Conclusion
Prime Minister Phillip Davis emphasized the urgency of climate action, stating that the Bahamas will continue to be a leading voice in championing this issue. He urged world leaders to revitalize the stalled negotiations on climate finance, revitalize the Loss and Damage Fund, and redirect subsidies to renewable energy. Davis also emphasized the need for a renewed commitment to collective, multilateral action and for countries to prioritize energy solutions around renewable energy sources.
FAQs
Q: What did Prime Minister Davis say about climate change?
A: Davis stated that climate change is a significant threat to humanity, and that developed nations must step up their commitments to addressing the crisis.
Q: What is the Loss and Damage Fund?
A: The Loss and Damage Fund is a mechanism established to provide financial support to countries affected by climate-related disasters.
Q: What is the role of the United Nations in addressing climate change?
A: The United Nations has a critical role in addressing climate change, including hosting international conferences and providing a platform for countries to work together to address the crisis.
Q: What did Prime Minister Davis say about the link between climate change and global security?
A: Davis stated that the link between climate change and global security is undeniable, and that climate considerations must be integrated into all aspects of the Security Council’s work.
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UNITED NATIONS, CMC—The Bahamas government told the international community Friday that it must do more than roll the dice, appealing to countries to honor their commitments to helping small island developing states (SIDS) deal with the impact of climate change.
Prime Minister Phillip Davis told the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29), to be held in Azerbaijan in November, must be a turning point.
“It is estimated that by 2050, climate-related damage will rise to an almost unimaginable US$38 trillion per year. My friends, in some respects, it is already too late. Where we are…. is not good. But there’s still time…time just enough…if we act and act now,” Davis said.
He urged world leaders to revitalize the stalled negotiations on climate finance’s ‘New Collective Quantified Goal,’ saying, “We cannot afford another year of inaction.
“Developed nations must step up, not just with words, but with enforceable, concrete commitments, that reflect the scale and urgency of the crisis,” he said, noting that while global military expenditure soared to an unprecedented US$2.4 trillion last year, the Loss and Damage Fund, painstakingly established at COP28, has secured a mere US$800 million in pledges.
“This is a drop in the ocean compared to the trillions needed to address the escalating costs of the negative impacts of climate change. This is not just an issue of funding. It is fundamentally an issue of sustainability and survival. Without it, peace and security mean nothing.
“The Loss and Damage Fund must be fully operationalized. This is about responsibility, accountability, and building a future where those who have polluted the most contribute the most to cleaning up the mess. The 1.5 degrees Celsius Reality The rise in global temperatures of more than 1.5°C this past year has created a new reality.
“But we must do more than roll the dice. Real effort, serious action, and tangible progress are the only paths to sustainable solutions. And the same truths remain,” Davis said, urging countries to prioritize energy solutions around renewable energy sources.
He said re-directing the vast subsidies to the fossil fuel industry towards renewable energy and climate adaptation and mitigation would be a powerful start.
“We must reform the global financial institutions and systems. We need multilateral development banks that fit our purpose, provide accessible finance, and prioritize climate-resilient investments. We must continue to work to strengthen international cooperation. We need a renewed commitment to collective, multilateral action.”
However, Prime Minister Davis said that there is also a glimmer of hope in this global emergency.
“The 1.5°C threshold cannot be an endpoint, but a turning point, an opportunity to reject complacency and chart a new course grounded in innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to a just and sustainable future. We are not asking for a hand-out but for a hand-up. Even the strongest swimmer drowns if left alone in a raging sea.”
In his address, Prime Minister Davis said that over the past three years, the Bahamas has been pleading with member states to engage in urgent action regarding climate change. He said that, along with other SIDS, his country has highlighted its vulnerabilities and predicament.
“We have told you what we know, shared our experiences from the frontline, described what we are doing to address the various issues, and warned you that our yesterdays are your tomorrows. There has been some welcome progress, but it falls far short of what is needed.
“And now we all have to live with the reality of a climate crisis that has pushed our planet past the critical threshold of 1.5°celsius for an entire year. At this very moment, the new harsh reality manifests in hurricanes, heat, fire, and floods.
“Member states can somehow quickly find eye-watering sums of money for bullets and bombs but only rattle small change in their pockets when it comes to financing the costs of loss and damage, repair and recovery, so desperately needed to adapt to the new climate reality.
“Why do members persist in ignoring the most significant threat to our lives? The easy answer would be to say that you just don’t care. But I cannot accept that. To do so would be to take a view of humanity that is at odds with my faith and lived experience of humanity.
“But we in The Bahamas see that need for more determined, committed action as a series of misguided, short-term choices and priorities. We can choose differently. We can choose better.”
Davis said the global community can act to address real, consequential priorities. These priorities are already impacting the lives of every single country and will continue to impact the lives of children and their grandchildren for generations to come.
“The irony is that generations before us did not have an established forum such as this: a place to come together, as a whole world, to work together for the common good.”
He said the genocidal crisis of the Second World War gave birth to the United Nations, and the ensuing wars of Independence and regional conflicts mean that we have in place the structure for real, effective action.
“And so today, as The Bahamas celebrates 51 years of membership of the United Nations, we offer our service to the international community as we bid for non-permanent membership of the Security Council for the term 2032-2033.
“We do so because the present crisis of today, the looming crisis of tomorrow, requires even greater degrees of ingenuity, effort, multilateral cooperation, and sacrifice than the world needed in the aftermath of the Second World War. We understand well that the Council’s mandate to maintain international peace and security goes far beyond the mere absence of war.
“But we also know that, from where we stand, on the frontline of the impact of climate change on humanity, that the mandate “to co-operate in solving international problems” now, more than ever, requires us to stand up and step forward. We do so to amplify the voices of Small Island Developing States.
“We do so because the voices of Small Island Developing States are the harbingers of what lies in store for all of us. The Security Council of the future will not be equipped to deal with the biggest crisis of our time without voices like ours at the table.”
Davis said the link between climate change and global security is undeniable, adding, “Things are bad now, and they will get a lot worse before they get better.
“Climate considerations must be integrated into all aspects of the Security Council’s work,” he said, warning that aspirations to lasting global peace and security will remain empty if not supported by economic security.
Davis said that the global financial system has been skewed against developing nations for too long.
“It is a cruel irony that industrialized nations who bear the most significant responsibility for the climate crisis often perpetuate another form of injustice in the form of our current global system.
“We have been instrumental in exposing the hypocrisy of unilateral blocklisting and advocating for a framework that prioritizes fairness and inclusivity. With its dark rules and uneven playing field, the present system drains resources from developing countries, leaving us to grapple with the consequences.
“The Bahamas refuses to accept this double standard. We are raising our voice to demand a fairer and more equitable international framework, one where the voices of all countries, regardless of population or GDP (gross domestic product), are heard and respected.”