Market-based reward mechanism for standing forests – Guyana will advocate at Bali Climate Change Conference

Market-based reward mechanism for standing forests
– Guyana will advocate at Bali Climate Change Conference
Guyana Chronicle, 8 December 2008

AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud, before leaving for the 13th
Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations
Convention on Climate Change being held in Bali, Indonesia, has
reiterated the administration’s position on the global issue.

Persaud, during his presentation Thursday in the National Assembly,
said incentives for the country’s standing forests will be among the
major proposals to be put forward by Guyana at the Conference being
held from December 3 to 14.

He said members of the House are aware of the tremendous developments
that are taking place in the climate arena and the principal cause for
global warming which is greenhouse gas emission, into the atmosphere.

The Minister explained that persons must understand that Guyana’s
standing forests continue to act as a carbon sink for greenhouse gas
emissions, and provide an ecological service to the world.

The Kyoto Protocol was crafted to reward those countries which have cut
down their forests through the provision of incentives to replant.
Countries like Guyana which manage their forests in a responsible way
and have avoided deforesting, are not rewarded for doing so by the
Kyoto regime.

Persaud told the House it is against this backdrop that Guyana is
presenting a proposal that “calls for a market-based mechanism to
reward us for the environmental services provided by our standing
forest”.

At the Bali summit, we are advancing this proposal to ensure that in
any post-Kyoto framework there is an effective market-based arrangement
for the carbon sink ability of standing forest resources, including
Guyana’s,” Minister Persaud explained.

The Agriculture Minister also used the opportunity to dispel rumours
that Guyana will be selling its forest.

“This proposal will not impinge on our sovereignty. Not a single
hectare of our forest will be sold. There is no plan to either
relinquish our forests or alienate our local foresters and communities.
We will continue forestry and mining activities in a sustainable
manner,” Minister Persaud disclosed.

During the COP, Guyana will also be advocating stronger support for
adaptation measures, improvements in the technology transfer and a
negotiated post-Kyoto agreement by the end of 2009.

President Bharrat Jagdeo who announced Guyana’s position has already
started bilateral and multi-lateral engagements on the country’s
proposal, which according to Persaud is promising.