During his communication in Parliament on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Philip Davis spoke on the topic of Emissions Reduction by drawing attention to the 2022 ‘Climate Change and Carbon Market Initiatives Act’, which enables the government to create incentives and implement initiatives to support the country’s declared emission reduction goals. The Prime Minister reminded Bahamians of the draconian conditions they are exposed to while encouraging a brighter future.

“With the passage of this Act, we took a bold step forward to support climate resilience and innovation at a national and international level. While it is noted that the contributions of small island nations, like The Bahamas, to the climate crisis are negligible, if our intention is to play a leading role in global discussions and reforms on climate action, we must practice what we preach… it is often far more costly in the long run to use antiquated, inefficient technology than to embrace climate-friendly adaptations. 

“A simple, everyday example can be seen in the use of energy-efficient LED light bulbs, which have already been proven to be far more cost-effective than the continued use of old-school incandescent bulbs. Yet, many people continue to use the older bulbs because of what they perceive as an inconvenience and cost associated with changing over to LEDs,” Prime Minister Davis explained.

He shared his administration’s goal to not only create a more climate-friendly nation through the implementation of initiatives such as cleaner gas and the introduction of eco-friendly technology, Prime Minister Davis also stated that while The Bahamas remains a small island nation susceptible to the effects of climate change, there are steps that can be taken to champion this result.

“This administration has pursued a comprehensive agenda to adapt to climate change in ways that enhance our resilience, expand opportunities for Bahamians, and preserve our natural environment,” the Prime Minister said, adding, “This strategy is built on key initiatives like energy reform, including the adoption of cleaner fuel sources, like LNG, and the widespread roll-out of utility-scale solar power. Our goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% and achieve 30% renewable energy by 2030.”

He explained how through the ‘Emission Reduction Initiatives and Incentives’, Bahamians will be able to meet the required regulations to reduce emissions through:

• The implementation of Emission Reduction Initiatives and Incentives: wherein Bahamians are allowed to give ideas on the matter as well as to apply for ideas on it.
• Focus on the reporting of emission-related data and issuance of emission allocations: that allows not only for the government to track, but also to report on, the acquired data to better meet requirements.
• Publication of information: granting public access to the collected information in which the companies, as well as everyday Bahamians, are allowed the chance to not only actively participate with the data collection, but to also share on the findings.

“By supporting a robust incentives regime, promoting data-driven analysis and measurement, and reporting publicly on progress, these regulations will help Bahamians to see the results of our efforts — both in terms of progress toward reducing emissions, as well as the reduction of costs. 

“Ultimately, our goal is to deliver a climate friendly, renewable future for the Bahamian people with cleaner energy, innovative technologies, and more affordable costs,”  Prime Minister Davis said, noting that The Bahamas does not have to remain a draconian nation that utilises an outdated system, but that through a team effort, it can become more effective for everyone.

“We are well on our way to achieving these objectives: electricity bills are going down and solar power is going up,” he said.

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