The University of Guyana will be hosting a stakeholder consultation and technical workshop focusing on the institution’s plans to establish a centre for studies in biodiversity and low carbon development from today.The venue is the International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown.Guyanese-born British biologist Dr Graham WatkinsAccording to the University,NFL Jerseys Wholesale, the three-day activity seeks to develop a Conceptual Framework for the International Centre for Biodiversity Research and Low Carbon Development that informs the Terms of Reference that UG will develop to guide the next piece of work (developing a Feasibility Study for the Centre).The consultation will also be used to garner feedback and advice from local stakeholders and international experts that will help shape the Conceptual Framework; and also ?to begin the development of a network of players committed to working together to support and advocate for the establishment of the Centre.“The purpose of the initiative is to support the implementation of a Low Carbon Development Strategy for Guyana in keeping with the perspectives of the Government of Guyana,” said Vice-Chancellor Lawrence Carrington.The university will be reaching out to resident stakeholders whose experiences are pertinent to the university’s need for guidance and critical commentary on ideas and who can be a source of useful information on the creation, consolidation and operation of such a centre.The local participants will include representatives from the Office for Climate Change, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs,Wholesale Cheap Jerseys China, Private Sector Commission,Cheap China Jerseys Authentic, National Toshaos Council, World Wildlife Fund, Iwokrama International Centre,Wholesale Jerseys, Conservation International (Guyana), and the United Nations Development Programme.The technical workshop will take the form of a caucus of UG faculty with a small group of international organisations engaged in biodiversity studies.These participants include Dr. Graham Watkins,Cheap Jerseys Wholesale, Senior Environmental Specialist,Cheap Jerseys, Inter-American Development Bank; Dr. Kalemani Jo Mulongoy, Principal Officer, Secretariat of the Convention of Biological Diversity; Dr. Andrew Rosenberg, Senior Vice-President, Conservation International and Dr Ed Satshko, Vice-President, Organisation for Tropical Studies. The facilitator for the consultation session is Ms Nicole Swerhun of Canada.The University has received financial support for the hosting of the event from Conservation International (Guyana), Iwokrama International Centre and the Clinton Climate Initiative.The setting up of the Centre is in support of national efforts to implement a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) which sets out a framework by which the country will attract inward investments and foster sustainable economic development from the maintenance of its forest carbon stock.In essence, Guyana will maintain its forest cover in order to offer climate services, and funds earned from the international community in return for these carbon services will be applied to the country’s development along lines consistent with the conservation and sustainable utilisation of forest resourcesThe University has qualified the LCDS initiative as the most recent example of the willingness of the people of Guyana to play an active role in seeking global development solutions. |