The geopolitics of land in the face of climate change and population turbulence

With melting ice in the polar regions predicted to cause steep rises in the oceans, ‘sea-walls’ in the coastal areas of Guyana may no longer be able to protect the Dear Land, and the Atlantic coastline of Guyana could go under water. How far inland this will be, and at what depth, remains to be seen. We drew attention to this issue in an essay in the Stabroek News on July 31, 2009: “The rising oceans and the national security of Guyana: A national emergency.”

Lying on the Equator, areas of Guyana could become uncultivable with further global warming. Some areas may be prone to spontaneous combustion, a phenomenon that could affect forests, flora, fauna, and land. One has seen terrible fires in Los Angeles that have been attributed to the consequences of climate change.

How might such developments affect the roads, transportation and other infrastructural projects under way or planned? Will it still be viable to maintain trans-country or regional roads /railways, or to build and operate a port in Georgetown?