The Mitigation Strategies for Managing the Potential Environmental Risks Posed by Oil and Gas Development on Mangrove Ecosystems in the Coastal Communities

Abstract

Guyana is an oil-producing country vulnerable to potential oil spills and the environmental risks posed by oil and gas exploration and production activities. Despite the technologically advanced equipment employed by Exxon-Mobil Guyana and affiliates, an oil spill could occur due to accidents, equipment failures, or sabotages. The selected coastal communities as the study areas in Region 1 and Region 2 could be adversely affected, particularly the mangrove ecosystems. Potential oil spill pollution will adversely impact mangrove ecosystems in Region 1 and Region 2. Mangroves offer significant benefits to coastal communities, such as coastal defence and carbon sequestration, which puts Guyana on the world map. The research aimed to investigate the mitigation strategies to manage the potential environmental risks on mangrove ecosystems in the coastal communities of Region 1 and Region 2. It followed a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with the Toshaos of the selected coastal communities. The data analysis strategy was thematic analysis using the Nvivo software. The major themes included legal and policy frameworks, oil spill response strategies, community-based involvement, and monitoring and enforcement of regulations. The significant results included reviewing and updating the regulatory framework for mangrove How to cite this paper: Henry, C. A., Singh, T. B., & Oyedotun, T. D. T.