EU backs major climate project with Guyana
Guyana will soon roll out a landmark three-year climate project, backed by the European Union and implemented in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC).
The €20 million initiative is scheduled to begin in October 2025 and conclude in September 2028. It is designed to expand reforestation efforts, strengthen access to climate finance, and advance Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030. Officials say the project will empower stakeholders to mobilize climate funds, use innovative financing tools, and scale up restoration programmes that can generate carbon credits while positioning Guyana as a regional leader in climate action.
Speaking at Friday’s launch, GFC Commissioner Edward Goberdan said the initiative builds directly on the government’s vision for sustainable forest management and adds further weight to ongoing replanting and restoration work. “This project falls directly in alliance with the government’s vision on the Low Carbon Development Strategy. Some areas have already started with government and partner support,” Goberdan explained.
European Union Ambassador to Guyana, René Van Nes, noted that while the project faced delays, the extra time allowed for stronger planning and collaboration. “I think it took long because we wanted to do it well… GGGI used their time to build this project, to build their relations with the government, and to actually create this partnership,” he said.
GGGI Regional Director Ferruccio Santetti also underscored the importance of the initiative, explaining that the organisation, established in 2012 out of the Rio+20 summit, works globally to promote green, inclusive, and resilient growth. “Our goal is to help member countries, including Guyana, to promote the creation of equitable and green jobs. This project is important not only because of its ambition, but also because of the strong partnership it represents,” Santetti stated.
The project is expected to expand opportunities for carbon dioxide removal, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES), and other financing mechanisms that enhance climate resilience while safeguarding Guyana’s vast forest resources.
