PRESIDENT OF GUYANA REBUKES ELITIST BBC JOURNALIST ON CLIMATE CHANGE
April 7, 2024THIS IS BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH. DON’T SWIPE. CLICK AND DELIGHT!
An excerpt from a BBC interview with Guyana’s president Dr. Irfaan Ali went viral on social media this week. In it, Preisdent Ali chides the BBC journalist (and, by extension, the Global North) for being hypocritical on climate and points to Guyana’s role as a carbon sink in the world.
The contentious interview was featured on the BBC series “HARDTalk” with both the broadcaster and the journalist, Stephen Sackur, coming under fire after the clip went viral. Sackur’s interview approach, which many viewers saw as both aggressive and patronizing, was met by Ali with vociferous bluntness.
In a key part of the much-longer interview, Sackur notes the economic potential of Guyana’s oil and gas reserves, then asks Ali if he’s considered the environmental impact. Ali fired back with facts about Guyana’s longstanding commitment to the environment—specifically its low deforestation and high biodiversity—before calling out the hypocrisy of the question.
Don’t want yo giveaway too much, as it is much more powerful to watch.
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English Script:
Stephen Sackur: Let’s take a big picture. Look at what’s going on here. Over the next decade, two decades, it is expected that there will be $150 billion worth of oil and gas extracted off your coast. It’s an extraordinary figure. But think of it in practical terms. That means, according to many experts, more than 2 billion tons of carbon emissions will come from your seabed from those reserves and be released into the atmosphere. I don’t know if you, as a head of state went to the cop in Dubai.
Mohamed Irfaan Ali: Let me stop you right there. Let me stop you right there. Do you know that Guyana has a forest forever that is the size of England and Scotland combined? If forests are stored at 19.5 gigatons of carbon, if forests that we have kept alive a forest that we have kept.
Stephen Sackur: Does that give the right? Does that give you the right to release all of this carbon?
Mohamed Irfaan Ali: Does that gives you the right to lecture us on climate change? I am going to lecture you on climate science because we have kept this forest alive. The stores, 19.5 gigatons of carbon that you enjoy, that the world enjoy, that you don’t pay us for that you don’t value that you don’t see a value in that the people of Guyana has kept alive. Guess what? We have the lowest deforestation rate in the world. And guess what? Even with our greatest exploration of the oil and gas resource we have now, we will still be net zero. Guyana will still be net zero with all our exploration.
Stephen Sackur: A couple of points.
Mohamed Irfaan Ali: No, no.
Stephen Sackur: Powerful, powerful words, Mr. President.
Mohamed Ifraan Ali: No, no, I am not completed as yet. I am not finished as yet. I am just not finished as yet. Because this is the hypocrisy that exists in the world. We the world in the last 50 years has lost 65% of all this biodiversity. We have kept our biodiversity. Are you valuing it? Are you ready to pay for it when it’s the developed forests?
Stephen Sackur: well.
Mohamed Ifraan Ali: Or are you in the pockets?
Stephen Sackur: You, you…
Mohamed Ifraan Ali: Are you in the pockets of those who have damaged the environment? Are you in the pockets? Are you in your system in the pockets of those who destroy the environment? The true the industrial revolution and now lecturing us? Are you in their pockets? Are you paid by them? Are you…
Stephen Sackur: All right. All right, Mr.President.