Guyana to Benefit From Global Biodiversity Data System

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Guyana is developing a National Biodiversity Information System (NBIS) aimed at improving data accessibility and enabling policymakers to make evidence-based decisions.

Head of Partnerships at the Yale Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, Dr Claire HoffmannThe project is being spearheaded by the US-based Yale Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change that is dedicated to the study of Earth’s biodiversity and the creation of knowledge and tools to guide its conservation.

The center says it engages students and researchers and work with science and technology partners worldwide to develop and deliver insights and actionable information around the origin, change, and safeguarding of biodiversity.

Head of Partnerships at the Yale Centre for Biodiversity and Global Change, Dr Claire Hoffmann, said Guyana will have easy access to the global biodiversity digital system and that the NBIS will have two key components: the data infrastructure behind the scenes and the user interface.

Speaking on the latest episode of the United for Biodiversity: The Alliance Podcast, Hoffmann said the user interface will ensure the data is easily accessible to policy leaders through a manageable and user-friendly platform.

“We also want to make sure that the application and the integration of more data are also at different scales. We need to be strategic in filling out data gaps on the ground through our biodiversity monitoring programs.

“Guyana is doing an amazing job on this front already. We have worked with a lot of the teams that are collecting data on the ground to make sure that it is ingested into our systems ahead of the summit.”

She said she is also committed to supporting Guyana in prioritizing future biodiversity programs more effectively by providing relevant data and insights to guide decision-making.

Hoffmann explained that having access to relevant data is essential for informed decision-making and that by using the NBIS, it is possible to include additional countries that share species with Guyana. This move, she highlighted, would enhance regional collaboration and improve the effectiveness of future biodiversity programs.

“We have to ensure that the data we are using to support our decisions is trustworthy. We had to be careful about creating tools in relationships and initiatives like the Global Biodiversity Alliance that bring that data out into the world that is both accessible and effective,”  she added.