-To community-level impact – Bholanath

-by David Clarke

Guyana’s climate resilience agenda is entering a phase focused increasingly on implementation, with an emphasis on ensuring that development is felt at the community level.

Senior Director of Climate Change at the Ministry of Natural Resources, Pradeepa Bholanath, says resilience must go beyond infrastructure and climate adaptation to improving the lives of people.

“Ultimately, resilience is not only about infrastructure, it’s not only about climate adaptation, it’s about transforming the lives of people, creating resilient communities, and ensuring that these serve the benefit of all of those persons who live in and depend on natural resources,” she said.

Bholanath says that means continued investment in areas such as coastal and river protection, drainage, water security, resilient roads and community facilities, while strengthening livelihoods and food security.

“Development must ultimately be felt at the community level. This means, for Guyana, continuing to invest in climate resilient infrastructure particularly coastal and river protection, drainage, water security, resilient roads and community facilities,” she added.

The next phase of LCDS 2030 implementation is expected to place greater emphasis on clean and renewable energy, natural-resource management and the development of sustainable and resilient communities.