The dilemma a small national like The Bahamas faces in tackling the effects of global warning was exposed by the Prime Minister yesterday when he spoke at an international conference in Brussels and called for nations to urgently intensify their response to the looming crisis.
Anyone seen any urgent intensification of our preparedness to deal with rising sea levels and more violent hurricanes?
Even after Dorian laid waste to Abaco and parts of Grand Bahama nothing much seems to have changed.
The building crews are on both islands racing to clear debris so that businesses can reopen and homes can be rebuilt.
But shouldn’t someone be putting their foot on the ball here and asking, ‘Hey, wait a minute. If we build exactly the same properties in the same places were just going to go through the same again if another Dorian comes through.’
It a noble idea but it goes to the heart of the problem. Life has to go on.
We’re sure everyone would love to have their homes moved to higher ground or raised to where the flood waters wouldn’t wash away their homes. But today with lives in ruins everyone is looking to get back to normal as fast as they can, putting aside the thought of it could happen again.
The same issue of life must go on we see in our need for an affordable and reliable national power supply.
With the whole world scrambling to get away from fossil fuels what are we doing? Plugging in more up to date fossil fuel generators and putting our faith in the Shell US liquid natural gas plant coming on stream at some point in the future. (While we mention it how come a Heads of Agreement for this still hasn’t been signed? Something anyone wants to tell us about?)
Our columnist Richard Coulson yesterday highlighted the activities of Bahamas Petroleum Company which is about to start drilling its first test well in our southern waters hoping to strike commercial amounts of oil.
Where does this fit in with the “increased urgency” Dr Minnis demands of the world in reducing the causes of global warming?
There’s that dilemma again. Oil - if it’s there and the inevitable environmentalist objections are overcome - it could provide a cure-all for our struggling economy. Many countries have faced this question before us - save the planet or sink the well? We don’t have to tell you what the answer turned out to be - immediate gratification for all our on-the-day needs and fingers crossed we’re not around when the world heats up beyond the point of no return.
We don’t know what the answer is but what we do believe is we need more than a few words calling for action when in reality we are doing very little ourselves.
You can read inside today on Page 10 that some countries are leading by example. Wales, part of the UK, has set its sights on a zero carbon foot print by 2050. Ambitious certainly and in comparison anyone know of such a similar ambition being declared here?
Interesting 2050 featured in the most-read story on the Tribune’s website in the last two weeks. It was a report compiled by many of the world’s leading scientists warning the danger of rising sea levels was three times worse than anyone had thought before
They produced a frightening interactive map where you can set the year, our response to global warming in the future (bad is our guess) and then see what’s left of The Bahamas.
It’s frightening and the sort of thing that really should motivate a urgent intensification to do something.
Dorian made us among the first most obvious victims of this environmental war. If we don’t wake up we won’t be the last.
Nygard can’t hide from justice
Sadly a few more trees are going to be lost through the deforestation caused by Peter Nygard’s continued battle in the Bahamian courts.
He was due to appear yesterday for sentencing for one of his numerous convictions for contempt of court.
We said here yesterday we never imagined he would attend. He’s locked the doors to Nygard Cay, turned out the lights and scuttled off to Canada to hide beneath his lawyers and doctors’ notes.
To be frank we’re a little bit torn between wanting to see him in the dock to pay for his sins or simply never hearing his name again.
Seriously though, the allegations being made about the activities in his private life - which he claims are all lies and part of a Louis Bacon-funded conspiracy - demand he face justice if true.
Comments
Porcupine 4 years, 5 months ago
But shouldn’t someone be putting their foot on the ball here and asking, ‘Hey, wait a minute. If we build exactly the same properties in the same places were just going to go through the same again if another Dorian comes through.’ It a noble idea but it goes to the heart of the problem. Life has to go on. Editor, what does that mean, "Life has to go on."? Everyone understands that, but does life go on with continued arrogance and hubris, as it has, or does it go on with a bit more thought and planning than before?
"There’s that dilemma again. Oil - if it’s there and the inevitable environmentalist objections are overcome - it could provide a cure-all for our struggling economy." Inevitable environmentalist objections"? Are you serious? For god's sake editor, do you really not get it? Do you miss the point that if we had been listening to and heeding the "inevitable environmental objections" from the beginning we would not be in this predicament now? Is this really lost on you? Further, without an environment, do you still think we will have an economy? Have we still not figured out that one comes before the other, and includes completely the other? As you continue your education, I hope that you will realize that it is our Capitalist economy which has laid waste to our environment, and our very humanity. Yes, it is way beyond the intellectual tools on the table not only with our Prime Minister, but clearly with your editorial position, as well. You are well aware that many of our most eminent scientists are suggesting that humanity may be on the brink of extinction ourselves. And yet, this paper seems fit to have a lot of reporting and columnists on business, and None focused entirely on the environment? So, while our Prime Minister may be way behind the times in understanding climate change and our obligations, it seems like the Tribune has played a decisive role in keeping our country in the dark regarding the most existential crisis this country has ever faced. This editorial, while seemingly forward looking, actually shows how far we really have to go. Disappointing to say the least.
Porcupine 4 years, 5 months ago
"Dorian made us among the first most obvious victims of this environmental war. If we don’t wake up we won’t be the last." Not true, editor. Were you to do your homework, you would realize that there are already millions of climate refugees throughout the world. We are not among the first, nor will be the last. This is just the beginning. This is the point. These aren't one-offs. This is an acceleration. No new normal.
"Many countries have faced this question before us - save the planet or sink the well? We don’t have to tell you what the answer turned out to be - immediate gratification for all our on-the-day needs and fingers crossed we’re not around when the world heats up beyond the point of no return." Seriously! "Fingers crossed we're not around when the world heats up beyond the point of no return.? Is this a joke? And, we wonder why it is claimed that we have failed our children? Have you listened to Greta Thunburg? Can you argue with a word she says? Editor, this is the most important issue for the future of The Bahamas, in it's history. I am not sure what position you hold in The Tribune, but you should not be allowed to editorialize on a matter of which you show so little knowledge and understanding. This would include basic arguments on morality, and most certainly the recent scientific findings of what we are up against as a nation and as a world. This editorial contributed nothing to bringing the Bahamian population closer to the truth and closer to the immediate action needed to avert immense suffering for a majority of people on this planet. Sorry for the harsh words, but we need to get flucking serious here.
ColumbusPillow 4 years, 5 months ago
More fear-mongering and global warming hysteria! FACTS, NOT HOAXES. Sea level is dropping near Greta's home town Stockholm (land is rising) and Miami Beach is dropping (formerly a marsh) making it appear that sea level is rising. Average global temperatures have not risen in the last 20 years. Cost of wind and solar electricity generation is DOUBLE that of using fossil fuels..
truetruebahamian 4 years, 5 months ago
Ostrich.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 5 months ago
You really need to stop watching Fox....
birdiestrachan 4 years, 5 months ago
The PM must have read what was given to him to read. because what he read and his actions are different.
Grand Bahama has serious lessons to learn from Dorian. The university of the Bahamas and the Cruise port are close the dredging will bring more sea water into the Land and then there is OBAN.
Doc and the minister of the environment are out of touch with reality.
proudloudandfnm 4 years, 5 months ago
Birdie where do you get your info? There'll be no dredging for the cruise port... lol.....
sealice 4 years, 5 months ago
The warning clearly was why do we Bahamians every election keep electing a bunch of idiots to run our country?? Be they PLP FNM DNA ABC LOL they all have repeatedly failed the general public - they waste our time pointing fingers at each other in the house when they are actually "off" vacation.....Dorian's lesson is not to reelect a bunch of lying idiots that don't do the work they are supposed to so the country can be ready when things like this happen....
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