G-CAS: How the University of Guyana's New Satellite-Driven Platform Will Save Lives Before Floods Hit
"The real strength of G-CAS lies in its ability to translate raw satellite imagery into meaningful, decision-ready information that can save lives before the next flood hits." - Professor Temitope Oyedotun, Principal Investigator, University of Guyana
Key Points
- ✓ Guyana's Coastal Flooding Crisis: Guyana faces catastrophic coastal flooding risks with 90% of its population living on land 0.5-1 meter below sea level. The 2005 floods affected 290,000 people and cost $465 million - nearly 60% of GDP. Sea levels are rising at 10.2mm annually, five times the global average, threatening to make such disasters routine.
- ✓ University of Guyana's G-CAS Innovation: The University of Guyana's Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences launched G-CAS (Guyana Coastal Analysis System) in April 2025 - a free, AI-powered platform providing real-time satellite monitoring of floods, shoreline erosion, and sea level changes across Guyana's 459-kilometer coastline.
- ✓ Advanced Satellite Technology: G-CAS integrates Google Earth Engine satellite data with machine learning algorithms to predict coastal changes, analyze flood risks, and track bathymetric shifts. The platform automatically processes satellite imagery and generates decision-ready information for disaster management and climate adaptation planning.
- ✓ Protecting Lives and Economy: This open-access system democratizes sophisticated coastal monitoring previously available only to well-funded institutions. It protects communities housing 90% of Guyana's population and 75% of its economic activities, while providing early warning capabilities for flood prediction and coastal defense planning.
- ✓ Caribbean Regional Leadership Opportunity: Developed through international collaboration with University College London and Spatial Informatics Group, G-CAS creates a replicable model for climate-vulnerable nations. The platform's success positions Guyana as a regional leader in climate-smart technology, attracting potential partnerships from Caribbean governments and environmental technology investors seeking proven coastal resilience solutions.
When Half a Nation Went Underwater
In January 2005, heavy rainfall unleashed catastrophic flooding along Guyana's vulnerable coastline. Water swept across the low-lying coastal plain where most Guyanese live and work, affecting 290,000 people – nearly half the country's population. The deluge submerged homes, destroyed crops, and crippled infrastructure, with total damage reaching $465 million, equivalent to almost 60% of Guyana's entire GDP.
The 2005 flood was concentrated in the most heavily populated regions of the country, resulting in some 274,774 persons or 37% of the national population being severely affected by the flood waters. Families lost everything. Businesses shuttered. The nation's economy staggered under the weight of reconstruction costs.
Twenty years later, the threat has only intensified. Tide gauge data in Guyana for the period 1951 to 1979 indicated a mean relative sea level rise of 10.2 mm per year. This is more than five times the global average over a similar period. Climate scientists warn that without intervention, future floods could dwarf the 2005 disaster, potentially destroying coastal communities entirely.
Professor Temitope Oyedotun from the University of Guyana's Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences (FEES) has dedicated his career to solving this crisis. As a coastal geomorphologist, he has witnessed the escalating threat firsthand. When he was a boy fishing along Georgetown's seawall, high tides rarely spilled over. Today, such overtopping occurs regularly, providing clear evidence of accelerating sea level rise.
A $465 Million Problem Demands Innovation
Guyana is most at risk to floods and droughts. The country's low-lying coastline, which in some areas is 2 m below sea level, causes flooding to be an imminent threat. The geography creates a perfect storm of vulnerability - approximately 90% of the country's population resides on the Coastal Plain which lies approximately 0.5 to 1 metre below mean sea level.
The economic stakes are enormous. Approximately 75% of the country's economic activities are located on the coastal area, where the major economic activities, such as agriculture, fisheries and industries are found. These sectors are extremely sensitive to extreme weather events and sea-level rise and are therefore highly vulnerable to changes in climate.
Traditional disaster response proved inadequate. After each flood, communities rebuilt in the same vulnerable locations, only to face the next inevitable deluge. Guyana needed a fundamental shift from reactive disaster response to proactive coastal management.
Enter the Guyana Coastal Analysis System (G-CAS), launched on April 23, 2025. The G-CAS platform is a cutting-edge, web-based tool designed to analyse and track dynamic coastal processes in near real-time. Developed through collaborative research led by FEES Professor Temitope Oyedotun, the system integrates geospatial datasets, satellite imagery, and machine learning, to support informed coastal zone management and climate resilience in Guyana.
How G-CAS Works
Satellite Data Collection: The platform connects to Google Earth Engine, which processes satellite images from NASA and European Space Agency satellites that pass over Guyana multiple times per day, capturing high-resolution pictures of the coastline.
Automated Image Analysis: Machine learning algorithms automatically examine each new satellite image, identifying coastlines, water levels, and changes in land use without requiring human operators to manually review thousands of images.
Real-Time Processing: The system compares new images with historical data to detect changes in shoreline position, flood extent, and coastal erosion, updating results instantly as new satellite data arrives.
Flood Risk Modeling: G-CAS combines satellite imagery with weather forecasts and topographic maps to predict where flooding is likely to occur, how deep water might get, and which communities face the highest risk.
User-Friendly Interface: All this complex analysis appears on a simple web browser that anyone can access, showing coastal changes through easy-to-read maps, charts, and alerts that don't require technical expertise to understand.
Data Export: Users can download results in formats compatible with other mapping software, allowing government agencies, researchers, and emergency responders to integrate G-CAS data into their existing planning systems.
Real-Time Defense Against Rising Seas
G-CAS transforms coastal monitoring from expensive, sporadic surveys to continuous, automated surveillance. The platform harnesses Google Earth Engine technology to process vast streams of satellite data, analyzing shoreline changes, flood risks, and underwater terrain shifts as they occur.
The system offers stakeholders – from researchers to local authorities – a reliable tool for disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, and long-term coastal planning. Machine learning algorithms within G-CAS predict coastal behavior by processing historical data alongside current satellite imagery, enabling authorities to anticipate problems before they become disasters.
The platform's Shoreline Analysis Tool exemplifies this capability. During G-CAS's launch demonstration, Professor Oyedotun showcased real-time monitoring in the Bush Lot area of Region Five, where the system accurately tracked shoreline changes and generated exportable data for immediate use by planners and emergency responders.
Professor Oyedotun explains: "The real strength of the Shoreline Analysis Tool lies in its ability to translate raw satellite imagery into meaningful, decision-ready information. By automating the process of coastline delineation and integrating statistical outputs compliant with the Digital Shoreline Analysis System standards, G-CAS empowers environmental analysts, planners, and policymakers to assess shoreline change with clarity and precision."
Protecting Lives and Livelihoods Through Data
G-CAS addresses the fundamental challenge that has plagued Guyana's coastal management: the lack of real-time, comprehensive data. Previously, coastal monitoring required expensive field surveys conducted sporadically. G-CAS provides continuous surveillance at no cost to users.
The platform's flood modeling capabilities combine real-time weather data with topographic information to predict inundation risks hours or days before flooding occurs. This early warning system enables evacuations, infrastructure protection, and emergency resource deployment that can save both lives and economic losses.
For agricultural communities particularly vulnerable to saltwater intrusion, G-CAS tracks coastal squeeze and bathymetric changes that indicate when protective barriers may fail. Farmers can relocate crops or implement protective measures before saltwater destroys their harvests.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paloma Mohamed-Martin adds: "This is a beautiful project – one that reflects the incredible work of our researchers and partners. I am particularly delighted that training opportunities will accompany the platform's launch, allowing not only our students but also members of the private sector and governmental agencies to understand and use this tool effectively."
A Caribbean Model for Climate Resilience
G-CAS's open-access approach democratizes sophisticated coastal monitoring technology previously available only to well-funded institutions in developed countries. The platform's success creates a replicable model for climate-vulnerable nations throughout the Caribbean and beyond.
The development of the platform benefits from PEGASuS 5:1 Take it Further Grant. PEGASuS is funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Science Programme and administered by Future Earth, a global research platform for sustainability science. This international backing demonstrates growing recognition that innovative solutions from developing nations can lead global climate adaptation efforts.
The Civil Defence Commission has embraced G-CAS as a cornerstone of national resilience planning. Director General Colonel (Ret'd) Nazrul Hussain emphasizes: "This kind of tool is exactly what our country needs. We cannot work in isolation. We must build partnerships, and this project is a testimony to the power of collaboration."
Regional governments are taking notice. Caribbean nations facing similar coastal vulnerabilities have expressed interest in adapting G-CAS for their monitoring needs. The platform's proven effectiveness and cost-free implementation make it attractive for resource-constrained governments seeking immediate climate adaptation solutions.
A Future Beyond Guyana
G-CAS positions Guyana as a leader in addressing the shared challenges facing small island developing states and coastal nations worldwide. The platform's international development team, including researchers from University College London and the Spatial Informatics Group, ensures the technology meets global standards while addressing local needs through international partnership.
The international recognition of G-CAS extends beyond the Caribbean region. Dr Judit Ungvari, Co-lead, Research & Innovation of Future Earth, notes: "The Programme for Early-stage Grants Advancing Sustainability Science (PEGASuS) seeks to increase knowledge, promote innovation, and establish evidence-based solutions to the world's most difficult sustainability challenges." This global backing demonstrates confidence in Guyana's approach to coastal resilience technology.
Future development plans include enhanced mobile applications for field researchers, expanded satellite data integration, and automated alert systems for emergency management. The platform's machine learning capabilities will improve over time, becoming more accurate at predicting coastal changes as it processes additional data.
The G-CAS platform demonstrates how targeted technological innovation can address critical environmental challenges facing vulnerable coastal communities. By combining satellite monitoring with machine learning analysis, the system provides the real-time data necessary for effective coastal management and disaster preparedness.
Professor Oyedotun emphasizes the platform's broader significance: "G-CAS represents more than just a monitoring tool—it's a foundation for evidence-based decision-making that can protect lives and livelihoods. The ability to process satellite data locally and generate actionable insights in real-time transforms how we approach coastal resilience in an era of accelerating climate change."
By the Numbers
- • 290,000 people affected by 2005 floods (nearly half of Guyana's population)
- • $465 million in flood damage (60% of Guyana's GDP)
- • 10.2mm annually - Guyana's sea level rise rate (5x global average)
- • 90% of population lives on land 0.5-1 meter below sea level
- • 75% of economic activities located in vulnerable coastal areas
- • 459 kilometers of coastline monitored by G-CAS
- • Free access - Zero cost for all users worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is G-CAS?
G-CAS (Guyana Coastal Analysis System) is a free, web-based platform that provides real-time satellite data on coastal changes, flood risks, and sea level monitoring for Guyana's coastline.
Who can use G-CAS?
The platform is open-access and available to researchers, government agencies, local communities, and anyone interested in Guyana's coastal monitoring data.
How does G-CAS help with flood prediction?
The system combines real-time satellite imagery with weather data and topographic information to model flood risks and provide early warning capabilities.
What makes G-CAS different from other coastal monitoring systems?
G-CAS is specifically designed for Guyana's unique coastal challenges, integrates multiple data sources through machine learning, and provides free access to sophisticated analysis tools.
How was G-CAS developed?
The platform was created through collaboration between the University of Guyana's Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College London, and the Spatial Informatics Group, with funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Can other countries use G-CAS?
While designed for Guyana, the platform's open-source approach and proven effectiveness make it adaptable for other coastal nations facing similar challenges.
Note to Media
Under our Creative Commons licence, editors and journalists are welcome to republish and reuse this article.
Scientific angles for further reporting:
- Machine learning applications in climate prediction and coastal geomorphology
- International collaboration models between developing nation universities and global research institutions
- Economic impact analysis of climate adaptation technologies in Small Island Developing States
- Comparative analysis of sea level rise rates across Caribbean and South American coastal regions
- Open-access technology transfer and its role in democratizing climate resilience tools
Please link to the Innovation Report and the University of Guyana homepage.
For further information from the academics featured in this article, reach out to Innovation Report to coordinate by email or contact the media office directly at UG.
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