Under the BIODEV2030 initiative, WWF-Guianas held a Biodiversity Engagement Consolidation event linking two key economic sectors, agriculture and gold mining, to mainstreaming biodiversity with a discussion on how to reduce pressures and threats on the environment created by activities within those sectors.
A press release from WWF Guianas said that the event saw participation from several government agencies, private sector organisations, civil society organisations, academia, and Indigenous Groups, all of whom were presented with the results and outcomes of the BioDev 2030 project. The consolidation event is considered to be the crossroads for the Biodev2030 Mainstreaming Biodiversity across Economic Sectors Project, where an overall assessment of the accomplishments is made, and what the next steps are for Guyana.
The release said that WWF-Governance coordinator Dr. Devon Dublin highlighted the importance of developing a framework for the various actors to work together. “… What is needed in Guyana is a more consolidated approach governed by a legislative policy framework that allows all stakeholders within the respective sectors to work together to reach their environmental sustainability goals”.
High on the agenda was the reduction and regulation of use of harmful chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, and weedicides) used in agriculture, and the promotion of the use of biopesticides, biofertilizers and integrated pest management (IPM) in farming. Whilst for the gold mining sector, representatives of the various agencies discussed techniques to reduce environmental impacts through measures such as the reduction and recycling of the use of cyanide and mercury and the adoption of mercury-free techniques in mining operations.
Aiesha Williams, country manager of WWF-Guianas, Guyana office, remarked that, “The majority of our communities’ livelihood activities are intertwined with the rich natural resources, as well as most of the economic sectors. With Guyana aiming to advance its low-carbon economy by 2030, and with commitments to progress towards Sustainable Develop-ment Goals (SDGs), Convention on Biological Diversity and Post 2020 Biodiversity Framework, we at WWF believe that biodiversity conservation is an important prerequisite to achieving low carbon and sustainable development… ”.
The WWF Guianas release said that the Biodiversity Engagement Consolidation event collated feedback and explored opportunities of working together after a series of sector-specific focus groups discussions, bilateral interviews and meetings, and multi-stakeholder work sessions of the BioDev Project over the past 24 months. The outcomes and results of the entire project including those of the Consolidation event will be fed into WWWF Guianas national reports for the Convention on Biological Diversity through the EPA and will be instrumental in developing policy briefs to take the process forward.
Present at the event were representatives from several local agencies who participated in panel discussions, where they provided insight into the efforts their respective agencies are making to realize their biodiversity goals. The representatives included, Gavin Ramnarain, Head of Agriculture Research Center, Guysuco; Badrie Persaud, General Manager GRDB; Trecia David-Garnath, Registrar Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Board; Darcy Waldron, Head of the Environmental Unit, GGMC; Avalon Jagnandan, General Manager and William Woolford, Technical Consultant, GGDMA.
