Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 02, 2018 Editorial
President David Granger has pledged to eradicate the harmful effects on the environment and transition Guyana to a green state. The goal is to provide green and well-paying jobs, economic opportunities, equality, justice, and political empowerment. He said that a green state would involve the use of renewable energy resources and less dependence on fossil fuels.
It will reduce the country’s carbon footprint, protect our natural environment by conserving our fauna and flora, and diversify the economy.
According to President Granger, the establishment of a green state will reduce the impact of the economic and environmental shocks which have retarded our development.
However, if the President’s aim is to successfully transition Guyana to a green economy, then he needs predictable and appropriate regulation. The government must enact policies, programmes and laws to create an enabling environment where Guyanese can realise their true potential in various sectors.
It must work closely with employers and unions to ensure this happens. But so far, the government has not moved purposefully along the path towards the establishment of a green state. It has not matched words with decisive action.
It is evident that the power of climate change is enormous. It has damaged the infrastructure of countries, both developed and undeveloped, disrupted businesses and destroyed jobs and livelihoods. Guyana and several other countries are now confronted with these challenges on an unprecedented scale and on a daily basis.
Climate change is real and is the result of human activity. That activity is, for the most part, work or work-related, especially in the developed countries. It is only logical then that these countries play a key role in finding a solution to this pressing issue.
Several studies have shown that climate change will eventually stifle economic growth more in the poorer countries than in the rich ones. That was the stark warning issued by the Stern Review in the United Kingdom, over a decade ago.
Since then, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found incontrovertible evidence that human-induced climate change is well underway and warned of the consequences of failing to limit global temperature rise to at most two degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels.
Such negative outlook is confirmed by many other organisations, including the International Labour Organization which predicts a drop in productivity levels of 2.4 percent by 2030 and 7.2 percent by 2050. However, the United States has not taken this warning seriously and has ignored the fact that climate change is real and is likely to damage economies.
The positive news is that most of the countries which signed The Paris Agreement have agreed to keep the global temperature rise below two degrees Celsius over the pre-industrial levels. The UN 2030 Development Agenda has defined the destination and the transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies as a key reference point for the route to be taken.
But knowing the destination and the road to follow is not enough. Political will is needed to achieve greener economies, create jobs, safeguard the environment and protect future generations. Greener economies can be the engines of growth, both in the advanced and developing countries.
They can generate decent jobs that will contribute significantly to climate mitigation and adaptation, poverty eradication and social inclusion.
This trend is already underway in many countries. The International Renewable Energy Agency has stated that in 2015, employment in renewable energy reached 8.1 million, which is a six percent increase over the previous year.
In Guyana as in other countries, sectors like forestry, energy, recycling, transport and agriculture are likely to gain a lot from the transition to a green economy. It should not be about re-painting buildings in green as is the case of State House and other government buildings in the country.
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
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