The Gateway to El Dorado Part 2 Project 2020 Janine Antoine University for the Creative Arts | UK Guyana, a small country on the coast of South America is where we begin. The name Guyana is taken from the Amerindian word that translates to ‘land of many waters’ and these waters are the lifeblood of the country. Through a network of rivers that act as arteries, pumping water to support Guyana’s expansive rainforests, covering 81% of the landmass, the highest proportion of forest cover of any country in the world. Currently, Guyana stands as South America’s second poorest nation but is bracing for an oil boom that could catapult it to the top of its continents rich list and beyond. But for a small country with a modest population and thriving ecosystem, now faces an ethical dilemma as it begins to transition into a petrostate, now contributing to an environmental crisis which its land is one of the few remaining defences. This thesis looks to explore how this discovery has the potential for positive transformation. By putting forward a scenario in which Guyana expands into a gateway city avoiding the pitfalls of oil wealth by accepting its contribution to the crisis and employing tactics to offset it. Answering the question can you be an eco-state and petrostate simultaneously? Tutor(s)