Release Date: August 24, 2019
This press release from Policy Forum Guyana dated August 24, 2019, expressing concerns about environmental policies related to mining and river protection in Guyana. It highlights the technical capabilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission to monitor deforestation and river dredging, but criticizes the slow and insufficient policy actions against the use of mercury in mining and the protection of freshwater resources. The release calls for a ban on river mining and a more robust commitment to eliminating mercury use by 2027, as per the Minamata Convention, to prevent irreversible damage to Guyana’s rivers and ecosystems. It also mentions global examples of stronger environmental protection measures and urges a fundamental re-assessment of Guyana’s regulatory and legal policies regarding environmental conservation.
This press release from Policy Forum Guyana dated August 24, 2019, expressing concerns about environmental policies related to mining and river protection in Guyana. It highlights the technical capabilities of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Guyana Geology & Mines Commission to monitor deforestation and river dredging, but criticizes the slow and insufficient policy actions against the use of mercury in mining and the protection of freshwater resources. The release calls for a ban on river mining and a more robust commitment to eliminating mercury use by 2027, as per the Minamata Convention, to prevent irreversible damage to Guyana’s rivers and ecosystems. It also mentions global examples of stronger environmental protection measures and urges a fundamental re-assessment of Guyana’s regulatory and legal policies regarding environmental conservation.