About 65 percent of the world’s biodiversity has been lost: Guyana’s president
Irfan Ali, President of Guyana has strongly criticized the double-edged behavior of Western countries to reduce the rate of carbon emissions. In a recent interview with BBC’s journalist Stephen Sakur, he expressed his anger towards Western countries. He said who gave them the right to lecture on climate change.
Guyana is planning to extract oil and gas from the coastal area. The BBC journalist wanted to ask the President of Guyana about the country’s carbon emission rate. Oil and gas extraction may lead to over 200 million metric tons of carbon emissions in coastal regions, according to his statement.
Guyana’s President, Irfan Ali, stated that Guyana possesses a forest that is larger than the combined size of the United Kingdom and Scotland. Forests can absorb 19.5 gigatons of carbon. We have saved that forest.
The BBC reporter wants to know if Guyana can extract oil and gas and emit carbon just because they have a forest.
Irfan was impressed by this. He said to the journalist, “Oh you got the right to give us a lecture on climate change?”
“I’m lecturing you on climate change, because we’re saving this forest. You don’t pay us for the benefits you, the world, enjoy from absorbing 19.5 gigatons of carbon,” he added.
“And that’s why you don’t understand its value. You don’t understand the value of the people of Guyana sustaining this forest,” he further added.
Irfan also said, “You can imagine, we have the lowest rate of deforestation in the world. We have found a lot of oil and gas resources, but our net carbon emission rate is zero. Even after all our resources are discovered, they will be at net-zero.
Guyana’s president criticized the Western world’s ambivalence on measures to combat climate change. He said those who destroyed the environment are now questioning his country’s (Guyana’s) role.
Irfan also said, ‘My words are not over yet. Because what is going on in the world is hypocrisy. 65 percent of the world’s biodiversity has been lost in the last 50 years. We have retained our biodiversity.”
“Can you rate it? Are you ready to pay for it? When will the developed world pay for it? Or are you the guy on their side? Are you in favor of those who have harmed the environment? Do you favor them?
Are you and your system in favor of those who destroyed the world with the industrial revolution and are now lecturing us? Do you favor them? Did they pay you?,” he questioned.
“Many developing countries are now calling on the Western world to rapidly reduce carbon emissions,” he informed.
