Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas, December 10, 2023 – Women face unique challenges regarding climate change impacts and The Bahamas Prime Minister’s wife highlighted this at Cop 28.  Joining her husband, Philip Davis who is widely communicating the dire need for climate action, Ann-Marie Davis, First Lady of the archipelago underlined why it’s important to also protect women against climate change effects.

In an interview with media, she spoke to how the climate crisis threatens the health of women globally, highlighting those carrying children.

First Lady Davis points out that it affects the unborn child through harmful gasses the pregnant women can breathe in, the water they drink, and their physical surroundings which may not be conducive to healthy pregnancies and births.

Davis also made sure to highlight that while women are affected differently, especially pregnant women, it’s important to protect everyone, such as men, boys, girls and children overall.

Children can be affected by disabilities and lack of proper development due to climate change impacts, she mentions.

In continuation, the first lady’s remarks compliment the fact that women are considered to be more vulnerable than men to climate change effects according to the United Nations, which says this is mainly due to them representing the majority of the world’s poor and are proportionally more reliant on threatened natural resources.

Regarding the even more vulnerable pregnant women, evidence shows that rising temperatures threaten successful reproduction. In fact, heat stress can cause stillbirths, preterm births and low fetal weight, according to Frontiers in Endocrinology, the third most cited and sixith largest research publisher and open science platform.

NASSAU, The Bahamas — The Minister of Energy & Transport the Hon. Jobeth Coleby-Davis said each Family Island has unique power requirements, loads, and generation levels.

“Therefore, the specification for the solar array (a collection of solar panels wired together to capture sunlight and produce electricity) will be at least 30 per cent of the energy demand,” the Minister of Energy & Transport said at a press conference to launch the Request for Proposal (RFP) for Family Islands New Energy Generation by Microgrids, Cleaner Fuels and Renewables at Margaritaville Beach Resort on Thursday, December 7, 2023.

This initiative involves developing solar energy microgrids across the Family Islands.  This also encompasses the Government’s goal of The Bahamas having a 30 per cent renewable power generation by the year 2030.

The Minister explained that microgrids will ensure consistent and reliable power output for island inhabitants, addressing unique island requirements.

She also noted that Battery Energy Storage Systems will be incorporated to ensure a seamless backup power supply during outages, and support both the solar and prime power generation.

“Projects will be managed locally to minimize wastage, reduce generation costs, and drive self- sustainability on the islands.”

The Minister said a central Microgrid Controller will be employed to enhance efficiency and reliability across all microgrids and will allow the Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd. (BPL) to monitor all systems from a centralized location.

She said the deadline for proposal submissions is January 26, 2024, with opportunities for clarification questions through the public procurement portal.

Family Island site visits will commence on December 11, 2023, starting with Eleuthera. The full schedule is outlined in the RFP.

The Minister explained that to be eligible for evaluation, all firms must meet specific experience and qualification standards, including microgrids and renewable energy facility construction capability, and a clear warranty policy is essential for ensuring the performance of proposed equipment.

She said, “We urge all interested firms to submit clarification questions or obtain further information through the public procurement portal, where responses to all questions will be made available.”

The Energy & Transport Minister said new vendors to the portal will be required to self-register by clicking the link “New Vendor Registration”.

If assistance is required, please call: Christopher Minnis at 702 1555 or Cornell Rahaming at 702 1533.

Only registered vendors can access opportunities posted in the portal. Those who are not yet registered, will be limited to observing the opportunities.  The website address is: https://bahamas.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/115160.

#TheBahamas, December 7, 2023 – We are here today because we are short on time and even shorter on the resources needed to empower every nation in the world to respond to an increasingly dire climate crisis.

We are approaching the tipping point from which there will be no return. At our current rate, the world will cross the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold sometime within the next two decades.

The window of opportunity is closing.

But it is not closed yet.

And as long as there is even a small opening, just a sliver of time left for us to take action, there is still hope that we can save the world from the worst-case climate change scenarios.

I’ve travelled the globe representing Small Island Developing States like mine which have contributed the least to global carbon emissions but are already experiencing the worst effects of climate change.

Global inaction will soon threaten our continued existence as nations, but we will do everything within our power to avoid this outcome.

The Bahamas is here this week at COP 28 to invite the people of the world to partner with us and all vulnerable states to face this existential threat together.

As a region, the Caribbean has seen the results of our advocacy take shape in the form of the Loss and Damage fund to help us recover from the destruction already wrought on our nations. And we will continue to push for greater access to financing opportunities as we seek to protect our shorelines, build climate-resilient infrastructure, and invest in a renewable and sustainable future.

Through collaborative action, we will also create new industries and generate demand for novel solutions. Solving the world’s most pressing problems has always been good for business. We are entering an era of socially responsible investments, regenerative financing, and ESG finance. And the Caribbean is prepared to lead the way. In fact, if we want to continue to thrive as a region, we have no choice but to lead the way.

My country has been hit by four major hurricanes over the past few years. Over a third of our national debt is directly linked to the impact of storms, causing billions in damages that threaten the economic and fiscal health of our nation and people. With the situation projected to worsen at its current rate, we have gone all-in on making the necessary investments to solve our climate woes. Our future as a nation depends on it.

So, today, I applaud the Green Climate Fund for its efforts to support the developing world in creating climate-resilient pathways to a sustainable future. This is life-saving work.

With the approval of the application for preparation funds to finance the development of the Blue Co Caribbean Umbrella Coordination Programme, we fully expect to see new, effective solutions emerge for the people of the Caribbean.

The Blue Co  Caribbean project will provide the foundation for strategic investments at a scale not possible without embracing the spirit of cooperation and co-investment through this Caribbean-targeted, climate-focused investment opportunity.

Through this platform, Caribbean nations will be empowered to strengthen their blue economy frameworks and develop data-backed projects that can then be replicated and scaled across the region. My nation, as one of the world leaders in the research and development of blue carbon credits as a viable source of revenue generation, looks forward to the ways that Blue Co will strengthen The Bahamas’ mission to develop home-grown solutions that can fund a climate-resilient future for our people.

It turns out that saving the world isn’t just good for people, it’s also good for business.

Just yesterday, we were privileged to host a discussion on the Bahamas Sustainable Investment Programme, which will generate up to $500 million for climate-related investments. This is a testament to our commitment and resolve to generate our own innovative solutions to the climate crisis. And we are by no means standing alone.

Within the Caribbean, we have the passion, motivation, and expertise to drive the success of this initiative. There is no doubt in my mind that Blue Co can and will serve as a model for other regions to follow.

I invite all interested parties to reach out, get involved, and together we will save countless lives and livelihoods on our way to building a more resilient, renewable, and prosperous future for all nations.