Global Gateway: Guyana and the Commission strengthen cooperation with Forest Partnership roadmap.
The EU and Guyana agreed on a roadmap to further strengthen their collaboration to reach ambitious targets by 2030:
• Maintain Sustainably managed forests: 12.5 million ha;
• Expand Protected & Conserved forests: 30% by 2030 of terrestrial and marine spaces;
• Increase Restored forests: 200,000 ha;
• Increase the number of forest-related decent jobs;
• Maintain the rate of deforestation of natural forests below 0.1% per annum.
Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen expressed her strong support for the work jointly carried out with Guyana: “Guyana wants to protect and use its forests sustainably. I am glad that we will continue to work together as partners on this shared ambition.
The Forest Partnership will help us reach our joint climate and biodiversity goals, while promoting socio-economic development. With Global Gateway, the EU has adopted a very comprehensive approach to improving ecosystems around value chains with an objective to produce local added value.
This will be further showcased at the upcoming EU-CELAC Summit, where our regions have a prime opportunity to reboot our unique partnership.”
Furthermore, Commissioner Urpilainen and Hon. Minister Barrhat discussed the next steps of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) after its entry into force in June of this year. This agreement on bilateral trade aims to improve forest governance and ensure harvesting and trade of legal timber. The Commissioner and the Minister agreed on the next steps to implement the VPA towards the licensing system.
The Forest Partnership and the FLEGT VPA should help Guyana enhance forest bio-economy and attract public and private investments while contributing to climate and biodiversity objectives and reinforcing the rights of local communities and Indigenous peoples.
Source: Official EU Website
