Guyana

It takes only 112 days for the average Canadian to produce as much greenhouse gases as the average Guyanese will produce over the course of the entire year.  Therefore, April 22nd (112 days into the year) is "Climate Change Impacts in Guyana Day."

Guyana is already experiencing the impacts of climate change through increased flooding and inundation caused by sea level rise.  According to the country’s Initial National Communication under the UNFCCC, Guyana’s coastal zone, which has a high concentration of the country’s population and economic activities, is already below the high tide water level.  Sea level rise is also expected to affect water supplies, as salt-water intrudes on aquifers close to the coast.

There are concerns that the agricultural sector in Guyana will suffer due to an increase in drought periods and severity, soil erosion caused by wind, and more intense rainstorms leading to flooding and loss of crops, soil erosion and leaching of soil nutrients.  The seemingly contradictory problems of drought and flooding are concerns due to increasing uncertainties and unpredictability around future precipitation levels.  While overall precipitation totals may remain close to the same, when rainfall does occur, there may be an increased chance of it falling in excessive quantities.