The Tribune

By the University of The Bahamas

While climate change is one of the biggest threats that the world has ever seen, around the world the youth voice and perspective is emerging as one of the most powerful responses to deal with it.

University of The Bahamas (UB) biology with chemistry major Ashawnte Russell is taking a lead role in this fight for climate resilience and justice. Russell is one of two recently named Climate Youth Ambassadors for The Bahamas appointed by the Office of the Prime Minister. The other is UB alum Stephen Hunter.

They will represent the government’s Climate Change & Environmental Advisory Unit, helping to shape and lead initiatives, programmes and other responses.

Youth Climate Ambassadors are engaged in creating a climate youth platform; networking with international youth programmes; and identifying projects and initiatives that can be implemented in The Bahamas to advance Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and its climate change and youth agenda. They also liaise with the national ACE focal point to identify financial and technical support to advance the inclusion of Bahamians in international programmes and meetings; represent The Bahamas on matters of climate change; and participate in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Russell said she is honoured to have the opportunity to collaboratively drive real change in this role.

“Under this platform we plan to address youth engagement, empowerment and inclusion within climate change discussions with education and public awareness being at the forefront of our efforts.

“This is essential as we work to mitigate, adapt, educate and reinvent the ways in which we approach the topic of climate change on a national level in order to bolster our resilience,” she noted.

Now, more than ever, she is committed to helping bring about a turnaround.

“We are connected through climate but protected through action and under this role we will do whatever it takes,” she noted.

Recently, when Carlos Del Toro, the US secretary of the Navy – the first ever to travel to The Bahamas in an official capacity – visited University of The Bahamas, Russell was front and centre. She served as moderator of the event at which Del Toro spoke on the topic, “Building Resilience and Security in Island Countries Threatened by Climate Change”. On that occasion, he invited a stronger meeting of the minds and collective imaginations to learn from each other and fight against a common threat.

“Together, we need to rise up and heed the voices of Caribbean scholars and researchers on the front lines of climate change,” Del Toro said before an audience that included high school students, environmental advocates, scientists and advisors.

For Russell, working in the climate change realm is not new. She was present for several high-level climate change parleys, the last of which was the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) held in Egypt in November 2022. She also served as a delegate for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)-Youth4Climate Conference in Milan, Italy. Additionally, she represented The Bahamas as a delegate for the Youth4Climate Conference held in NYC, USA, during Climate Week in September 2022. Immediately after this conference, Russell was in Bonn, Germany at the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Hackathon.

Even before she was appointed a Youth Climate Ambassador, Russell said she wanted to have the voices of Small Island Developing Sates, in particular, represented in a real and enduring way. The youth voice as a champion for action is a conduit to that.

“I am just one of many, because I fervently believe there are countless young people that are just as aware of the issues that we face across the board in terms of what climate change is doing, can do and will do if we don’t make the conscious decision and continue fighting for our lives,” she said.