Vice President Jagdeo Urges Global Biodiversity Alliance Members to Focus on Practical Solutions

According to the Guyana Times, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has called upon countries that have not yet joined Guyana’s Global Biodiversity Alliance to do so, asserting that biodiversity conservation offers benefits related to the environment, economy, climate, and society. Jagdeo made this appeal while addressing the opening of the second annual Global Biodiversity Alliance Conference at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre in Lilliendaal, which was attended by His Majesty King Charles III during his two-day state visit to Guyana.

Jagdeo pointed out the Alliance's rapid expansion, which has increased from 17 members to 142. He stressed that the Alliance is not meant to compete with or substitute the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) or its Conference of the Parties (COP). He stated that the Alliance should instead support the targets and decisions established by the UN Convention on Biodiversity.

Referring to the conclusion of COP17 in Armenia, Jagdeo mentioned that the meeting was reported to have concluded with minimal agreements. Consequently, he argued that the Alliance's function must be understood as supporting the convention, its mechanisms, and its targets.

Jagdeo identified two primary obstacles in biodiversity financing: the current lack of a functioning market for biodiversity credits and the inadequacy of public funding. He stated that there is presently no market for biodiversity credits, neither a compliance market nor a major voluntary market, and that public funds are not available at the necessary scale.

Expanding participation in the Alliance, Jagdeo noted, is also vital for generating a stronger sense of urgency regarding biodiversity loss, which he believes has receded from the international agenda due to concerns surrounding inflation, food security, conflicts, energy prices, and artificial intelligence.

While acknowledging that global risk assessments indicate environmental threats remain among the most serious long-term risks, Jagdeo cited the World Economic Forum, noting that immediate concerns include societal polarization, conflicts, and misinformation, but the longer-term outlook is dominated by environmental risks. He projected that within the next ten years, the world is heading toward extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, critical changes to earth systems, and natural resources shortages.

Jagdeo suggested the Alliance could help mobilize policymakers, technical experts, and countries concerning biodiversity before degradation reaches irreversible levels. He proposed that members dedicate resources to addressing the technical and policy questions related to biodiversity credits, noting that numerous questions exist regarding the viability of a biodiversity credit. He suggested that working groups formed by the Alliance could conduct focused technical work to inform international discussions and negotiators.

Furthermore, Jagdeo called for the presentation of practical examples illustrating how biodiversity initiatives can generate measurable value. He proposed bringing together the private sector, government, and universities to demonstrate that conservation and sustainable development can proceed concurrently, thereby boosting confidence among investors, communities, and governments.

Jagdeo also advocated for increased utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) to aid research, decision-making, and analysis within the biodiversity sector. He suggested that this technology could assist policymakers in processing vast amounts of data to develop more effective conservation models, even while noting that AI might eventually render speechwriters and politicians redundant. Ultimately, Jagdeo stressed that the Alliance must concentrate on practical solutions rather than declarations, urging focus on specific areas to advance global efforts.