Jagdeo to take on two roles within the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) yesterday announced that former Guyanese President, Bharrat Jagdeo, is to take on two roles within the organisation - as IUCN High Level Envoy for Sustainable Development in Forest Countries and as IUCN Patron of Nature.
IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefevre said: “I am delighted to welcome 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. We very much look forward to partnering with President Jagdeo, and to drawing on his insights and knowledge.”

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo

Speaking of his new roles, the former President said: “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. These are some of the biggest challenges in the world today. Working with IUCN, I hope that I can 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 industrialised world.”
The roles will be part-time, and they will be combined with President Jagdeo’s work as Roving Ambassador for the Three Basins, which resulted from a request made in June 2011 by Heads of State and other leaders from all the world’s rainforest countries.