This project, which carries the official name “Enhancing Biodiversity Protection through Strengthened Monitoring, Enforcement and Uptake of Environmental Regulations in Guyana’s Gold Mining Sector Project” is an initiative between the Government of Guyana (GoG), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with a focus on addressing various pressing issues related to the impact of mining activities on biodiversity.
While gold mining is a key sector in Guyana’s economy and plays an important role in the country’s socio-economic development it is often the main driver of deforestation and forest degradation and associated biodiversity loss. Inadequate management of tailings, little reclamation of mined-out areas, and various other practices are posing increasing threats to the extremely high levels of biodiversity and endemism found in Guyana. To this end, a Medium Size Project (MSP) is currently being implemented with the focus on the following two main elements:
- Strengthening monitoring and enforcement; and
- Target capacity building.
Objective: the objective of the project is to strengthen monitoring and implementation of biodiversity-friendly practices in Guyana’s gold mining sector to reduce biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem functionality for the benefit of all Guyanese. The project began in September, 2014 and is expected to conclude in August 2017. The outcomes of the project are as follows:
- Enabling environment for monitoring and enforcement of mining-related environmental regulations and codes of practices strengthened.
- Enhanced capacities for uptake of practices that promote biodiversity conservation.
Upon conclusion of this Medium Sized Project (MSP) there will be the establishment of a Full Size Project (FSP) which is intended to capture the gaps as well as implement lessons learnt from the MSP.
