No opposing goals – Pres. Ali says climate leaders can safeguard the world’s forests while driving economic growth

Addressing the opening of the first Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) meeting to be held in Guyana, President Dr Irfaan Ali issued a clarion call for global climate actors to translate promises into practical financing that supports both development and conservation.

Speaking as co-chair of the 32-member coalition—formed in 2022 and representing nations with significant forest cover—President Ali emphasised that economic growth and environmental stewardship can and must go hand in hand.

“Our message is simple – prosperity and forest protection are not mutually exclusive… In our 15-year journey… we have learnt what works and what doesn’t,” the President stated, pointing to Guyana’s own progress as proof.

Guyana, in partnership with the United Kingdom, currently leads the FCLP’s mission to secure greater international backing for countries preserving forests, many of which face the dual pressures of ecological responsibility and economic development.

Highlighting the waning media focus on the climate crisis in favour of conflict and geopolitics, President Ali warned against complacency.

“I want to compliment all of you in this room for the work you are doing in ensuring that we fight back… at a such a rapid pace that does not allow the attention of these critical issues to be lost on the minds,” he said.

Self-styled as the “Forest Man” on the global stage, President Ali urged the FCLP to elevate forest policy beyond the environmental agenda and into the heart of national development strategies.

“The FCLP must help emulate forest action to the highest political level, so that action and forests are seen as core national development [and] not just environmental policies,” he stressed.

Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat echoed the President’s sentiment, stressing the collective duty of all member nations.

“Reducing deforestation and keeping forests standing is everyone’s business. All of us are involved in this together… we must advocate as a group, as a collective,” he said.

UK High Commissioner to Guyana, Her Excellency Jane Miller, praised the country’s pioneering efforts, encouraging others to follow Guyana’s model.

Guyana’s leadership in climate action is evidenced by its Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030, which has yielded concrete results in carbon credit markets. The country became the first to issue ART-TREES credits—offering 33.4 million in 2022 alone—and has already sold roughly 30% of them. The deal with Hess Corporation secured at least US$750 million, underlining the real-world value of sustainable forest management.

As the FCLP meeting convened under Guyana’s canopy, the message was clear: the world’s forests are not just lungs of the planet—they are lifelines for its people and economies alike.