A LOW CARBON DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
REDD:
Transforming
Guyana’s economy
while combating
climate change
Montreux, June 16 2009
Guyana has successfully managed to protect its forests
Population
Thousands
0.1%
734
735
736
738
739
739
739
738
2000
01
02
03
04
05
06
2007
Land area
Millions of hectares
Brazil
Argentina
Guyana
Uruguay
Suriname
French Guiana
851
278
21
18
16
9
Tropical forest cover
Millions of hectares
+0%
Source: <___>
16
16
16
1995
2000
2005
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For several years, Guyana has expressed a view that there is broadbased national support to continue to protect Guyana’s forests
“
We stand ready to work with partners who
shares our vision of sustainable
development, where our long-established
and world-leading commitment to
sustaining our forest can be matched by
economic reward which supports our
national development efforts to create a
socially just and prosperous country
”
– His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo
President of Guyana
2
However, the country sits at the intersection of two global forces often seen
as incompatible: economic development and climate change mitigation
Economic development
• Guyana wants to increase
incomes and create a better
standard of living for its people
• New economic opportunities are
emerging in Guyana, including
infrastructure development and
globally increasing prices for
commodities
• However, unconstrained
economic development could
endanger Guyana’s standing
forests and natural environment
Done poorly,
development could
cause deforestation
Climate change mitigation
• Greenhouse gas concentrations
are rising to levels scientists
associate with dangerous climate
change, driven by rising energy
consumption and deforestation
• Governments are implementing
policy measures, including the
Kyoto Protocol and national
regulations, to hold climate change
to a 2ºC temperature increase
• Proposed policy responses create
both risks and opportunities for the
economic prospects of developing
countries – e.g. biofuels
mandates, taxes on airline travel
Done poorly,
climate policy could stunt
development
3
REDD represents an opportunity to reconcile these differences. Guyana’s
Low Carbon Development Strategy focuses on how Guyana can forge a
new economy in an environmentally sustainable way
• Substantial growth in incomes and
employment, driven by a cleaner, more
diversified and internationally competitive
industrial base
• Positive incentives and payments from REDD
for forest conservation and protection
Economic
development
• Global financing for adaptation measures
Climate change
mitigation
• Maintenance of carbon storage and
biodiversity in standing natural forests
• Limited emissions growth across all sectors of
the economy driven by significant efficiency
gains and international assistance, including
carbon finance
• Minimizing and managing adaptation
requirements
4
Guyana’s LCDS positions REDD within a national strategy, where REDD is
one of four key dimensions of the low-carbon development vision
• Future development in Guyana requires the nation to use its assets to
Value of
Guyana’s Forest
maximum effect.
• Guyana’s forest is its most valuable asset.
• REDD and Guyana’s partnership with Norway may generate payment
for forest services that make the forests worth more alive than dead.
Low Carbon
Development
Opportunities
• Payment for forest services can enable Guyana’s economy to be
realigned onto a low carbon development trajectory
 Guyana’s people and productive land can be protected from
Adaptation
Plans
changing weather patterns
• The Strategy will only work if it has broad-based support from
Involvement of
Guyanese
Guyanese
5
The LCDS and REDD are now the subject of a national consultation.
Low Carbon
Development
Opportunities
REDD
To enable transition to a
low-carbon economy
Adaptation
Plans
6
RPlan supports the overall achievement of Guyana’s Low Carbon
Development Strategy
• Objectives of RPlan:
-
Develop /implement methodology to assess national baseline; predict
future scenarios; assess and update biomass field estimates
Framework for demonstration/consultation activities as part of readiness
preparation
Advise on Governance/financial structures which incorporate REDD
and carbon trading
National system for monitoring/ verification
Advise on alternative economic opportunities
Build/develop capacity and investment needs of country in all these
areas
Carry out relevant Environmental Assessments and propose mitigation
strategies/plans
Allow for sustainable utilization of forest resources to help sustain
communities
• In parallel with RPlan implementation, the Government of Guyana asked the
Government of Norway to engage independent external institutions to carry
out an assessment of Guyana’s forest practices and law enforcement
capabilities. The work was divided in two - and the Government of Norway
engaged FAO and CIFOR, who are now carrying out the work.
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RPlan supports the overall achievement of Guyana’s Low Carbon
Development Strategy
Critical Success Factors:
RPlan Recognizes that to achieve these objectives there must be amongst other
elements:
-political will; inclusive coordination
-meaningful facilitated participation/support from the public
-land use policies/laws review; enforcement
-capacity building / technical programs
-Long term international partnership/funding
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Formal National Consultation started on June 8th, 2009 (preparatory
consultations took place in previous 6 weeks)
• In December 2008, President Jagdeo gave Address to the Nation on Avoided
Deforestation, and committed to national consultations in “early 2009”
• On June 8th 2009, President Jagdeo gave Address to the Nation on REDD
urging national participation in consultation from June – August 2009.
• Address to audience in Georgetown and broadcast on national TV and Radio.
Included:
– “At the core of the consultation is a key question: as our country embarks on a
second generation of economic reform, how can we do this in a manner which
aligns our national development needs with the global need to combat
climate change?”
– “I want to emphasise that this is just the beginning of our consultative
process, and there will be time and more materials to enable all Guyanese to
engage with the strategy as we move forward.”
• Government of Guyana asked Government of Norway to engage
independent advisor for consultative process. Government of Norway
engaged the International Institute for the Environment and Development (IIED).
• They are now working alongside the stakeholders to assist in broad-based
multi-stakeholder consultative process.
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Consultation Process will include national and sub-national
consultations
• Once RPlan is approved, LCDS will be upgraded to include more detail from
RPlan
• Other improvements have already been gathered through consultations – e.g.
from indigenous representatives and from mining sector
• LCDS and RPlan will be tabled in National Assembly
• Regional Consultations targeting 142 Coastal, Forest and Indigenous
communities will take place from June to August 2009
• Each Community will identify 15 persons to participate in “cluster” consultations
• IIED to provide advice throughout
• Details of consultative process to be communicated via national and local
media, as well as via website
• Strategy being “translated” into accessible materials
• Debates at University and within school system will be supported
• Independent consultations encouraged
• Continuous feedback desired
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Indigenous communities will have the right to decide whether and
how to participate in REDD
Amerindians have jurisdiction over the forest in all their own titled lands
Amount of land under Amerindian ownership has grown over past decade – from
about 6% of Guyana’s territory to about 14% now.
Titling and demarcation process for remainder (including extensions) in progress
One Indigenous group proposed that REDD be used to accelerate
outstanding demarcation process. Government agrees.
Other indigenous groups suggested the establishment of Indigenous
Development Fund, where some payments from REDD go direct to
communities, and the balance goes to indigenous fund. Government agrees, and
the idea will be discussed further during consultations.
Government has emphasised the importance of prior and informed consent
No deadline will be imposed as to when and whether communities choose to
“opt in” to overall framework.
Government has stated that REDD must be designed to accommodate reality
that different indigenous communities will want to move at different speeds
in adopting (or not adopting) REDD
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National support for REDD will be assessed between now and
August, and this will in part determine Guyana’s position at
Copenhagen.
“We must hold the world’s focus on the fact that exclusion of a properly
designed and resourced REDD from a global deal is not an option. It
would inflict climate damage that would impact billions of people over
generations – the world must not be permitted to hide behind an excuse
that deforestation is too difficult to solve. It is no more difficult than
devising new technology for clean energy or smart grids, or than building
the infrastructure for carbon capture and storage. These areas have just
as many technical issues that need solving as REDD. Solving
deforestation is possible.”
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Areas of Concern
Assessment of RPLAN not based on initial template as previously agreed on
Reviews constantly requested additional information; a lot of this information can only
realistically be obtained during the process of plan implementation
Guyana has demonstrated considerable flexibility in providing the revised RPLANS
incorporating the comments of the reviews.
Unfortunately that process became circular
During period February 13-June30, 2009 Guyana submitted 4 versions of the RPLAN
Latest TAP review indicates that Guyana has met or partially met 12 standards
Guyana is of the view that it has satisfactorily addressed the concerns of the TAP/WB/FPP
Is willing to provide this specific information if required
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Recommendadtion
Circular process must stop at some point in time
WB/Donors/PC must exercise some flexibility as countries have done
Learning process; we can learn more by doing; need to get pilots going to show that it is
workable
Adjustments can be made based on justification
Important to remember that expectations are high and that momentum needs to be built on, not
allowed to decline
Mechanism in place to ensure continuous dialogue between country and TAP-increases the
efficiency of the process
Recognized that safeguards are necessary; however, WB needs to make its procedures more
efficient to encourage stakeholder confidence.
Noble efforts of developing countries to implement REDD strategies must be recognized
Lets start the RPLAN implementation now, even if in a phased manner
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