo and Solheim, then Minister of the Environment and International Development of Norway. Under this agreement, Norway pledged up to $250 million by 2015 to support Guyana’s efforts to reduce deforestation, marking the first such international partnership of its kind.
As a result of this agreement, Guyana has since received $212.6 million from Norway. The funds have been channeled into various sustainable development initiatives, including renewable energy projects, climate resilience efforts, Amerindian land titling, and creating jobs, particularly in the hinterland areas, through integrating information communications technology (ICT) systems.
Fifteen years after the landmark agreement, Solheim admired the country’s ongoing development and commitment to forest preservation. “People cannot encroach upon the forest… There must be livelihoods. And the money has been used to make community centres where people can come together, discuss… there is water management, and there is a lot of ecotourism bringing in people who can bring some money and some jobs to this part of Guyana,” he remarked, describing Guyana’s approach as a global success story.
Minister Bharrat reaffirmed the government’s dedication to improving the livelihoods of indigenous communities through climate-smart initiatives. He emphasized that all hinterland communities now have access to the coast and benefit from Wi-Fi connectivity. Additionally, new hubs are being developed to provide improved bandwidth, ensuring that hinterland residents can access educational programs like the GOAL scholarships and other government services.
In 2022, Guyana further strengthened its climate credentials by establishing a carbon credit agreement with Hess Corporation, valued at a minimum of $750 million over the decade spanning 2022 to 2032. A key element of the agreement ensures that 15% of the total revenue goes to Amerindian communities. In 2023, Amerindians received $4.7 billion from the $150 million Guyana earned from the deal.
To ensure equitable distribution of the increasing revenue in 2024, the government announced an adjusted share of 26.5% for Amerindians, equating to $23.2 million. Minister Bharrat encouraged the communities to invest in small economic projects that generate revenue and create employment opportunities.
“It could be spent on some small economic projects that will actually generate revenue for the community and create some amount of employment as well, too, so we trust that the community will come together and you will decide on good projects that can bring those kinds of benefits to your village and your people,” he said.