King Charles praises Guyana's forest conservation efforts
Key Points(5)
- King Charles III has praised Guyana's efforts to protect its forests, saying the country's conservation record demonstrates what is possible and deserves greater recognition and financial reward.
- The King made the remarks Friday at the Second Global Biodiversity Alliance Conference and Financing Forum at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where he highlighted the importance of restoring biodiversity and balancing economic development with environmental protection.
- His address followed remarks by Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who welcomed the monarch and reflected on the longstanding connection between Guyana's environmental agenda and the King's work in rainforest conservation.
- “Your Majesty, we have not disappointed you,” Ali said, recalling a 2008 speech in London in which King Charles praised Guyana's then-emerging Low Carbon Development Strategy as an innovative approach to national development and a potential model for the world.
- Ali said Guyana had since maintained its forests, pioneered international financing for forest conservation and directed revenues toward national development and thousands of projects across the country.
King Charles III has praised Guyana's efforts to protect its forests, saying the country's conservation record demonstrates what is possible and deserves greater recognition and financial reward.
The King made the remarks Friday at the Second Global Biodiversity Alliance Conference and Financing Forum at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where he highlighted the importance of restoring biodiversity and balancing economic development with environmental protection.
His address followed remarks by Guyana President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who welcomed the monarch and reflected on the longstanding connection between Guyana's environmental agenda and the King's work in rainforest conservation.
“Your Majesty, we have not disappointed you,” Ali said, recalling a 2008 speech in London in which King Charles praised Guyana's then-emerging Low Carbon Development Strategy as an innovative approach to national development and a potential model for the world.
Ali said Guyana had since maintained its forests, pioneered international financing for forest conservation and directed revenues toward national development and thousands of projects across the country.
He also highlighted the country's ambitions in biodiversity protection, sustainable urban development and strengthening the relationship between people and nature.
The president pointed to ongoing collaboration with the King's Foundation and other partners, including efforts to revitalize Georgetown and develop a proposed Village of Harmony in Marakabay. The initiatives aim to bring together Indigenous knowledge, traditional crafts, sustainable livelihoods and nature conservation.
Addressing the gathering, King Charles said he was pleased to return to Guyana after 26 years and highlighted his longstanding role as patron of the Iwokrama International Centre, which he said remained active.
He recalled his involvement in the early development of Guyana's low-carbon development agenda through his former Rainforest Project and the International Sustainability Unit, which brought together individuals and organizations to demonstrate how sustainable development could be achieved.
The King expressed hope that Guyana's approach could be replicated elsewhere as countries confront environmental destruction and biodiversity loss.
He praised the country for retaining a significant proportion of its forests, arguing that such conservation efforts deserved to be rewarded. However, he acknowledged the ongoing challenge of establishing an appropriate value for nature.
“Still, everybody argues about how much, but it's priceless. That's the answer. Totally priceless,” he said.
King Charles also warned that biodiversity loss has consequences for human health and future generations, emphasizing that people are part of nature rather than separate from it.
“The more biodiversity is destroyed, the worse the health problems become,” he said.
He added that he admired Guyana's progress and looked forward to seeing how the country continues to balance development with conservation and nature restoration.
Earlier, the King toured an exhibition at the conference showcasing the work of local agencies and organizations, including the Guyana Energy Agency and the Iwokrama International Centre.
The two-day conference, held Oct. 30-31, brought together government representatives, investors, scientists, Indigenous representatives and conservation organizations to explore how biodiversity commitments can be translated into practical action and sustainable financing.
