Hon. Prime Minister Philip Davis of The Bahamas to Address Climate Week NYC on the Island Nation’s Commitment to Sustainability

With Climate Week NYC set to kick off on Sept. 22 for a week of activities and events focused on climate action, The Bahamas is ready for its moment in the spotlight with Prime Minister Philip Davis scheduled to speak during the opening ceremony about the success the island nation has achieved through its strong commitment to sustainability.

Prime Minister Davis will have much to talk about, particularly given the exposure of The Bahamas to climate change. Indeed, with 60% of its GDP derived from travel & tourism, the country has worked hard to develop and employ robust sustainability strategies to foster the resilience of its primary industry and preserve the natural beauty that people travel from all over the world to experience.

“Now more than ever, sustainability is a priority for all involved in travel & tourism across The Bahamas, and we are excited that Prime Minister Davis will have an opportunity to speak at Climate Week NYC and promote the important efforts from our government and partners that are taking shape in every part of the country,” said The Honorable I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation.  

A Commitment, Not a Trend

Sustainability is more than a passing trend in The Bahamas. It’s something of a national passion, with deep diligence by the private and public sectors of tourism and NGOs focused on preserving the waters, wilderness, and wildlife that have made the country of 700 islands comprising 100,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean a model of sustainability.

Guided by sustainable development goals set by the United Nations, The Bahamas is meeting the moment in myriad ways. Those include embracing a commitment to the protection of biodiversity and marine life through conservation and sustainable use of natural resources for sustainable development; employing urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts while promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth; and protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems while halting and reversing land degradation and loss of biodiversity.

Among noteworthy achievements on sustainability across The Bahamas of late:

• The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and other organizations are working to restore mangrove forests that protect low-lying communities by reducing flooding and acting as natural buffers from storm-driven waves and winds. In The Bahamas, mangroves are superb carbon sinks, absorbing and storing up to 10 times more carbon per hectare than land-based forests. They are also havens for biodiversity, serving as nurseries for numerous and economically significant species. Among focal points of mangrove restoration work by BNT are Grand Bahama and Abaco, which lost 73% and 40% of mangroves, respectively, to Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
• In 2022, The Bahamas drew support from the World Bank to implement “Climate Disaster Tagging” that provides comprehensive data on spending relevant to climate change to enable the government to prioritize climate and disaster-related investments. That same year, The Bahamas won the Destination and Stewardship Resilience Sustainable Tourism Award from the Caribbean Tourism Organization, positioning the country as the champion of sustainability in the region.

• Earlier this year, The Bahamas was honored with the prestigious Caribbean Destination Resilience Award for its unwavering commitment to sustainability and resilience in tourism. Bestowed by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association in collaboration with the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, the award acknowledged The Bahamas as a destination that exhibits a deliberate focus on resiliency through innovative strategies and collaborative efforts that engage public and private stakeholders.
• With The Bahamas amid a development boom, many players in the travel and tourism industry have revealed themselves as strong advocates of environmental and ocean conservation. Atlantis Bahamas Paradise Island, for instance, is involved with nonprofit conservation and research programs throughout the country, including participating in environmental monitoring to assist local national parks, engaging in partnerships with sustainable fisheries, maintaining a robust recycling program, and planting mangroves at wetlands protected by the Bahamas National Trust. Meanwhile, on Nassau, Rosewood Baha Mar is committed to establishing itself as a world-class, luxury destination through sustainability practices that benefit the community, culture and environment of The Bahamas, including developing programs to promote awareness and drive support for conservation education, such as the Baha Mar Ecological Aquatic Conservation Habitat Sanctuary (aka, B.E.A.C.H. Sanctuary) offering a unique opportunity for marine life education combined with visual experience.
• This past summer, Caribbean Journal honored tourism enterprises across the country with its 2024 Bahamas Travel and Sustainability Awards marking the depth, richness and commitment to sustainability across the country. Among winners were: Andros – Sustainable Destination of the Year; Small Hope Bay Lodge, Andros – Sustainable Hotel of the Year; Bimini Shark Lab – Environmental Conservation Award; Lucaya Solar Power Project – Sustainable Energy Award; and Keyron Smith, One Eleuthera Foundation – Sustainable Tourism Leadership Award.
• The Bahamian government is further involved in a range of projects with various organizations and partners, such as the Bahamas National Trust and the National Audubon Society, to confront climate change throughout the country. These include oversight of Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park as a sanctuary for seabirds and marine life, and the designation of Joulter Cays National Park as a Marine Protected Area to safeguard critical habitats from climate change and human activities.

Climate Week NYC is scheduled Sept. 22-29, 2024. For more information about sustainability initiatives and tourism offerings of The Bahamas, please visit www.bahamas.com.

Media Contacts:

Anita Johnson-Patty
Director Global Communications

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation
[email protected]

Bahamas USA
FINN Bahamas
[email protected]