The inaugural summit of the Global Biodiversity Alliance concluded Friday in Georgetown, the capital of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, with the official launch of the Alliance and the adoption of the "Georgetown Declaration". A comprehensive roadmap was laid out to accelerate positive action for nature and ensure the protection and preservation of biodiversity worldwide.
Guyana, alongside the Dominican Republic, Barbados, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Ecuador, were among the first nations to sign onto the newly formed Alliance, which is being hailed as the beginning of a global movement. Experts described the initiative as a collective call for countries and institutions to unite in defense of the ecosystems that sustain life on Earth.
Over 140 countries and organizations took part in the summit, hosted under the patronage of President Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Participants included governments, Indigenous leaders, scientists, financial institutions, NGOs, youth representatives, and private sector actors from around the world. The summit is being seen as a turning point in international cooperation on biodiversity.
According to environmental experts, the Alliance offers a voluntary and inclusive platform to strengthen collaborative implementation, expand access to scalable financing, and promote the sharing of knowledge for ecosystem protection and restoration.
President Irfaan Ali emphasized that this summit marks not only a space for ideas but the beginning of concrete implementation. “Thanks to vision, science, and unity, we now embark on a path of commitment and tangible action,” he declared in his closing speech, after being appointed Chair of the Global Biodiversity Alliance.
In his address, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, President of the upcoming COP30 climate summit to be held in Belém, Brazil this November, highlighted biodiversity as a central theme in climate negotiations. He called for stronger alignment between the goals of COP30 and the Biodiversity Alliance and urged for inclusive engagement that goes beyond central governments to involve civil society, local authorities, academia, and the private sector.
A Five-Pillar Roadmap for Nature and Climate
The Global Biodiversity Alliance unveiled a strategic roadmap centered on five key pillars:
-
Achieving the global "30x30" goal—protecting 30% of land and marine ecosystems by 2030.
-
Integrating biodiversity into national and institutional development planning.
-
Unlocking innovative financing, including biodiversity credits, green bonds, and debt-for-nature swaps.
-
Empowering Indigenous peoples and local communities through recognition, governance, and funding.
-
Establishing robust systems for monitoring, accountability, and data sovereignty, including the creation of a "Biodiversity Power Index".
The Alliance aims to coordinate efforts between governments, NGOs, Indigenous peoples, the private sector, and communities to achieve conservation targets at multiple levels. Over three days, the summit featured workshops, panel discussions, and public debates on global climate action and biodiversity protection. Discussions focused on strengthening international cooperation, developing regional solutions, and leveraging technical tools and financial mechanisms to protect nature.
There was also a strong emphasis on South-South cooperation and the role of partnerships in accelerating conservation efforts. Delegates examined how biodiversity could serve as a driver of transformative economic change, and how mechanisms like green bonds and biodiversity credits could mobilize large-scale financing.
Guyana: A Natural Haven and Environmental Leader
Guyana, bordered by Venezuela, Brazil, and Suriname, and facing the Atlantic Ocean, has long been known for its pristine natural landscapes and high biodiversity. In 2009, it launched a pioneering Low Carbon Development Strategy, which experts consider a bold reimagining of how a developing country can pursue growth while protecting nature.
Covering around 215,000 square kilometers and home to 835,000 people of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, Guyana boasts remarkable ecological richness, including one of the world’s largest stretches of unspoiled Amazon rainforest. Forests cover approximately 85% of its territory, hosting some 8,000 species of plants.
An aerial view of the Essequibo River flowing through a portion of the Amazon rainforest in the Potaro-Siparuni region of Guyana
The country is famous for its rainforests, rivers, savannahs, and waterfalls—including the mighty Kaieteur Falls, which cascade down 226 meters with a flow of around 660 cubic meters per second, making it one of the most powerful single-drop waterfalls in the world.
Often referred to as the "Land of Many Waters", Guyana is crisscrossed by rivers, bays, and waterways, including the Essequibo River—one of South America's largest. It also shelters some of the most intact tropical rainforests in the Western Hemisphere, reinforcing its global significance as a biodiversity stronghold.
Comment