President takes avoided deforestation to Washington

Mar 10, 2009 News

Guyana’s position on avoided deforestation was again highlighted when President Bharrat Jagdeo delivered the feature address at the Forest Carbon Finance Summit 2009: Making Forest Carbon Markets Work, on Capitol Hill, Washington DC on Saturday.
President Jagdeo, in outlining Guyana’s approach to addressing the issue of deforestation and climate change, underscored the work done with assistance from Mc. Kinsey and Company, one of the world’s top consulting firms, that advises businesses, government agencies and institutions on a number of issues.
Avoided Deforestation is now touted as a concept where countries are paid to prevent deforestation that would otherwise occur.
The event was sponsored by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Harvard University’s Programme on International Financial Systems and Duke University’s Nicholas Institute.
The forum brought together over 30 specialists and leading global experts in climate change and finance. Among the key topics discussed were:  How to Make Forest Carbon Compliance Carbon; REDD-iness: Exploring Infrastructure Needs and Legal and Institutional Framework and Ensuring Integrity in Forest Carbon Markets.
Other members of Guyana’s delegation to the Summit included Adviser to the President and Chairman of the National Climate Committee, Shyam Nokta and Adviser to the President Kevin Hogan.
On Friday last President Jagdeo addressed another forum ‘Forest, Finance, People and Climate Change: International Perspectives for U.S Legislators’ where he spoke of the major role the US can play in the post-Kyoto Protocol. That session was organised by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Union of Concerned Scientists under the sponsorship of Congressman Jay Inslee of the U.S House of Representatives.
He said that the country can play a critical part in helping to outline a successor Agreement to the Kyoto Protocol in time for the December 2009 Copenhagen Climate Conference.
While acknowledging that developed countries need to have strong political will and dedication to addressing the climate issue, the Guyanese leader also pointed out the responsibility of developing countries as part of the solution, using forests as a cost effective abatement solution.
Other speakers at the briefing included Carter Roberts, Chief Executive Officer and President of World Wildlife Fund; Per Pharo, Deputy Director, Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative; and Kevin Knobloch, President, Union of Concerned Scientists.