Established in 1996, under an agreement between the government of Guyana and the Commonwealth Secretariat, the facility manages the Iwokrama reserve that comprises nearly 3,71,000 hectares of rainforest area.
The core programmes carried out at the Centre include sustainable management of the tropical rain forest, conservation and utilisation of biodiversity and forestry research.
Highlighting the rich biodiversity at the facility, Pachauri, who is also Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), said, "Iwokrama is a unique initiative to show the world how an important part of the global commons, a large and rich rainforest, can be protected and used by human society in a sustainable manner."
He also hailed the Centre as a role model for the world, while vowing to work towards developing Iwokrama through partnerships with relevant stakeholders and organisations.