The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry is currently in the process of finalising its first strategic plan as it takes into consideration mining, forestry, environmental protection and protected areas management. But even as the ministry adds the finishing touches to this crucial document, it is negotiating with the European Union (EU) on the formulation of a Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA).
In 2003, the EU adopted its FLEGT action plan after considering the increasing public concern with the social, economic and environmental consequences of illegal logging and related trade worldwide.
The establishment of bilateral VPA’s between the EU and timber-producing countries such as Guyana formed a critical part of the action plan.
According to Natural Resources and Environment Minister Robert Persaud, negotiations on the FLEGT VPA only commenced after widespread consultations with key stakeholders. “We have developed a detailed roadmap with the assistance of local and international stakeholders and set an ambitious timeline of September for effective implementation,” he reported during the opening ceremony of the 28th Session of the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission (LACFC).
Guyana boasts of having approximately 18.3 million hectares of tropical rainforest, covering approximately 87 per cent of the country’s 21.1 million hectares.
But sustainable economic growth in the forestry sector can be crippled with illegal logging which can also cause social and environmental problems; hence, strong governance, sustainable forest management and forest legality are critical for the industry.
Feasibility study
Simultaneously, the country is conducting a feasibility study on the benefits to derive from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in the mining sector.
According to the natural resources and the environment minister, the initiative will assist Guyana in making informed decisions. “These along with other programmes such as Independent Forest Monitoring and various certification or accreditation schemes are all new initiatives that we now undertake that need to be cast in a regional context as we seek to build synergies in our approaches.”
In February, a Multistakeholder Group (MSG) was established by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. The MSG has the mandate to promote a high-level of transparency within the mining sector, but is instrumental in preparing the country’s candidacy for the EITI global transparency standard.
