Dear Editor,
After enjoying the peace, rest and reflection offered during the International Day of Peace one does start to become concerned about how long such peace will be maintained. The fragility of the situation does unveil itself as time progresses. Modeling of the increase in the sea level due to climate change has brought into focus geographical areas that have been invested in heavily over the decades. Large industrialized locations in China are at risk as well as major global cities. The lack of foresight and adequate planning is now evident, but more worrying is the resulting impact that climate change will have on world peace. This makes climate change the most important global security issue and one which the UN Security Council should have on its agenda to address with a high level of urgency.
The resulting mass migration and relocation due to climate change will bring with it increased conflict across borders and place a strain on must-have resources. Reduced availability of affordable goods, increases in prices due to supply shortages and the resulting inflation from increased real estate and construction demand are major factors that will destabilize the global economy as flooding and destructive climate events become more frequent. Many nations continue to invest and reinvest in unsustainable habitat locations with a high level of denial of the reality before us. Oil producers are shifting their energy portfolio at a pace that doesn’t eliminate the risks being faced globally.
In the case of our beautiful homeland, the reaction has been lagging and the result is a handout after each flood to our farmers and other affected citizens. The time has come when we as a nation must do more than just be reactive to disasters. We must plan ahead.
It is opportune to know what treasures we have below the surface and the value of it. This makes our negotiating position stronger when in discussions with our fellow nations on the merits of no longer extracting and using a resource that will displace millions of human beings and cripple many economies around the world. When such mass migration and large economic destruction occurs it is usually followed by war. Our economically developed allies can afford to work with us and other concerned nations to prevent the further use of oil and gas. Having 20 billion or even 30 billion barrels of oil at our disposal should motivate our government to sit down with the UN Security Council to discuss payments to leave this resource in the ground. We cannot afford to let the situation worsen before taking this crucial step.
As for our sea defences, irrigation & drainage systems and the need to relocate further inland, a serious discussion is yet to be had and a decision made in our Parliament. There must be a clear path ahead and those governing must establish what steps will be taken over the next five years to ensure that our citizens are not forced to relocate in an unprepared manner. The foundation of a new Capital City needs to be laid. The giving of house lots should be for such a location, where the resulting climate change will have minimal impact on the daily lives and the livelihoods of our fellow Guyanese. There should be no further hesitance in taking the required action to develop further inland on higher ground. Our Nation’s budget, planning and development have to be aligned to address this urgent need for relocation and coastal defence.
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of
Guyana
