By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
The Government of Guyana has reached a landmark milestone in environmental stewardship with the announcement of the third consecutive issuance of carbon credits under the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART). On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the government confirmed the issuance of 9,085,923 high-integrity TREES carbon credits for the year 2023.
This latest achievement reinforces Guyana’s position as a global leader in jurisdictional-scale carbon markets and sustainable forest management, building on the success of previous issuances since 2021.
A Global Benchmark for Integrity
According to an official statement, these credits have been officially labeled as CORSIA-Eligible. This designation confirms that Guyana’s credits meet the rigorous international standards required by the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
The CORSIA label makes these credits among the most stringently assessed in the world, providing high-level transparency and accountability for international buyers in the aviation sector and beyond.
“This issuance is both a validation of Guyana’s long-term vision and a signal of confidence to global markets,” the government stated. “It demonstrates that countries and communities can benefit from making forests worth more alive than dead.”
Empowering Indigenous Communities
At the heart of Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is a commitment to ensuring that those who protect the forests are the primary beneficiaries of climate finance. With forests covering over 85% of the national territory, the government has established robust benefit-sharing mechanisms.
- Direct Funding: 15% of all carbon credit revenues are allocated directly to Indigenous villages.
- Village Sustainability Plans (VSPs): To date, over 242 villages have utilized these funds to finance more than 1,300 community-led projects in agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure.
- National Impact: Revenues also support national priorities, including climate-resilient infrastructure, land titling for Indigenous communities, and biodiversity protection.
Scaling the “Orange and Green” Economy
The issuance reflects years of investment in national Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) systems. By valuing the carbon stored in its standing forests, Guyana is effectively decoupling economic growth from deforestation. The 2023 vintage credits further demonstrate the viability of jurisdictional REDD+ as a cornerstone of high-integrity climate finance.
As the government continues to mobilize results-based finance, this milestone underscores Guyana’s role in shaping equitable and scalable solutions for the global fight against climate change.
