Caribbean heads of state, scientists, Indigenous leaders and environmental advocates are in Guyana this week for the launch of the Global Biodiversity Alliance. The summit aims to find new ways to halt environmental decline — in a country undergoing one of the world’s most dramatic oil booms.

Georgetown

Guyana, known for its pristine natural landscapes, has recently discovered over 11 billion barrels of oil offshore, positioning itself as a potential global energy leader. Despite concerns that this oil boom could threaten the country's net zero carbon status, President Ali has reaffirmed Guyana's commitment to climate leadership by launching a Global Biodiversity Alliance.

The country is experiencing rapid development, with new infrastructure projects underway, but many citizens are yet to see the benefits. Environmentalists have called for stronger safeguards and better planning to ensure sustainable development. The government asserts that systems are in place to ensure oil wealth supports both economic growth and environmental protection, aiming to set an example for balancing prosperity with conservation.

Guyana hosts regional leaders for environmental talks

Most of Guyana looks like this, pristine and untouched. But now more than 11 billion barrels of oil has been discovered offshore, one of the world's biggest recent finds. Promising to transform this developing nation into a global energy powerhouse, but some fear the boom could threaten its net zero carbon status. Yet its president insists striking oil doesn't mean abandoning climate leadership, and he's launching a Global Biodiversity Alliance to prove it. What we want is to be a global initiative. You know we have one of the most progressive development pathways, which seeks to keep our forest standing and alive. In the capital, Georgetown, the oil boom is already reshaping the landscape. New roads, bridges, hotels and hospitals are being built, signs of the country's transformation. But at this central market, views are mixed. At any Joe, a fruit seller, says poorer families, 40% of the population, are still waiting to feel the impact. No, I see no improvement, no improvement, because we still have children going to bed without a meal. The challenge for Guyana and many developing countries is balancing economic growth with the protection of the environment. The hope is that the revenues from the oil boom offshore can help fund the conservation of its biodiversity inland. Environmentalist Aisha Williams says more safeguards are needed. There needs to be better plans, needs to be better decisions made so that the plans, the more sustainable development, the more spread of income. President Ali says systems are in place to ensure oil wealth benefits both people and nature. We could have done many years ago, like many other countries, have massive mega farms and natural resource exploitation and production out of our forests. But that would have meant taking down 85% of our country's standing forest. When we developed the low carbon development strategy in the first place, we did not have oil and gas, but we showed that we had a commitment, that we had a commitment of building a country that will play a part in the global equation. A rare chance at prosperity with a number of risks, but if Guyana gets it right it could remain a climate leader while lifting its people into a new era. Alessandro Ampietti, Al Jazeera, Georgetown.

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