CONSUMER Associations and Consumer Advocates worldwide are deeply interested in protecting the Environment since with a clean and healthy Environment, the quality and even the longevity of human life is bettered. On June 5 each year, World Environment Day is commemorated worldwide in over 100 countries including Guyana when one aspect of the Environment is focused on. This year’s focus is on Air Pollution. In addressing Air Pollution, individuals, governments, communities and industries are urged to come together and work towards achieving renewable energy since the widespread use of fossil fuels is the major pollutant. Together with this, is the working towards Green Technologies which is also linked to stabilising and reversing Climate Change which is threatening to destroy life on the planet as we know it, Renewable energy and green technologies and a green economy would certainly improve air quality in the cities and wherever there are large congregations of human beings.

In Guyana, though we are not affected by Air Pollution in the acute ways other parts of the world are, and especially the large cities, we still have some pollution and it is useful in protecting our future to have knowledge of the experiences of other countries. In Beijing, the capital of China and parts of London, for example, because of the air pollution largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels, people have had to be hospitalised from breathing air full of particles and smog-inducing ozone. This polluted air destroys the lungs and impairs health.

The facts given by the World Health Organization (WHO) of the effects of Air Pollution are very disturbing. The WHO estimates that seven million people die each year from breathing polluted air. Air Pollution not only threatens human health and life, but it has also far-ranging economic effects. For example, the welfare costs due to Air Pollution and its effects on reducing economic productivity levels is $5 trillion. It also reduces crop yields causing further economic loss; it is estimated that it will reduce staple crop yields by 26 percent by 2030. Indeed, it is estimated that 92 percent of the world’s people do not breathe clean air. This figure implies that not every country or region has the same level of air pollution and Guyana is among the fortunate ones of having less air pollution than others.

China has been chosen to host the World Environment Day celebrations this year. China is a very welcome choice since China is known to host such events with style and capability better than most countries and also because China is one of the countries which suffers most from air pollution. China has been going through a very rapid Industrial Revolution and has been using coal and fossil fuel as power and these are among the major sources of air pollution.

The term “Environment” in its widest sense would mean the entire human environment which would include the land mass and the seas but also the flora and fauna. Various international bodies have responsibility for various aspects of the Environment as for example, the World Wildlife Fund which is concerned with fauna. Though the activities of these organisations may overlap, there is never any conflict among them.

Though Guyana is not acutely affected by Air Pollution, the government since 2000 had put into place Regulations prescribing a regime of protection against Air Pollution which reads: “Any person who emits air contaminants shall register with the Environmental Protection Agency and a person who emits any air contaminant in the construction, installation, operation, modification or extension of any facility relating to (a) industry (b) commerce (c) agriculture or (d) any institution, shall apply to the Environmental Agency for an Environmental Authorisation”. In other words, any activities or entities which may emit any polluted air would have to be inspected and licensed by the Environmental Agency.

The Environmental Agency not only has the responsibility for effectuating the Regulations, “it has the responsibility to take the necessary measures to manage, conserve, protect and improve the environment. This entails that the Agency takes action to prevent and control pollution; assess the impact of economic development on the environment; and ensures sustainable use of Guyana’s natural resources”. This article was done with the consultation of the Environmental Protection Agency.