GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) says that former Guyana president, Bharrat Jagdeo, will perform the functions of IUCN High Level Envoy for Sustainable Development in Forested Countries and as its Patron of Nature.
“I am delighted to welcome (former) president Jagdeo into the IUCN family. For many years, he has been a powerful and articulate advocate for climate justice across the world, and he correctly identified a long time ago that developing countries can lead the way towards pragmatic solutions to big challenges,” IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefevre said.
He said the organisation was “very much look forward to partnering with Jagdeo, and to drawing on his insights and knowledge”.
The IUCN is an international organization dedicated to finding “pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges”. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organizations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice. IUCN is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network.
Jagdeo said maintaining the environment for future generations remains among the “biggest challenges in the world today.
“The ideas and human energy that will solve many of today’s biggest global challenges will come from today’s developing world.
“In particular, forest countries and peoples will be to the fore of solving the inter-linked challenges around how we use our planet’s land– to feed the world, source the minerals needed for prosperous economies; preserve bio-diversity; avert climate catastrophe; and protect the rights and livelihoods of people who depend on forests,” he said.
Jagdeo said he is hoping that working with IUCN would “help to catalyse greater South-South innovation towards solutions, as well as support partnerships between forest nations and progressive countries and institutions from today’s industrialized world.”
Jagdeo’s new positions will be on a part-time basis since he also functions as “Roving Ambassador for the Three Basins”, resulting from a request made in June 2011 by Heads of State and other leaders from all the world’s rainforest countries. (CMC)