| The Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (Iwokrama) and Conservation International – Guyana (CI-Guyana) jointly conducted a five day Training of Trainers Workshop on Climate Change, Communities and Co-managing Forests.The workshop was held from November 9 – 13, 2009, at The Bina Hill Institute of Learning in Annai, North Rupununi, Region 9.Twenty-four participants drawn from villages,Cheap Air Max Tn Shoes, and community based organisations in Regions 8 and 9, the National Toshaos’ Council, Guyana Forestry Commission,Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Essential, Ministry of Amerindian Affairs,Nike Air Force One Shoes Women, Guyana Organization of Indigenous Peoples (GOIP), Amerindian Peoples’ Association (APA), The Amerindian Action Movement of Guyana (TAAMOG) and National Amerindian Development Foundation (NADF), Iwokrama and CI-Guyana were in attendance.Participants benefitted from training on topics such as the science of climate change, climate change mitigation,Jerseys From China, the role of forests in climate, understanding the concept of reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) and sustainable management of forests. The course also provided participants with skills and knowledge in planning and conducting training and discussions at the community level.The curriculum was delivered by a team of trainers and resource persons from Conservation International’s head quarters in Virginia, USA, CI-Guyana and Iwokrama. Globally there is tremendous concern and discussion on the avoidance of catastrophic climate change effects. A growing portion of the discussions are focused on the role of forests,especially tropical forests,Nike Air Max 2018 Release, in addressing this problem.Tropical deforestation is estimated to contribute about 20% of the total annual greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Guyana is one of the few countries in the world which has maintained its high forest cover with a low deforestation rate. The Government of Guyana and others are currently advocating for tangible recognition of the contribution countries like Guyana provide towards mitigating against the dire consequences of climate change globally and are exploring ways to maintain its forest cover while fostering national development.The Guyana Government has articulated a Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS),Wholesale Air Max Tn, which seeks to transform the country’s economy to a low carbon path hinged on the conservation of its forests and has secured the first landmark agreement on November 9, 2009 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Norway for the provision of up to US$250 million.There is need for all Guyanese, especially those who rely on the forest for their livelihood, to understand the issues related to climate change and conservation of forests.In recent times, forest-based communities have been increasingly engaged in national discussions and have been expressing their desire to better understand key issues and basic concepts related to the subject of the consultations.Many of the participants thought the course organized by Iwokrama and CI-Guyana was “timely and very helpful” in better understanding the international discourse on climate change especially in light of Guyana’s current mission for support of its role in mitigating the harmful effects of this global phenomenon.Conservation International’s Olaf Zerbock thought the Training of Trainers Course “…was an excellent event and will really help us at CI develop new strategies for helping meet the everincreasing demand for training and understanding of these complex issues”.Susan Stone, the lead trainer and Senior Advisor in Conservation International’s Indigenous and Traditional Peoples Programme, described the course as “a clear example of effective partnering and teamwork between NGOs and stakeholders”.The Course was financed through grants from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Goldman Fund. Iwokrama has planned follow-up workshops during 2010 to provide more information on sustainable forest management and co-management of forests.This collaborative effort between Iwokrama and CI-Guyana is a successor to the Stakeholder Dialogue Series jointly delivered by the two organizations to complement the Government of Guyana’s national discourse on the LCDS.The three–part series which was held between August 20 – 26 this year, facilitated a public discourse on Building Human Capacity to Respond to and Support a Low Carbon Economy; A Low Carbon Economy and Forest-based Livelihoods; and the LCDS and Multilateral Environmental Agreements, International and Regional Conventions and National Policies. Conservation International Guyana is a not-for-profit non-governmental organization working in Guyana for more than 20 years linking human development with the conservation of the earth’s living natural heritage.The Iwokrama International Centre for Rain Forest Conservation and Development is an autonomous non-profit institution established by Guyana and the Commonwealth to show how tropical forests can be conserved and sustainably used for ecological, social and economic benefits to local, national and international communities. |
