Guyana Hosts Inaugural Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit, President Ali Calls for Tripling Nature Financing
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Monday welcomed regional leaders, policymakers, and environmental advocates to Georgetown for the first-ever Global Biodiversity Alliance Summit, a landmark gathering focused on nature-based finance and rainforest preservation across Latin America and the Caribbean.
“It is both an honor and a historic privilege to welcome you to Georgetown,” the President declared at the Arthur Chung Conference Center, as he opened the two-day summit. “Welcome to Guyana.”
President Ali spotlighted Guyana’s leadership as a High Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) country, emphasizing the nation’s successful efforts in maintaining its rainforest. However, he raised alarm over insufficient global investment in biodiversity, noting that while $200 billion is spent annually, at least $700 billion is needed each year to meet targets under the Global Biodiversity Framework.
“Countries must triple global finance for nature,” Ali stressed, “and ensure that this finance flows to where it is most needed.”
Key Focus Areas of the Summit
President Ali outlined the summit’s core commitments, including:
- Scaling blended finance to de-risk investments in nature-based enterprises
- Piloting biodiversity credits to reward environmental stewardship
- Expanding debt-for-nature swaps based on Guyana’s own experiences
- Advancing community-driven finance models, with indigenous leadership at the forefront
Ali reiterated the importance of placing local and indigenous communities at the center of conservation efforts, linking environmental resilience to inclusive and sustainable economic models.
Countries and organizations signing on to the Global Biodiversity Alliance include Guyana, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Colombia, and the South Rupununi Conservation Society.
The summit marks a pivotal moment in regional environmental cooperation, as nations work together to align climate goals with biodiversity protection, forest conservation, and sustainable development.
