The Tribune

WHILE addressing an Abaco Weather Symposium on Friday, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said all Bahamian islands are “vulnerable” to climate change and weather threats, especially hurricanes.

The symposium, held at Friendship Tabernacle Church, in Dundas Town, is part of a series of events held as the third anniversary of Hurricane Dorian approaches.

“The people of Abaco and Grand Bahama know far better than I do, the trauma and destruction of a Category 5 hurricane,” Mr Davis said. “Apart from the extreme heat, the threat of annual hurricanes, along with rising sea levels, means we have to make vigorous efforts to prepare ourselves more effectively to deal with natural disasters.”

Mr Davis noted that earlier in August, The Bahamas hosted the first ever Caribbean regional conference, specifically focused on building a consensus for the United Nations negotiations on climate change.

“This was historic for many reasons, not least because our country has now firmly stepped up to take on an influential role in the global response to climate change,” he said.

While issues of funding, carbon credits and so on grab many of the headlines, for us here at home, climate change is already affecting our way of life,” he added.

“Moreso than ever before, we need to be prepared.”

He also noted that the past July was the hottest on record worldwide, and that, overall, the past summer tied for the second hottest on record.

“The data isn’t in as yet, but this summer must also be among the hottest,” he said.

He pointed out there was a serious possibility that from that point on, all may look back on those past two summers as the coolest.

“It is a sobering thought,” he said. “But the mention of the name ‘Dorian’ gives us even greater pause for thought.”