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Protecting life and vital ecosystems in Guyana & across the planet
Melinda Janki is an international lawyer opposing dangerous deep sea oil and gas exploitation offshore Guyana.
Stopping these projects is non-negotiable for the ocean, the atmosphere, and life on earth — the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The practice
Challenging
Oil & Gas
Greenhouse gas pollution causes global overheating, climate system breakdown and ocean acidification. Enough is enough. Fossil fuels cost the earth.
Protecting the
natural world
Humans are part of an intricate natural system. For millennia, the natural world has provided us with air, water, food and meaning. We must live in harmony with the earth and our more than human companions.
Defending indigenous
& native rights
From Guyana to West Papua and beyond, indigenous and native peoples have the right to self-determination for themselves and their territories.
Meet Melinda
Opposing a desperate and reckless fossil fuel industry in Guyana; writing national laws to protect nature and indigenous and local people; and winning victories in landmark court cases.
Legal Cases
Browse the case files here for the top-line details. Click through to learn more. View all cases here.
Thomas v Environmental Protection Agency
On 5 June 2025, Audreyanna Thomas, backed by her Coverden community, filed a case challenging plans for an industrial waste facility to process oil and gas waste in their area. She argues it threatens local health and the environment. Both Thomas and the EPA have filed submissions, and a court decision is expected on 28 October 2025.
4.63 tons
per person per year of CO2 emissions in Guyana
Over 11 billion barrels
worth of oil found offshore in Guyana
154 million tonnes
of CO2 are captured by Guyana's forest annually
Media
German documentaries, American podcasts, Guyanese newspapers; fighting fossil fuels, defending the planet and upholding the rule of law has sparked interest across the globe. Browse publications related to my work below.