When considering climate change as it relates to The Bahamas
it is important to note that the country is an archipelago of small
islands, most of them uninhabited, and that more than 80% of
the land surface is only a meter or less above mean sea level.
The natural resources of the country are very limited. The
economy is built on tourism and services . Bahamians, like
other island peoples, have historically had a close personal
relationship with the land and the sea. Until the advent of modern
tourism and banking industries, most Bahamians relied on
the resources of both land and sea for survival.
Adaptations options
Climate change presents new challenges due to the speed
of the anticipated changes and the magnitude of the
investments needed to adapt to predicted changes. In the
case of some small islands the only option may be retreat
and abandonment of property. The do nothing option or
strategy is the one against which all other options may be
compared. All too often, however, it is the default option
because other options are either not available or are not
known.
Across The Bahamas no one option alone is likely to
achieve the desired results of reducing vulnerability to
climate change. Zoning practices based on vulnerability
assessments, restricting types of development, prohibiting
activities that exacerbate the impacts, and replacement
and provision of increased security for settlements and
infrastructure, are options that need to be considered.
Costs associated with planned adaptation will be high
but the cost of not acting will be measured directly in
loss of life, loss of competitiveness in the tourism sector
and often at the expense of the environment.
