Protection and restoration of land is integral to the Sustainable Development Goals

In observance of World Environment Day, the United Nations in Guyana participated in the annual Green Walk and Exhibition organised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

World Environment Day is observed under the theme ‘Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience’. Delivering remarks at the event UN Resident Coordinator Yeşim Oruç highlighted that the “protection and restoration of land is integral to the Sustainable Development Goals.” She acknowledged that Guyana incorporates these goals “into its national planning and budgeting processes, including SDG 15 on protecting ecosystems, and stopping land degradation.”

The Resident Coordinator highlighted UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message to all countries to go beyond their land use policies and to leverage their commitments under both the Biodiversity Convention and the Paris Climate Agreement to set out how they will halt and reverse land degradation.

She also shared national solutions for land restoration, which are relevant to Guyana’s context, as outlined by the UN Environment Programme. This includes sustainable agriculture, saving the soil, and renewing coastal and marine areas. The contributions of the UN System (FAO, UNDP, IFAD, and WFP) in support of the national agenda in these areas were highlighted.

1. Sustainable Agriculture: FAO and IFAD support this agenda by working with communities for climate-resilient crops while building capacity to encourage sustainable farming practices. Support is also provided by UNDP to harness indigenous knowledge to develop sustainable farming methods. FAO and WFP also work with the Ministry of Agriculture to implement the national pathways for food systems transformation. 
2. Save the soil: FAO is working with national authorities, through the Caribbean SOILCARE project, to provide crucial insights into soil characteristics, informing decisions on sustainable soil management and development.
3. Renew coastal and marine areas: UNDP and partners have worked on many activities for protected areas including on coastal management plans.

The aforementioned is guided by Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), which provides the national vision and policy direction. 

The Green Walk and Exhibition saw participation from government and educational institutions, the private sector, and other stakeholders.

What is World Environment Day?

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and held annually on 5 June since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public outreach and is celebrated by millions of people across the world. In 2024, it is hosted by Saudi Arabia.