TITLE:
The Environmental Risks Posed by the Oil and Gas Development and Its Potential Impacts on Mangrove Ecosystems and the Coastal Community’s Well-Being
AUTHORS:
Collin Augustus Henry, Thomas B. Singh, Temitope D. Timothy Oyedotun
KEYWORDS:
Biodiversity, Carbon Credit, Guyana, Health, Oil Spill
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.11 No.5,
May
23,
2023
ABSTRACT: Guyana is an oil-producing country with oil and gas exploration
and production operations approximately 190 km offshore. The coastal communities
selected as the study areas in Region 1 and Region 2 are adjacent to the coast and
5 to 10 km inshore. In the event of oil spills, Shell Beach Protected Areas and
the other selected communities will be negatively impacted, particularly the mangrove
ecosystems and the community’s well-being. The research aims to investigate the
potential environmental risks posed by oil and gas exploration and production activities.
It followed a qualitative approach and employed semi-structured interviews with
the Toshaos of the coastal communities. The data analysis strategy was thematic
analysis using the Nvivo software. The major themes included community assets, the
importance of mangrove ecosystems, and the impacts of mangrove ecosystem damage
through oil spills. Oil spill pollution will negatively impact mangrove ecosystems
and the coastal community well-being in Region 1 and Region 2. The major results
include damage to cultural artefacts, saltwater intrusion of major creeks, reduced
fish catch levels, and agriculture products, which are the main economic activities
in the selected communities. Consuming contaminated agriculture and marine products
will lead to adverse health problems. Mangrove ecosystems provide considerable benefits
to coastal community residents, including shields against river bank erosion, natural
habitats for wildlife and source of income, shared traditions, social values, recreational
facilities, and tourist attractions. These benefits contribute to the overall coastal
community’s well-being. The mangrove forests must be protected and conserved to
avoid environmental damage.