By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Perry Christie yesterday urged developed nations to honour their commitment to pay $100 billion a year by 2020 for climate finance support as he outlined the Bahamas’ vulnerability to climate change.

He said because of the Bahamas’ vulnerability to climate change “we qualify for funding and expect our fair share.”

Mr Christie added that despite the government’s best efforts, emissions into the atmosphere continue to grow and threaten “the very existence of the Bahamas”.

Mr Christie spoke at the United Nations Climate Summit In New York City.

“I want my presence here today to signal that for the Bahamas, climate change is serious business,” Mr Christie said. “This threatens our very existence. Here is what the scientists say, 80 per cent of my nation’s land mass will be lost if the sea level rises 1.5 metres. They also say that with a warming of 3.7-4.8°C by 2100, as currently predicted, the Bahamas we know would be no more. It is with this sense of urgency that I address you today.

“The Bahamas accepts the science on this issue. We have signed on to all the agreements, yet emissions into the atmosphere continue to grow,” Mr Christie said.

“Notwithstanding our negligible contribution to the issue, we are taking concrete steps to reduce our carbon footprint. We adopted a National Energy Policy, which includes the introduction of renewable energy goals of at least 30 per cent of energy generation by way of renewable technologies by 2030. We also continue to focus on adaptation to climate change, despite our limited access to grant and concessional funding. We have identified the National Policy for Adaptation to Climate Change and work steadily toward implementation with civil society and other key partners. We have done this and more to enhance our resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change. We are a low-lying archipelagic chain of islands and are painfully aware of the impact of sea level rise for our country.”

Mr Christie said in order to save the Bahamas, there needs to be a comprehensive plan to reverse upward emission trends and a significant amount of money to turn the plan into action.

“Every day the sea is rising, the coral reefs are dying; yet so far all the world has done is talk. The fact is that nothing the world has done so far has stopped this upward trend in global emissions,” he said.

“The Bahamas calls therefore for a sufficiently ambitious, comprehensive and inclusive, legally binding framework, with commitments strong enough to reverse present upward emission trends. The survival of small-island developing states (SIDS) must be the benchmark for the 2015 agreement.

“Having said that, money is important. Nothing can happen without it. Developed countries must honour their financial commitments from Copenhagen. We need a clear pathway for developed countries to contribute what they promised to pay for climate finance support in the amount of US $100 billion dollars a year by 2020.

“Money for adaptation and coastal defenses is also crucial. None of this should be dependent on the GDP per capita of small-island developing states like the Bahamas.

“We must look at each country’s vulnerability to climate change, its debt and more importantly honor the principle that ‘the polluter pays. Looked at like this, the Bahamas qualifies for funding and we expect our fair share.”

The Prime Minister is due back in country tomorrow.