Most people have heard of the term ‘Climate Change’ or ‘Global Warming’ and the negative impacts associated with them. However, I’m not sure that we are fully aware of the damaging effects it poses to The Bahamas. We tend to think droughts and other natural disasters happening around the world may be beside us however, as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) we are considered to be the most at risk. There is a wide range of potential impacts that threaten our country, from coastal erosion to water scarcity, we also face the devastating effects of temperature and sea level rise.
While small island nations account for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), we are expected to experience the most drastic effects of climate change. More intense rainfall yet longer dry seasons will contribute mostly to flooding and wildfires. Meanwhile increased water temperatures contribute to coral bleaching which is vital in providing a habitat for marine life and a critical component in our food supply chain. Coral reefs also provide protection against storm surges and coastal erosion. With the potential sea level rise and a lack of coral reefs, we are susceptible to losing our beaches, marine life and perhaps equally importantly, negatively affecting our tourism industry.
What I believe to be our greatest danger, however, is the imminent threat of water security. The Earth is 70% covered by water however, just 2-3% of it is freshwater. Even then, only 1% of that fresh water is easily accessible with much of it being trapped in glaciers and snowfields. The Bahamas, in particular, is heavily dependent on groundwater resources and an increased sea level rise along with storm surges can increase the risk of saltwater intrusion, thus contaminating our freshwater lenses. Many scholars and economist have even predicted that in the near future, water will become a more valuable commodity than oil.
Our greatest barrier to climate change preparedness is the general lack of knowledge and awareness from our leaders and the general public. Even so, for a country that prides themselves as being a leader within the Caribbean, we are relatively far behind many other nations as it pertains to combating and adapting to global climate change. How long before the government brings attention to these real issues? Or before we, the general public - who will be impacted the most- seek the implementation of preventative measures for our own safety? Will we continue to depend on our ‘saviours’– the United States of America and China to solve and advise on our many problems? It is a curious situation given that both China and the United States are the largest global emitters of greenhouse gases. Are we also to depend on them in the case of water scarcity?
So, while there seems to be so much confusion and conflict happening right now, our change begins with accountability and awareness. We are living in a time where our leaders make us, the new generation, believe that our voices and opinions carry little weight or marginalize us by claiming‘it is not your time’. I can promise you, the issues that we face are ours and ours alone. We cannot sit idly by as those who likely won’t be here to suffer with us, run amuck on our resources only to leave us worse off than we are now. How are we to believe that our best interests are at the forefront when an obvious gap exists between our leaders and society itself? Our greatest need at this time is representation. We a need greater representation of our generation, the future leaders, to bridge the gap between those who say,‘what was' and those who say, 'what needs to be’. As the saying goes, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” and climate change is an ever-evolving global issue that requires innovative and forward-thinking solutions. So, be the change that you want to see.
By: Jamie Turnquest
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