Guyana

Overview
Policy & Practice
Leadership

Overview

Guyana is home to vast rainforests and diverse ecosystems, and Indigenous communities that rely on natural resources for their livelihoods. Guyana integrates environmental education into its policies, particularly through the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Policy, which embeds sustainability principles into the national curriculum. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and organizations like the EMC Foundation and South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) actively promote environmental awareness through workshops, community programs, and research initiatives. Legislation and policy plans such as the Environmental Protection Act (1996) and the National Climate Change Policy and Action Plan (2020-2030) include environmental education and awareness mandates.

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Policy & Practice

National Policy

Guyana’s Environmental Protection Act of 1996 established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and mandated it to provide information and education to the public about the benefits of protecting the environment and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Guyana has integrated environmental education into its national policies, particularly through its Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Policy. This policy aims to embed sustainability and environmental protection principles across formal, non-formal, and informal education systems. The policy focuses on building institutional capacity for ESD at the Ministry of Education, ensuring equitable and inclusive access to ESD, and broader public awareness of ESD.

Additionally, Guyana's National Climate Change Policy and Action Plan (2020-2030) outlines strategies for climate resilience, adaptation, and sustainable development. This plan emphasizes education as a key component in addressing climate change challenges and includes strategic actions on integrating climate change into the formal education curriculum and incentivizing community and non-government organizations that promote climate friendly lifestyles.

EE in K-12 Education

Environmental education has historically been integrated into the curriculum, with themes in biodiversity and climate change taught from pre-school to primary level with materials developed through partnerships with UNESCO. In 2019, the Department of Environment in partnership with the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) issued revised curriculum guides for Social Studies, Integrated Science, Agricultural Science and English subjects. The curriculum guides were revised to ensure more comprehensive coverage of environmental education themes, from the perspective of the fields of Agriculture and Forestry, Biodiversity, Climate Change and Land Geology, and Geography.

Professional Development

Pre-service and in-service training of teachers is offered through the Cyril Potter College of Education and the University of Guyana. The Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Policy calls for updating of curriculum and teaching methods to ensure teachers are equipped to effectively deliver environmental education. Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides professional development opportunities in the form of an annual Environmental Education workshop for teachers. The workshops are focused on training teachers to integrate environmental topics in various topics and covers issues such as climate change, biodiversity, solid waste, and energy.

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Leadership

EE in National Government

The Communications Department of Guyana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the primary national office that supports environmental awareness, environmental education, and environmental communications. The Office of Climate Change (OCC) is another national-level office that is responsible for implementing and supporting education and awareness programs on climate change, including outreach programs in schools and mass media for the public.

National EE Campaigns and Funding

Environment education in Guyana is funded through government sources and donor funding, including through multilateral sources. For example, the initiative to revise the curriculum to integrate environmental topics was funded by the government of Guyana, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF).

The Protected Areas Trust (PAT) is a corporate body that manages a trust fund to provide financing for the National Protected Areas System, promoting the conservation and preservation of the biological diversity and maintenance of the ecosystem services of the protected areas. PAT funds are used to co-finance initiatives that include environmental education and awareness.

The Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to marine conservation, biodiversity protection, and environmental education. GMCS hosts workshops, webinars, and outreach programs to educate communities about marine conservation.

The South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) is a grassroots conservation organization in Guyana dedicated to preserving the wildlife, environment, and cultural heritage of the Rupununi region. SRCS runs programs to educate local communities, particularly indigenous youth, about conservation and sustainable practices. SRCS has a 2-year environmental education curriculum focused on wildlife, environment and culture of the Rupununi and includes a practical hands on project on an environmental issue in the community.

The EMC Foundation is an organization dedicated to promoting environmental awareness and education. It focuses on fostering a deeper understanding of Guyana’s ecosystems and encouraging sustainable practices through various initiatives, including the E-STEM Program in which the foundation collaborates with 19 environmental clubs across Guyana, engaging students in environmental science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Organizations

Environmental Protection Agency Guyana

https://epaguyana.org/

The Ministry of Natural Resources

https://nre.gov.gy/

University of Guyana | Department of Environmental Studies

https://uog.edu.gy/srms/departments/8/programmes/

Guyana Marine Conservation Society

https://www.guyanamarineconservation.org/index.html

The Protected Areas Trust (PAT)

https://www.pac.gov.gy/about-us-2/#pat

The South Rupununi Conservation Society