Former President of Colombia, Iván Duque, has underscored the importance of working with local communities to ensure that Guyana’s biodiversity conservation is adequately remunerated.
He was at the time speaking on “United for Biodiversity – The Alliance Podcast,” a platform aimed at uniting global voices for a call to action to protect the planet’s biodiversity.
His remarks come as the country prepares to host the Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) Summit, on July 23–25, 2025, aimed at establishing tradable instruments that quantify the services of biodiverse-rich nations.
Duque has been instrumental in the preparation of the summit, working in collaboration with President Dr. Irfaan Ali.
In the conversation with host Kiana Wilburg, Duque explained the vision behind the summit and its potential to effect change.
“I also expect, out of this summit, to see some precise contribution on how can we price conservation of biodiversity in a clear way as we do it with maybe tonnes of carbon, so that we’re able to define how many resources and through which mechanisms can this multiply the possibility to finance long-term efforts– including working with local communities, so that conservation is very well remunerated but at the same time have indigenous communities act as protectors of biodiversity in the units of territory that they have in their hand. I am very optimistic about this summit and the alliance and I really wish we would end the conversation with having a footprint of at least two to three things to accomplish,” he said.
Duque further emphasised that Guyana has been a leader in the promotion of Low Carbon Development, with one of the lowest percentages of deforestation in the Amazon.
As the alliance brings together critical partners in the fight for biodiversity, Duque pointed to the importance of advancing biodiversity credits to maximise benefits.
“If we don’t act rapidly, with compromise, with resources, I think we will lose an opportunity. The fact that we have to meet the NDCs by 2030, 2050, just gives us a clear sense of the imminent response that we have to provide. I am optimistic that this year, we will be willing to accelerate the way in which we get to our National Determined Contributions in a faster pace. And that implies the rapid mobilisation of capital that is not just going to come from budgets, philanthropists or bilateral donors. It requires a market solution and that’s why I believe that biodiversity credits and biodiversity bonds will be something that will be beneficial,” he related.
Duque further noted that Guyana’s carbon sinking potential is just as powerful as its oil and the value of its hydrocarbon resources, adding that while the country’s stewardship of its oil resources is respected worldwide, its conservation efforts are equally admirable.
