Guyana keeps deforestation low

The Norwegian Climate and Forest Initiative cooperate with Guyana in keeping deforestation at a very low rate. An independent third party has just verified Guyana's report on deforestation in 2014. The verification report shows that the deforestation rate in Guyana was as low in 2014 as in 2013.

The Norway and Guyana partnership started in 2009 with the goal of keeping Guyana's deforestation rate at one of the lowest levels in the world and create green economic development in the country. The partnership creates incentives for strengthening the forest management system and develop green value chains so that the deforestation rate does not increase in the long term.

In 2013, the independent verification carried out by DNV GL showed that the deforestation in Guyana was at a level of 0,068 per cent. The 2014 numbers show that the annual deforestation in 2014 was 0,065 per cent. The Guyana Forestry Commission is responsible for forest monitoring in the South American country that covers 215 000 km². The Forestry Commission had very low capacity when the partnership with Norway started in 2009. Now this has changed. The Guyana Forestry Commission has been able to attract international researchers to assist in capacity building.

Guyana has a forest cover of about 85 percent and amongst the lowest deforestation rates in the world. The biological diversity includes mammals like jaguars, giant anteaters and tapirs, and more than 800 bird species. Guyana is a part of the ancient geological formation called the Guyana Shield, which is one of the best preserved rainforest areas in the world. The Guyana- Norway partnership contributes to finding other development options before the deforestation rate increases significantly, as has happened in many other rainforest countries. Most countries in the region has a deforestation rate that is 5- 10 times higher than Guyana's deforestation rate.

 

Read the verification report from DNV- GL.