CLIMATE change is exacerbating the Bahamas’ challenges with food security, water scarcity and energy security, the Prime Minister said yesterday, over an issue that threatens this nation’s land mass.
Following his address as, chairman of CARICOM, during a summit on climate change in Martinique at the weekend, Mr Christie told Parliament that with 80 per cent of the Bahamas’ land mass within one metre of sea level, climate change was a growing threat.
“Another significant threat is linked to the projected impact of climate change on public health, through an increase in the presence of vectors of tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue, and the prevalence of respiratory illnesses,” said Mr Christie.
“These diseases will affect the well-being and productivity of the workforce of the sub-region and compromise the economic growth, competitiveness and development potential of the Caribbean Community.”
Mr Christie added that the Caribbean is not fully able to adapt to, or mitigate, the loss and damages associated with climate change induced processes.
“Our situation is rendered especially urgent in the face of information that ocean acidification, sea surface temperatures and sea levels are already rising,” he said.
“These processes, particularly sea-level rise, will therefore irreversibly change the geography and ecology of many coastal states and territories. It has been projected that responding to these factors can have particularly disastrous consequences, causing a perpetual recession in each of the CARICOM member states for a significant period as our infrastructure, built environment, settlements and economic well-being are concentrated in coastal areas prone to flooding and inundation.
“The region’s challenge associated with the on-going Climate Change negotiations is that even if the goal to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2°(degrees Celius) is achieved, the Caribbean will experience severe adverse impacts for which stronger programmes of adaptation would have to be implemented,” Mr Christie added.
“We most strongly advance the view that in this current situation, the global architecture on Climate Change needs to be re-designed to also facilitate and promote the development of developing countries.
“The ongoing collaboration between one of our member states, Dominica, and France to advance a project in the area of geothermal energy can be replicated. The application of French technology to our natural assets could form the basis for growth of a renewable energy sector in the region,” he continued.
“This would bolster our energy security, cut the high energy costs and assist in the global battle against greenhouse gas emissions. The Bahamas does not have the benefit of geothermal capacity, but we have advanced a National Energy Policy that calls for a minimum of 30 per cent of our energy generation comprising renewable energy by 2033.
“We have passed legislation this year making grid-tie connection for solar and wind legal. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Carbon War Room, which will allow for 20 Mega Watts (MW) of utility scale solar power throughout our archipelago of islands.”
Mr Christie said the Government has launched a net billing programme for residential and commercial customers, which if maximised will allow an additional 25 MW of solar and/or wind to be connected to the grids.
Comments
John 9 years, 6 months ago
The debate on Climate change and global warming is so opinionated it is like trying to figure if the sun will eventually burn out and when it will happen. While there may be some evidence that there are climate changes and some warming of the oceans it is yet to be determined if these changes are cyclical or temporary. That being said there are alternative forms of energy that can significantly reduce mans carbon footprint on the planet earth. The technology for solar energy has been around for half a century but it was stifled by oil companies and oil rich countries like the U.S. because of the effect of mass use of solar energy will have on the value of their oil stocks. Solar energy does not have to be produced. It occurs naturally in the atmosphere and it's a matter of plugging into it and using it. In fact solar energy may in fact reverse the effects of global warming by taking ambient heat out the atmosphere. The simple reduction of pollution by switching to solar wind and other forms of non fossil oil power. So the forces that be tried to put an artificial barrier with the high cost of solar equipment, batteries especially. Many countries and households are beginning to realize the value of solar power despite the high cost of equipment. So it only will the cost of gas fall below $2.00 but pollution from these fuels will be reduced significantly, wiping out any arguments for global warming.
paul_vincent_zecchino 9 years, 6 months ago
Man made 'climate change' does not exist. It's a lie told by those whose goal it is to scare people into surrendering their liberty, wealth, property, and very lives in order to reduce earth's population by several billions of people, so that the Left can have earth to itself.
The term 'climate change' is the latest lie which replaced 'global warming' because after twenty years, there's been no warming.
All indicators are that if anything, our climate is heading for another ice age due to very low solar activity; which has not one thing to do with Man, nor SUV's nor power plants, nor any of the other fake reasons about which the Left is always gassing off.
John 9 years, 6 months ago
This is the middle of the year and some North American States are expecting 6 inches of snow... Go figure
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