The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

There are three key points that need to be understood which negate any support for oil drilling in Bahamian waters:

Emission of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels increases global average temperatures; the more we emit, the higher temperatures increase. Human actions have already caused 1C of global warming which has already resulted in impacts such as the historic Hurricane Dorian.

If global warming exceeds 1.5C, small island states, particularly low-lying archipelagic states like The Bahamas, are at risk to a plethora of climate impacts that threaten our very existence. Permanent flooding of land, more intense hurricanes, loss of fisheries, reduced prospects for agriculture and reductions in tourism are all significant risks that come along with higher global average temperatures.

Small island states have been fighting in the international arena at the United Nations to limit global average warming to 1.5C. In order to do this, all nations – including small islands – must sharply cut their emissions as soon as possible and commit to being carbon neutral.

As a small island state that is amongst the most vulnerable nations in the world to climate change, The Bahamas facilitating oil drilling contributes to our own destruction. This is akin to being in a sinking ship and begging others for help while simultaneously burning our flotation vests and drilling holes in the hull.

Just last year, we saw the extreme devastation that Hurricane Dorian wrecked in our islands. The historic storm was an example of the increased intensity of hurricanes that are caused by climate change. The scale and devastation of Hurricane Dorian are more extensive than any previously experienced by Bahamians, and sadly are unlikely to be the last of these events.

At the United Nations General Assembly, one month after Dorian, the Prime Minister stated: “I add my urgent plea to the cries and voices of many other leaders and citizens of the global commons, urging the nations of the world here assembled to treat the global climate emergency as the greatest challenge facing humanity….It is a challenge that, if not treated with the greatest urgency, will continue to ravage small island states, such as The Bahamas.”

So the Bahamian government is well aware of the dire implications of climate change for our islands. They are well aware of the urgent need to act. And yet they seemingly have no power or desire to stop drilling.

Fighting against climate change is not only an act for other countries, it is something that we must also take part in. We have the opportunity to either contribute to a future where Bahamians have a chance of survival, or contribute to a future where it will be increasingly unlikely that The Bahamas will be a viable country to live in.

The actions that we take have implications for generations of Bahamians to come. The short term and tenuous opportunities for some financial gain from drilling cannot compare to the long-term impacts that stem from this decision.

The Bahamas has long touted that we are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change, and yet are least responsible for causing it. However, proceeding with drilling negates this claim. We will be knowingly contributing to our own demise. We cannot ask United Nations and other countries for help when climate impacts occur when we are active contributors to the problem.

We have also shown that we are unable to respond to these impacts on our own. We must therefore, stop the pursuit of oil in our waters and commit to addressing climate change not just in words, but in actions.

DR ADELLE THOMAS

CASUARINA

McKINNEY-LAMBERT

DR LISA BENJAMIN

Nassau,

December 31, 2020.