SECOND SPEAKER SPEECH (TO BE EDITED)

Moot: Guyana should implement stricter regulations to protect its

biodiversity

Good morning, permit me to base my case on the procedures that the proposition
established beforehand. In my capacity as the second speaker, I have no qualms about
concurring that Guyana needs to enact more stringent regulations to safeguard its
biodiversity.Guyana is party to a number of international conventions and agreements,
including the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Guyana's ability to meet its duties
under these accords can be demonstrated by the implementation of stronger legislation, which
will improve its standing as an environmentally conscious nation on the international scene.

Prestigious judges, what is a fish without a river? What is a bird without a tree to nest
in? What is a protected areas act without any implementation mechanism to ensure our
biodiversity is protected? IT IS NOTHING.

According to Guyana's fifth national report to the convention on biological diversity,

the country's first national biodiversity action plan came into play in 1999-2004. After failing
to meet its goals, a second action plan was implemented for 2007-2011, but by then, they had
taken one step forward and two steps back. One of the main causes of this was the significant
changes that had been made to legislation and policy, but there was still no official statement
outlining Guyana's position on biodiversity at the time. The Protect Area Act was then passed
by the government in 2011. Following the implementation of a third national biodiversity
action plan for 2012-2020, however, this plan was later put back to 2030. We are failing to
meet most of the targets and unless we act now, we will simply miss them and failing them is
not just a pity, it’s a threat to our sustainability, our food security and our economic well-
being, so let’s be under no illusions that we haven’t been missing the mark.

According to Frans Lanting, "biodiversity starts in the distant past and points toward the
future". The nation's economy will flourish if laws protecting Guyana's biodiversity are
strictly enforced. The relationship that exists in Guyana between agriculture and biodiversity
serves as a vivid example of this. Guyana's biodiversity is important both environmentally
and commercially. as mentioned in the fifth national report that Guyana submitted to the
Convention on Biological Diversity. Agriculture played a major role in Guyana's
transformation from a least developed and highly indebted country in 1990 to a low medium-
income country while also significantly boosting the country's GDP. Agriculture accounts for
slightly more than 40% of total export production. Guyana's agriculture will suffer if it
doesn't preserve its biodiversity, which will have negative repercussions.Nothing is more
vital than air, water, soil, energy, and biodiversity, in my opinion. These are the things that
sustain our existence. The question is, are we happy to suppose that our future generation
may never get to enjoy the earth due to our lackadaisical protection for biodiversity?