[www.inewsguyana.com] – Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud has once again underscored the importance of the International Community in supporting countries (like Guyana) in the process of eliminating the use of mercury particularly in the small scale gold mining sector.
Persaud was at the time speaking at the Nineteenth Meeting of the Forum of Ministers of Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean (ELAC) in Los Cabos, where he led a Guyanese delegation.
He reiterated the importance of donor institutions like the GEF ensuring quick and efficient mobilization of financial and other resources to support countries in this regard.
The Minister reaffirmed the increased political will at the national and regional levels to promote and accelerate the climate agenda, and particularly Guyana’s LCDS. However, he noted that international commitments in support of mitigation and adaptation to climate change have been less than forthcoming; and urged the international community to address this as a matter of urgency.
The Ministers of LAC declared and resolved to ensure improved south-south cooperation among countries of LAC with regards to technical and information exchange, and capacity building in the areas of Climate Change, biodiversity, atmospheric pollution, and other key areas.
The forum is held biannually and is the most representative and important political gathering on environmental policies at the regional level. It seeks to garner regional and international cooperation on key environmental and sustainable development issues important to the LAC region
This 19th meeting of the forum hosted by the government of Mexico, engaged experts and the Ministers of Environment of LAC on some key environmental and sustainable development issues of interest to Guyana. These included sustainable consumption and production (SCP); air pollution; chemicals, and hazardous wastes and in particular the Minamata Convention on Mercury; and Climate Change.
The Natural Resources and the Environment Minister was accompanied by Ms. Ndibi Schwiers, Technical Officer, Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment and Mr. Kemraj Parsram, Compliance and Enforcement Manager, Environmental Protection Agency.
