Fighting climate change the key

As of Thursday, April 23, 2020

EDITOR, The Tribune.

COVID-19 has upended life as we knew it in The Bahamas. However, as we deal with the widespread impacts of the pandemic, it is critical that we do so in a climate resilient fashion.

This global crisis underscores many characteristics of our country that make us not only vulnerable to the pandemic, but also to the widespread effects of climate change. Reliance on tourism, weak food security, high levels of economic inequality and vulnerability to climate events have all led to challenges in addressing COVID-19. These are also factors that make us one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to climate change.

While the pandemic is a relatively unexpected crisis, we are well aware of the existential risks that climate change presents and should make every effort to prepare for them. As we rebuild our country, all of our efforts should be reviewed with a climate resiliency lens to determine if they will support our fight against the climate crisis.

The challenges presented by the pandemic are a glimpse of the existential threats that climate change presents for our country. We must learn from this experience and implement responses that address the vulnerabilities that the pandemic has highlighted.

Firstly, COVID-19 has resulted in an almost complete halt of global tourism and has underscored that we are economically crippled by our over-reliance on this single industry. While the near complete cessation of air and sea travel for leisure is unprecedented, there is significant evidence that climate change will result in substantial alterations to global tourism flows. The Bahamas’ attractiveness as a destination is expected to decline and international tourism is also expected to decrease, with more and more tourists opting for domestic vacations that are closer to home.

Therefore, as we recover from the pandemic, we should not expect that our past experiences with rising tourist numbers will continue in the long term. We must diversify our tourism product, decrease cruise ship tourism that harms our natural defences against climate impacts, and pursue more responsible forms of tourism. We should also further our efforts to encourage domestic tourism and reduce reliance on large numbers of international guests.

Secondly, the pandemic has highlighted that we need to drastically increase our domestic food production. Climate change will result in additional stressors to the global supply of food. Changes to precipitation and temperature are expected to result in food shortages on a global scale, meaning that we must improve our own capacities to build food security.

Our responses should incorporate the latest evidence-based recommendations on climate resilient agriculture, including specific crops that are tolerant to environmental change, particular methods such as small-scale irrigation and also backyard farming measures.

Thirdly, COVID-19 has shown the environmental benefits from global ‘stay at home’ measures. Greenhouse gas emissions have dropped dramatically and there has been a marked decrease in levels of atmospheric pollution. This is the type of transformational change needed to limit global warming to levels that make life on small islands viable and in line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Agreement. However, as countries attempt to restart their economies, there is a risk of ‘emission rebounding’ – increasing greenhouse gas emissions rapidly through encouraging economic activity without regard to climate change. This is certainly a risk in The Bahamas, as we address the need to diversify the economy and bring in new revenue streams.

However, for the long-term survival of the country and other small islands around the world, it is critical that we maintain a focus on limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Stockpiling oil, encouraging oil drilling and failing to shift to renewable forms of energy increase our vulnerability to climate change and will result in our islands becoming uninhabitable in the long term. While diversification of the economy is critical, we must ensure that we do not support industries or projects that are not climate resilient.

Lastly, the pandemic has shown that we must take evidence-based approaches to responding to crises and that national expertise is critical. Our coronavirus response was informed by international best practices that were understood and translated to the Bahamian context by a cadre of local experts. Climate change threatens all aspects of life in The Bahamas, and is much more extensive than increasing intensity of hurricanes. All sectors, communities and ecosystems will be affected by climate change, meaning that we must have holistic and integrated responses.

Responding to the climate crisis means taking a similar evidence-based approach and building our national climate change expertise. We must develop our capacity and local professionals in preparing for and responding to all climate risks. The Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency Research Centre at the University of The Bahamas should be developed to serve as a key partner in evidence-based approaches to building climate resiliency and working with government, the private sector and NGOs.

Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis has repeatedly articulated that we must be prepared for a very different Bahamas in the aftermath of this crisis. As we rebuild after the pandemic, we must not return to business as usual, but rather learn from our experiences and transform into a more climate resilient society, well-equipped to address the inevitable challenges of climate change.

DR. ADELLE THOMAS

Nassau,

April 21, 2020

joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago

...ummm, the climate was changing, is changing and will continue to change (cyclically) as it has for eons. Man may pollute the earth and its atmosphere, but he cannot change the climate!

If the W.H.O had made a policy of containing emerging viral threats within a country's borders, thereby minimizing the potential for spread, the global impact of the same would diminish overnight. This should have been a first step from the SARS pandemic, but sadly it is a reflection of that organizations limp wristed inclinations to do what is politically and economically expedient for countries like China instead of doing what is best for the global economy!

Many beneficial points made here have nothing to do with 'climate change' and more to do with poor strategic planning by governments who fritter away borrowed funds on wants and never consider long term needs.

proudloudandfnm 4 years, 7 months ago

God I hate you dumb American righties. Dumbest people on the planet....

Porcupine 4 years, 7 months ago

"Man may pollute the earth and its atmosphere, but he cannot change the climate!" Wow! And we wonder why we are failing on so many metrics in this country. Seriously. Is it hubris, ignorance, or just plain arrogance? Mankind has altered so many systems on earth that it takes an amazing amount of misinformation or downright dishonesty to make a claim that we could not change the climate. There are thousands of books, scientific articles and daily examples of how we have affected the climate. To suggest otherwise, and expecting not to be challenged on it means you have grown up sheltered from thought. Perhaps steeped in belief, maybe prayer, but no substitute for knowing. Is this a national problem? Evidence suggests it is. There are a long list of socio-economic indicators suggesting that a majority "just don't get it". Don't take our educational metrics as a clue. Just read the comments in the paper, the statements coming from our "leaders" mouths or witness it first hand in Nassau. There is a reason why educated Bahamians have exited this country in droves for decades now. If they were not politically connected, they realized that there was no room for opportunity and self improvement here. Our mindset is the national tragedy on display for all to see.

Dr. Thomas, this is a very important letter. I would hope that we can begin to educate our children, such that they can understand and grasp our responsibilities for the coming years. This generation seems too far gone. Is it because they spend all their time praying for each other, and thus have no time to study and learn?

joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago

... you take your perspectives very seriously and that is fine, but there are any number of respected scientists who disagree with the climate change hysteria and I have enough of a science background to critically analyze and formulate a conclusion of my own! Not everyone who disagrees with your perspectives is as ignorant as you seem to imply. We should be mature enough to agree to disagree!

Porcupine 4 years, 7 months ago

These are not my perspectives. I have spent more than 5 decades studying marine biology and our planetary life sciences. The overwhelming consensus of scientific thinkers is that the climate is rapidly changing. There is overwhelming evidence that HUMANKIND has played a huge role in the physical and chemical processes that guide our planet's cycles. To suggest otherwise is not an opinion, anymore than seeing one race as superior to another. Yes, people still have that "perspective". But, to a thinking person there is no basis for this perspective. Your perspective is of a criminal neglect of the facts in front of us, and future generations should hold those with such selfish, untutored and self serving perspectives to a criminal standard. You can't yell fire in a crowded theater if there is no fire, and not be held accountable. Likewise, the scientific community at large, realizes that we are facing humanities greatest crisis in our few hundred thousand years of existence. You, though you claim you honestly don't see it, would like us to believe it is only a matter of "perspective". This can no longer be claimed by those who pick up, even a newspaper, let alone a scholarly journal. Your argument falls flat. The idea of Triage is a sound one. When you get on a battlefield as a medic, you break the casualties into three groups. Those that you see who will likely survive, because their wounds are not severe, are left for later. Those who have nearly bled out, or are just too far gone that nothing will save them, are also left alone. Those who have the greatest chance of making it, who are likely to survive with medical attention are the ones we concentrate on. You, joe, have too far to go to spend our valuable time and resources on. But, plod ahead we must.

joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago

...yes enlightened one, plod on.

Its amazing how seldom we hear of sub-aquatic volcanoes contributing to the melting of Arctic ice sheets or contributing to the 'rise' in sea levels! https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/…

For others who may be interested in other views or additional information on the subject I recommend a book "Inconvenient Facts" by Gregory Wrightstone. Among other things he aptly notes that "... science is not consensus and consensus is not science".

themessenger 4 years, 7 months ago

Amen, Porcupine, What do they say? You can take the man out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of the man. Maybe when the bush is under water the penny might drop, er plop.

DDK 4 years, 7 months ago

Another excellent letter. Again , are you listening Mr. MP and ALL political representatives??

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago

"Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert A. Minnis has repeatedly articulated that we must be prepared for a very different Bahamas in the aftermath of this crisis. As we rebuild after the pandemic, we must not return to business as usual, but rather learn from our experiences and transform into a more climate resilient society, well-equipped to address the inevitable challenges of climate change."

These words of the writer (Adelle Thomas) ring very hollow. Surely she knows Minnis has been kissing Red China's butt ever since May 2017, even though that country is well known to be one of our planet's most egregious pollutors. She must also know that Minnis and his cronies have been seeking to profiteer in a big way from 'green' initiatives like solar energy ever since Minnis became PM. It's corrupt politicians like Minnis who have stymied the efforts of the well intended protectors of our planet who have every justification for being most concerned about the effects of global polution, shrinking rain forests, etc. on climate change. Anyone remember President Obama and the US$535 million Solyndra scandal?

DDK 4 years, 7 months ago

Who is the other top egregious polluter, Mudda? I am not sure of its great country's colour😂 Sorry, could not resist!!

Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago

For Pete's sake, don't tell me Minnis has been kissing Trump's butt too!

concerned799 4 years, 7 months ago

Since we have spent near $100M on new generators from Finland, have plans to do LNG imports, and have issued oil drilling licenses already have we not already defacto renegged on our Paris commitments already? I keep asking when we are going to send the notice of formal withdrawl and be honest about it rather than pretend to care when clearly we do not. All cruise terminal projects still have their permits as well I should ad.

Actions do not match sentiment here, so when is the Paris agreement exit going to be communicated as the US has done?

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