Climate change and sea level rise are things The Bahamas cannot ignore, according to Minister of the Environment, Kenred Dorsett.
Minister Dorsett’s comments came during a trip to Los Cabos, Mexico last week where he attended the 19th Forum for Environmental Ministers in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Mr. Dorsett addressed those assembled Thursday urging the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) to appreciate that the vulnerabilities of Latin America are different from the Caribbean.
His intervention was made during the ministerial talks.
Minister Dorsett also expressed the need for ECLAC to have “a balanced approach” to their ongoing efforts.
“All of the attention cannot be on Latin America to the detriment of the Caribbean,” he said.
He further told the gathering that approximately 80 per cent of The Bahamas is within one meter of mean sea level.
“Therefore, the adverse impacts of Climate Change and sea level rise are real for The Bahamas,” Minister Dorsett said.
“Action must be taken now as it not only affects our way of life but will impact lives in our country.”
Minister Dorsett also spoke about the issue of national political will to address Climate Change.
“The political will to change exists,” he said.
“We are advancing forestry, the protection of our near shore environment by establishing Marine Protected Areas, renewable energy and the protection of our bio-diversity and Eco-systems, but financing is critically important to implementation. Let me add here also that The Bahamas is not a global polluter.”
He issued a call to greater action for the developed world and said “the developed world must provide the financial mechanisms to assist The Bahamas with adaptation and mitigation efforts.”
“Our vulnerability should determine our ability to access international funding, not our per capita income,” the environment minister said.
The meetings ended on Friday and the minister returned to New Providence over the weekend.
