An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the Agriculture Sector in Guyana

Climate change is anticipated to have potentially disastrous impacts on the economic viability of the agricultural sector, insomuch as traditional agricultural practices render the agricultural sector climate-dependent. Increased temperatures and increased intensity, timing and occurrence of hydro events are expected to challenge plant and animal viability. Under such circumstances, vector control is expected to become more difficult, which may further prejudice the prosperity of plant, livestock and fisheries growth. The impact is expected to be on the quality of agricultural produce and thereby, indirectly, on human health outcomes. The key threat mechanisms are debilitated plant vitality and increased propagation of pests, as drought periods increase the breeding of vectors through water pooling and soil erosion associated with the increased intensity of hydro events. In addition, climate change is likely to affect crop productivity in specific geographical areas through its impact on growing seasons and crop patterns, to the extent that crop varieties cannot adapt.

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the health sector In Guyana

Climate change is considered to be the most pervasive and truly global of all issues affecting humanity. It poses a serious threat to the environment, as well as to economies and societies. Whilst it is clear that the impacts of climate change are varied, scientists have agreed that its effects will not be evenly distributed and that developing countries and small island developing States (SIDS) will be the first and hardest hit. Small island developing States, many of whom have fewer resources to adapt socially, technologically and financially to climate change, are considered to be the most vulnerable to the potential impacts of climate change. An economic analysis of climate change can provide essential input for identifying and preparing policies and strategies to help move the Caribbean closer to solving the problems associated with climate change, and to attaining individual and regional sustainable development goals. Climate change is expected to affect the health of populations. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO), in Protecting Health from Climate Change (2008), states that the continuation of current patterns of fossil fuel use, development and population growth will lead to ongoing climate change, with serious effects on the environment and, consequently, on human lives and health. Assessing the economics of potential health impacts of climate variability and change requires an understanding of both the vulnerability of a population and its capacity to respond to new conditions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines vulnerability as the degree to which individuals and systems are susceptible to, or unable to cope with, the adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes (WHO and others, 2003). The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Centre for Climate Change (CCCCC), is pursuing a regional project to ―Review the Economics of Climate Change in the Caribbean‖ (RECCC). The purpose of the project is to assess the likely economic impacts of climate change on key sectors of Caribbean economies, through applying robust simulation modelling analyses under various socio-economic scenarios and carbon emission trajectories for the next 40 years. The findings are expected to stimulate local and national governments, regional institutions, the private sector and civil society to craft and implement policies, cost-effective options and efficient choices to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Brazilian migration to Guyana as livelihood strategy: a case study approach

Este estudo de caso de metodologia mista foi conduzido com foco na migração brasileira para a Guiana como uma estratégia de sobrevivência. O estudo examinou, descreveu e analisou o processo da migração e da adaptação, e os impactos socioeconômicos e ambientais físicos e as preocupações associadas com as atividades de sobrevivência destes migrantes na Guiana. Foram utilizados questionários, entrevistas, documentários, arquivos e observações (direta e participante) com o objetivo de obter um entendimento profundo do fenômeno em questão. O estudo confirma que através de um forte sistema de rede, os brasileiros de classes socioeconômicas e culturais mais baixas são capazes de adotar a migração como estratégia de sobrevivência, à medida que eles migram através de uma rota por passos (step-wise) prédefinida para a Guiana. Este sistema de rede permite aos migrantes responderem prontamente às novas atividades de sobrevivência tanto interna como internacionalmente. Na Guiana, a mineração e a prostituição são identificadas como as principais atividades de sobrevivência que tem gerado conseqüências socioeconômicas tanto positivas quanto negativas e impactos ambientais negativos.

ANATOMY OF NERITINA ZEBRA FROM GUYANA AND BRAZIL (MOLLUSCA: GASTROPODA: NERITIDAE)

Neritina zebra is a common brackish water gastropod living on muddy bottoms with poorly known morphological characters. The morphology, including the variety of colour and pattern of shells, and the anatomy are described. We mainly analyzed the animals collected in the estuary of the Ceara river, Ceara, Brazil, from "Parque Estadual do rio Coco", and specimens from other places deposited in institutional collections, from French Guyana (topotypes) to Sao Paulo. A complete anatomical description is performed, including illustration and discussion ninth concerned to systematics. Amongst the more important anatomical data are: heart diotocardian; kidneys solid; anterior esophagus with pair of ventral esophageal pouches; odontophore with 4 cartilages and 2 horizontal muscles (m6, m6a); males with penis dorsal-right to snout, bearing a terminal papilla; pallial oviduct triaulic, possessing 3 pallial apertures.

Regenwald in Guyana und Suriname : Institutionen und Akteure der Inwertsetzung des Regenwaldes durch Goldbergbau, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus

Die südamerikanischen Staaten Guyana und Suriname sind ehemalige Kolonien, die über gigantische Rohstoffressourcen verfügen. In den Regenwäldern, die die Länder zu 80 - 90% bedecken, lagern Gold und Bauxit und es wachsen wertvolle Hölzer. Außerdem haben beide Länder das Potential für eine touristische Inwertsetzung ihres Landesinneren. rnEbenso vielfältig wie die Ressourcen der Guayanas sind die Interessen daran. International agierende Unternehmen, einheimische Goldsucher sowie Indigene, Naturschützer und Dienstleister aus der Tourismusbranche stellen sich widersprechende Ansprüche an Rohstofflagerstätten sowie an touristisch vermarktbare Landschaft und Natur. Die Regierungen stehen vor der Herausforderung, die politischen Rahmenbedingungen für die Nutzung der Ressourcen des Regenwaldes festzulegen. rnDie vorliegende empirische Studie analysiert vergleichend die Motivationen der Akteure und den Einfluss von Institutionen auf die Akteure in den unterschiedlichen politischen Systemen der Staaten Guyana und Suriname. Um die Strategien der Akteure zu verstehen, wird geklärt, welche institutionelle und länderspezifische Regelungssysteme – formeller und informeller Art – die Akteure beeinflussen und inwiefern sich dabei der Einfluss der kolonialen Vergangenheit beider Staaten bemerkbar macht. rnIm Fokus der Untersuchung stehen Akteure, die an der Inwertsetzung des Regenwaldes durch Bergbau, Forstwirtschaft und (Natur-)Tourismus auf lokaler Ebene beteiligt sind sowie länderspezifischen Institutionen, die den Handlungsrahmen für diese Akteure definieren. rn