By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net 

PRIME  Minister Philip "Brave" Davis delivered a speech at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting the urgent need for climate action and announcing The Bahamas' candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2032-2033 term.

Mr Davis criticized the disparity in funding for climate-related issues in his address in New York on Friday.

“Member states can somehow quickly find eye-watering sums of money for bullets and bombs, but only rattle small change in their pockets when it comes to financing the costs of loss and damage,” he said. He described the ongoing climate crisis as a significant threat to humanity, noting its impact through extreme weather events.

Mr Davis urged the Security Council to integrate climate considerations into its work.

He said: “The Security Council of the future will not be equipped to deal with the biggest crisis of our time without voices like ours at the table.” 

He emphasized the importance of including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in global decision-making.

“It is a cruel irony that industrialized nations who bear the greatest responsibility for the climate crisis often perpetuate another form of injustice,” he said, advocating for a fairer international framework that ensures all voices are heard and respected.

Mr Davis outlined The Bahamas’ unique vulnerabilities and innovative responses to climate challenges, including the establishment of a National Youth Guard to empower young environmental advocates. 

He said: “Over 40% of my country’s national debt is a direct result of the impacts of climate change.”

As COP29 approaches, he stressed the need for enforceable commitments from developed nations, saying that  “while global military expenditure soared to an unprecedented $2.4 trillion last year, the Loss and Damage Fund has secured a mere $800 million in pledges,” and called for the fund’s full operationalization.

In closing, Mr Davis urged global leaders to act urgently. 

“We are not asking for a hand-out, but for a hand up. Even the strongest swimmer drowns if left alone in a raging sea,” he said.