The international press has in recent months, shared stories of varying environmental crises, such as the lungs of the earth, the Amazon Rainforest is on fire or about hurricane Dorian and how it has devastated the Bahamas. If not, Guyanese have certainly felt the increase in temperature over the past few weeks hence the climate is changing faster than we can cope. 

Therefore, saving the environment is not just an issue anymore. It is a survival truth. Individuals, organisations and governments need to come together and join hands to protect what is left of our planet. Furthermore, September 20-27, 2019 millions of young climate activists and movement allies took to the streets to demand meaningful climate action as part of the Global Climate Strike week taking place. Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) – a network of Civil Society organizations – in collaboration with the University of Guyana Geographical Society and UG Female Empowerment Movement held a rally in support of global youth-led efforts to raise awareness of Climate Change. The PFG event took place a few days after on Sunday, September 29th, 2019. The event attracted ten educational institutions, who brought their banners, messages, costumes and enthusiasm focused on demanding greater urgency around the climate crisis. Primary, secondary and tertiary students. joined Hinterland participants, along with UG students, nursing and technical institutions in a wake-up call to the adult world. The students were joined by nine non-governmental, including faith-based and disabilities organizations along with private sector participants and individuals. We were able to have in attendance approximately 500 Guyanese.

Popular themes on placards and speeches focused on the need for young people to assume the burden of creating a response to the climate crisis. Guyana’s Michelle Kalamandeen, a recent PhD graduate is a specialist in remote sensing of deforestation, warned “Climate change is here whether we like it or not. This isn’t about saving the planet for our children or grandchildren anymore. The future has come to meet us. We’re not waiting for it or for someone to rescue us, we’re not trying to fend it off – we’re living in it. It is NOW and it is US!”