When challenged about the nation's carbon emissions in light of its intentions to produce gas and oil off its shore, Guyanese President Irfaan ali did not hold back. In a widely shared video of the contentious discussion from the BBC HardTalk programme, ali interrupts stephen Sackur and queries if he was in the "pockets of those who destroy the environment through the industrial revolution and are now lecturing us" or if he had the "right to lecture on climate change".

Sackur stated that more than two billion tonnes of carbon emissions from Guyana's coast will result from the production of gas and oil, citing sources. The Guyanese President interrupts while he is questioning if Irfaan ali was there at the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai, saying, "Let me stop you right there. Did you know that Guyana's forest cover is larger than the combined areas of scotland and England? a forest has 19.5 gigatons of carbon stored in it. forests that we have managed to preserve.
 
And with that, the journalist asked if guyana now had "the right to release all of this carbon".
 
Irfaan ali shot back, asking, "Does that give you the right to lecture us on climate change? "before the reporter could continue. I'm going to give you a lesson on climate change because we have managed to preserve this forest, which provides the planet and you with 19.5 gigatons of carbon storage."
 
He said, "Even with our greatest exploration of the oil and gas resources we have now, we will still be net-zero (in emissions)," pointing out that guyana has the lowest rate of deforestation in the world.
 
The president of guyana went on to say that his nation does not receive payment for the woods that his people had preserved.
 
"65% of the world's biodiversity has disappeared in the previous 50 years. Our biodiversity has not changed. Do you think highly of it? Will you be able to afford it? When will the developed countries foot the bill? Are you in their pockets, or what? Are you among those who have harmed the environment financially? Are you among those who, during the Industrial Revolution, ruined the environment and are now lecturing us? Irfaan ali sharply inquired, "Are you paid by them?"
 
 
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G GOWTHAM

30/03/2024 10:46 AM