UN Guyana partners with civil society to unveil climate action murals

On World Environment Day the United Nations (UN) unveiled three climate themed informational images in the National Park, designed to raise popular awareness of the Triple Planetary Crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

The images were unveiled by His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, during Guyana’s observance of World Environment Day. This public sensitisation initiative highlights elements of Guyana’s biodiversity and aims to encourage open, inclusive, and constructive debate with respect to national and international policy choices regarding climate change and biodiversity protection.

Through collaboration with environmental stakeholders – WWF-Guianas, the Guyana Youth and Environment Network, the Guyana Marine Conservation Society, and the University of Guyana’s EcoTrust Society - the informational pieces highlight the Guiana Shield, the North Rupununi Wetlands, the Jaguar, the Green Sea Turtle, and the Melon-Headed Whale.

Guiana Shield: SDG 13 / Climate Action

The geological formation known as the Guiana Shield covers French Guiana, Suriname, Venezuela and Guyana, as well as parts of Colombia and Brazil. It stores 18 percent of the world’s forest carbon.

North Rupununi Wetlands: SDG 12 Sustainable Production and Consumption

The North Rupununi Wetlands, submerged during seasonal rainfalls, are a critical water bridge connecting the river basins of the Amazon and the Guiana Shield. They are vital spawning and breeding grounds for fish, mammals, aquatic reptiles and amphibians.

Jaguar: SDG 15 Life on Land

The Jaguar is the third largest big cat in the world. A strong swimmer and climber, the name ‘jaguar’ comes from an Amerindian word meaning “he who kills with one blow”.

Green Turtle and Melon Headed Whales: SDG 14 Life Below Water

The Shell Beach Protected Area in Guyana is home to the Hawksbill, Leatherback, and Olive Ridley species of sea turtle, as well as the Green Turtle, which feed on seagrasses, algae, and coral. Their feeding habits keep seagrasses more productive, in turn helping support a rich array of marine life, including the fish that we eat. Unfortunately, sea turtles also eat the plastic bags that pollute our oceans, often with fatal consequences.

Guyana’s deep ocean water is home to six species of dolphin, including the melon-headed whale. Dolphins are crucial indicators of changes in our ocean ecosystems, themselves vital to our food chains and livelihoods.

Guyana’s commitment to the environment is captured in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) 2030, which commits the country to balancing rapid economic development with environmental sustainability. The Strategy outlines plans for capitalising on the country’s forest and ecosystem services, energy transition, climate resilience and biodiversity protection, and international climate advocacy.