Low historic deforestation rate and weak economic growth: Correlation or cause and effect?

Introduction

Last week’s column identified ten leading considerations which are responsible for the high standing of Guyana in the world of forests. This standing is well described in Guyana’s indicated nationally determined contribution (INDC), submitted under the December 2015, Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, (UNFCCC). Guyana’s INDC projects strict curbs to its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2).

clive thomasAn earlier column (April 24, 2016), had highlighted in a Schedule, based on data from Alder and Kuijk (2009), Guyana’s 1) ‘historic’ rate of deforestation (0.4 per cent); 2) annual average number of hectares deforested (62.6 thousand); 3) average net carbon loss per hectare, and thus annual carbon dioxide emissions (40.1 mlntCO2); and 4) estimated market value of these carbon emissions, based on a 2009 carbon price of US$20 per ton carbon dioxide equivalent.