Fifteen global leaders and experts on Wednesday signed the ‘Georgetown Declaration’ that seeks to protect 30 per cent of the planet’s lands and oceans by 2030 and advance a united vision for biodiversity.
The historic event took place during the ongoing Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) Summit at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Liliendaal.
Guyana will serve as the permanent home of the GBA Secretariat, with a dedicated national team in place to coordinate and drive the alliance’s mission forward across its diverse membership.
“Guyana has agreed that we’re going to host the secretariat here. We’re going to put the resources to host the secretariat here to follow up on the work of this alliance and conference,” President Ali stated ahead of the signing.
The document was signed by President Ali; President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader; Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley; Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, former President of the Republic of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez; Chief Executive Officer of Conservation International (CI), Dr M. Sanjayan and Managing Director of the Yale University’s Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, Dr Alexander Killion.
Other signatories include Executive Director of Frankfurt Zoological Society, Dr Christof Schenck; Senior Director of the Keller Science Action Centre, Dr Erin Hagen; Director of the Campaign for Nature, Dr Brian O’Donnell, Chairperson of the National Toshaos Council (NTC), Derrick John; Macushi Conservation Leader of the South Rupununi Conservation Society, Leroy Ignacio; Vice President of the Republic of Ecuador, María José Pinto; Principal Executive for Ecosystems and Biodiversity for the Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, Mauricio Velásquez and Head of Origination EMEA, Environmental Products, Mercuria/ Silvania, James Cooper.
The committee and other stakeholders will meet with Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, President of COP30, on Thursday to discuss and forge a path forward.
