Although Caribbean countries are low greenhouse gas emitters, they will disproportionately bear the potential economic effects of continued climate change: greater loss from hurricanes, diminished tourism revenue, and infrastructural damage. According to the report “The Caribbean and Climate Change: The Costs of Inaction”, a study commissioned by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the cost of inaction will amount to more than a fifth of GDP by 2100 in Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, St. Kitts & Nevis and Turks & Caicos.

While the region is off to a slow start in its adaptation and mitigation measures, Guyana embarked on a Low Carbon Development Strategy last year, which it says creates a path for the a low deforestation, low carbon, climate resilient economy—a green growth environment. This is an indicator of the state’s commitment to utilize Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to improve environmental management and respond to climate change. According to the OECD’s Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, the biggest gains for smarter environmental and economic strategies and applications are in power generation and distribution, buildings and transportation, sectors which are major emitters of greenhouse gases. To that list, one would add endangered biodiversity, and water management systems–major concerns for the sparsely populated country.

However, Guyana’s admirable green economy backed by ICTs will depend on massive improvements in ICT infrastructure (service and access), that is available to and used by a larger portion of the population. Currently, Guyanese have less access to internet, broadband and personal computers than the average for Latin America and the Caribbean. Improving these indicators will be crucial for the state to achieve its objective of doubling the number of Guyanese employed in the Business Process Outsourcing industry by 2013.