Last Updated on Saturday, 31 October 2026, 13:02 by Written By Denis Chabrol
The United Kingdom has agreed to team up with Guyana in helping to Shell Beach in the north-western part of the South American nation to grapple with the impacts of climate change, the British High Commission said Saturday.
“Through its Sustainable Blue Economies Programme, the UK will work with Guyana to strengthen climate resilience at Shell Beach, protecting mangroves, important sea turtle nesting beaches and the natural systems that sustain coastal livelihoods,” the diplomatic mission said in a statement a day after King Charles III departed for the twin-island Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
The British High Commission says the Shell Beach project will be led locally by Guyana’s EMC Foundation and the semi-autonomous Protected Areas Commission. The mission says the project brings together scientists from the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Guyanese partners to place scientific expertise and local knowledge at the heart of better-informed climate adaptation, conservation and long-term coastal resilience.
“This partnership will complement Guyana’s ongoing conservation efforts by combining satellite imagery, geospatial analysis and local knowledge to assess shoreline change and habitat vulnerability at Shell Beach. Working with UK scientists will strengthen our capacity to monitor coastal change which will help guide protection of mangroves and sea turtle nesting habitats,” Shyam Nokta, Founder and Director of EMC Foundation, was quoted as saying in the statement.
The British High Commission says partnerships on climate and biodiversity issues are a core pillar of the relationship between the UK and Guyana. The two countries co-chair the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership, strengthening Guyana’s role in global forest diplomacy and knowledge sharing. The UK and Guyana have also worked together on biodiversity, ocean conservation and blue economies partnerships
The Sustainable Blue Economies (SBE) Technical Assistance Platform is partnering with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to co-develop the science, knowledge, tools and capability for equitable, climate resilient, sustainable blue economies. The SBE Technical Assistance Platform enables SIDS to request specialist assistance from a partnership of UK marine science and management organisations to co-develop the evidence, tools and capacity for climate resilient sustainable use of marine resources. The Platform is one component of the SBE, funded by the UK Government, offering a wider package of collaborative opportunities with Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible SIDS.
EMC Foundation is a Guyanese non-profit organisation established in 2022 to promote environmental awareness and education, particularly among young people. Through educational activities, partnerships and opportunities to experience nature, it encourages greater understanding of Guyana’s environment and action to protect it.
Through the UK’s Sustainable Blue Economies Programme’s Blue Social Challenge Fund, EMC Foundation has undertaken two conservation education projects. Visual Chronicles of the Mahaica Wetlands and Mangroves produced a coffee-table book and film highlighting the area’s biodiversity, cultural heritage and ecological importance. Arya Takes a Swim expanded the Foundation’s marine turtle story into English and Arawak-Lokono audiobooks and an audio series, complemented by listening sessions in Indigenous and riverine communities. Together, these initiatives connect environmental education with cultural preservation and encourage greater understanding of Guyana’s wetlands, mangroves, marine turtles and coastal ecosystems.
The Protected Areas Commission (PAC) was established under Guyana’s Protected Areas Act 2011 to establish, manage, maintain, promote and expand the National Protected Areas System. It directly manages Shell Beach Protected Area, helping to conserve its mangroves, sea turtle nesting beaches and other important habitats
