THE sight of three former Prime Ministers standing alongside the current occupant of that office at yesterday’s Caribbean regional heads of government meeting was a powerful image – particularly as Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called for unity with regard to climate change.
And while our political leaders have their differences over many things – sometimes you think they would even argue over which day of the week it is – they have been consistent over the years in warning of the dangers of climate change.
Back in 2009, then leader of the nation Hubert Ingraham warned the UN Convention on Climate Change that it “is a serious threat to our economic viability, our social development and our territorial integrity”.
When Perry Christie came to office, he warned the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Paris that climate change was “the greatest existential threat that The Bahamas has ever faced”.
Mr Davis’ immediate predecessor, Dr Hubert Minnis, called on world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in 2019 to treat climate change as the greatest challenge facing humanity. He asked: “When one storm can obliterate an island-state or a number of states in one hurricane season: how will we survive, how can we develop, how will we continue to exist?”
Mr Davis has taken up the challenge, and has spoken on the topic around the world. And now, on our doorstep, with leaders in attendance from across the region, he called for action.
He warned: “Our countries are struggling with debts accumulated by climate disasters. What does this mean for the development of our nations, when our risk profile is becoming so severe that insurers question their willingness to offer risk facilities to offset climate disasters? Put simply, we are in danger of becoming uninsurable.
“Many if not all of us have already faced challenges in accessing climate-related funds. By acting in common cause, we can move with more authority and with greater impact to address legacy issues, which have held us back from making meaningful progress.”
Mr Davis put forward practical suggestions to work together on a joint solution to insurance and climate risk facilities, putting the emphasis on finance. But he also urged the use of an index to highlight the areas of vulnerability affecting small island states.
There are more areas that need to be tackled, of course. There are questions about what we are doing at home to mitigate climate change – whether that’s switching from greenhouse gas-emitting sources of power generation, for example, or changing our planning rules to prevent construction in areas predicted to be affected by flooding as waters rise.
In 2019, The Tribune published maps showing the projected effect of climate change and rising seas – with most of Grand Bahama, Abaco and Spanish Wells to be under flood levels by 2050, along with much of Crooked Island, Acklins, Andros and Cat Island – as well as eastern and southern parts of New Providence.
The effects of that will be felt financially, but it will also be seen in population movement. We will become the migrants, fleeing from the floods, seeking to move to safer land – if we cannot tackle the challenge in front of us.
Previously in this column, we suggested it might be helpful to recruit former Prime Ministers Christie and Ingraham to help lead the charge on climate change, with Dr Minnis too if he was willing.
So to see all of them standing together, and to hear all of their words down the years on this one subject, is as strong a reason to take their words seriously as you could wish.
Politicians rarely agree. And yet here are our leaders saying time and again down the years that disaster is coming, to the point where it is almost here.
What are we going to do about it? Mr Davis’ suggestions are a start – but they must not be the end of it. It will take cooperation, it will take hard work, both overseas and here at home. But it is good to see it on the agenda. This is a moment to make change count – we must not let it pass.
