Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources, the Hon. Vaughn P. Miller
highlighted the significant strides The Bahamas has made and continues to make in
sustainable land management and climate resilience as he spoke to global leaders
gathered for UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
“Marine protected areas have more than doubled… and landmark policies now
regulate land development and promote environmental protection,” he said during his
address in the Plenary Hall at COP16, the largest United Nations land conference to
date.
“New protected forests have been established, and the list of protected tree species
has quadrupled,” Minister Miller announced, “and single-use plastics, including bags
and styrofoam containers, have been eliminated.”
Agricultural innovation is also taking place in the country, Mr. Miller told world
environmental leaders, sharing that “propagation and composting facilities to
promote regenerative, climate-smart agriculture” are also being launched in the
country.
The Bahamas hosted Pre-COP16 in August of this year, a historic occasion in which
Caribbean Small Island Developing States decided that they would collectively send
their top representatives to COP16 – Ministers of Government responsible for the
environment – to make a strong statement to world powers of the dire threats of land
degradation that countries in this region face.
In Saudi Arabia, Minister Miller reflected on the symbiotic relationship between the
land and people of The Bahamas: “For generations, this small island nation has relied
on its land for sustenance, yet its vulnerability to climate change and land degradation
has never been more apparent”.
As a low-lying nation in the Atlantic Hurricane Belt, The Bahamas is acutely
susceptible to the devastating impacts of climate change. Rising sea levels, coastal
erosion, and saline intrusion threaten freshwater resources and degrade agricultural
land. These challenges not only diminish food security, but also place economic and
social stress on coastal agricultural communities.
“Terrestrial resources, which are vital to the nation’s economy and culture, are being
degraded, while increasing import bills exacerbate national vulnerabilities,” he added.
Yet, The Bahamas has emerged as a regional leader, taking bold steps to address
these threats”.
Under the theme: “Our Land, Our Future”, the sixteenth session of the Conference
of the Parties (COP16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification
(UNCCD) took place from December 2 – 13, 2024. The Conference of the Parties
(COP) is the main decision-making body of UNCCD’s 197 Parties – 196 countries
and the European Union. This year’s COP16 on land degradation and desertification,
according to the UN, represents a moonshot moment to raise global ambition and
accelerate action on land and drought resilience through a people-centered approach.
Minister Miller highlighted a poignant quote from a generational author which
reminds us: “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us.
When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with
love and respect.” This sentiment captures the urgent need for transformative action
to protect The Bahamas’ fragile ecosystems and secure its future.
He thanked the Saudi Arabian Government for providing the platform for
The Bahamas’ voice to be heard and stated, “As The Bahamas continues to champion
sustainable practices, it sends a clear message that our land is not merely a
commodity but a vital community that must be protected with love and respect”.
Minister Miller was the 13th speaker among the limited number of ministers
that were selected to make a formal statement.
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