Partners aim to get US$12.5M conservation pledge to communities within a year
A US$12.5 million pledge to Guyana by international conservation partners is expected to be channelled into specific projects over the next year, including the development of a conservation corridor, protected areas and Indigenous territories.
Rainforest Trust CEO Dr James Deutsch outlined the plan on Saturday during a panel discussion titled “Financing Nature at Scale: Mobilising Capital, Instruments and Delivery Partnerships” at the Second Global Biodiversity Alliance (GBA) Conference.
The Bezos Earth Fund, Andes Amazon Fund, Nia Tero, and Rainforest Trust have pledged financing to protect the Acarai-Corentyne Corridor against mining and other activities.
“Much more money is going to come in the future, but we got here fast,” he said, referring to the pledge announced at the conference.
Deutsch said reaching the target will require governments, NGOs and communities to develop clear proposals with the support of all three groups.
Programme Manager at the Bezos Earth Fund, Padu Franco, described the pledge as an example of donors working together to advance Guyana’s conservation agenda.
He said partners are also preparing to support the identification of key biodiversity areas in Guyana, which will guide where investments are focused.
Both partners pointed to Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) as a model Guyana could consider for long-term funding.
“I would love to see actual designations happening in the next year,” Franco said.
Under a PFP, governments, communities and funders agree on conservation targets and costs, then combine public, philanthropic and market financing to sustain protected areas over 20 years or more.
Deutsch noted that the approach has produced strong results in Colombia and is being advanced in Panama.
“It’s certainly a way that Guyana should consider going,” he said.
Deutsch explained that his organisation also works through local partners committed to long-term management, and builds sustainable financing, such as ecotourism or carbon revenue, into each project.
This helps ensure protected areas remain well funded after they are created.
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