IT was evident that necessity is the mother of invention at the just-concluded National Science fair and expo, if for no other reason than the fact that a majority of the projects conceptualised by Guyanese youth focused on saving the earth.

If you managed to visit the Arthur Chung Conference Centre last weekend, you would have seen young people drawn from all across the country donned in their laboratory coats and eager to tell you about their inventions. While the sophistication of those projects varied, it was clear that those folks had big ideas for big problems.

The number of projects that focused on environmental solutions was particularly striking for me. I don’t think it was a coincidence that almost all the projects featured a solution to some environmental disaster ranging from the damaging effects of the notorious fossil fuel industry to deforestation.

Frankly, I found it telling that when asked to present ideas for problems around them, so many of those young people conceptualised solutions to save the environment. For me, it clearly indicates how conscious they are of the climate crisis Guyana and countries worldwide are facing. And it was a clear indication that they know that, unless quick and meaningful actions are pursued, the planet we live on is at risk of becoming inhabitable for many people.

The Quadsector, for example, focused on generating energy from rainfall. Essentially, the vibrations created when rainfall collided with flat surfaces that group pitched, could create a steady, sustainable source of energy- instead of harmful fossil fuels.

Then there were the environmental entrepreneurs from Region Six who believed that creating paper from waste- particularly grass that is cut and would be burnt- could be an alternative to chopping down large swathes of trees. If proven sustainable and possible to expand, that project could be a solution to the problem of deforestation.

Both of these projects limit the amount of harmful carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. This gas, stored in trees, poses a threat to the environment and significantly contributes to the climate crisis. If much more of this gas is emitted- either through deforestation or the continuous exploitation of fossil fuels like diesel and gas- the earth is expected to get much warmer and much less inhabitable. For Guyana, that means the already vulnerable low coastal plain (where a majority of the population resides) is at further risk of flooding; that means the threat of losing livelihoods and, worse, actual lives exists.

Those weren’t the only projects with an earth-saving focus. Smart agricultural projects that consider the changing weather patterns caused by climate change or projects that seek to displace fossil fuel use in other ways were plentiful. Some students advocated for the use of more climate-smart technologies in our everyday life- like solar-powered vehicles.

Obviously, moving from idea to sustainable implementation is no easy task. And big ideas are still just ideas. I’ll also hasten to acknowledge that climate adaptation, particularly in small island developing states and low-lying countries like ours, remains a complex topic with nuances in vulnerability, financing, reparations, and climate justice. The larger, developed countries have historically (and still continue to) emit more harmful gases to the detriment of these smaller countries. And it’s not a simple black-and-white discussion advocating for countries like ours to be the ones taking responsibility for the much-needed earth-saving ideas, projects, and plans.

Still, It would be a missed opportunity, in my opinion, if this very clear focus on saving the earth from the country’s youth was not supported beyond this science fair.

Guyana is pursuing an ambitious agenda of exploiting prolific oil and gas resources while maintaining its low-carbon credentials. Such an ambitious agenda cannot be achieved by wishful thinking- but with support and even innovative ideas like many of those presented by those same young people.

If you would like to connect with me to discuss this column or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@gmail.com