Students represent Bahamas on climate change in Egypt
Tackled issues of climate change, global diversity and sustainability
Three Bahamian students had the unique opportunity to represent their country and connect with young people from around the world on issues of climate change, global diversity and sustainability.
Akhepran International Academy (AIA) students Jeremiah Young, Arvadranique Knowles and Evan Hanna are in Egypt, where they attended the 17th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY17) in Sharm el-Sheikh, where thousands of young change makers from more than 140 countries are gathered with one main goal: saving Earth.
COY17 is an annual event under the banner YOUNGO – the official youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It was hosted on the sidelines of the 27th session of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).
By attending COY17 and speaking on behalf of The Bahamas, they are fulfilling Prime Minister Philip Davis’ clarion call for young people to take the reins of advocacy in terms of climate change for their country. The Bahamas is listed among the top 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change in the world. Meanwhile, the country is one of the valuable carbon sinks of the world, absorbing and dissipating pollution that would otherwise pose a mounting threat.
Vast expanses of seagrass beds, mangrove forests and blue holes, as well as coral reefs, pine forests and sandy banks are all valuable natural resources that protect The Bahamas and, by extension, the world, from global pollution. The Bahamas has been rated as having some of the cleanest air in the world.
The government introduced the Carbon Trading Bill, 2022 in the House of Assembly, on July 14. Davis called it a “monumental day for the people of The Bahamas”.
“We are making history and positioning our country as the first country that will sell blue carbon credits, as it relates to sea grass, on the carbon market,” Davis said.
Students Jeremiah, Arvadranique and Evan are at the forefront of advocacy by representing their country at COY 17. The United Nations Climate Change Conference closed on November 18 with a breakthrough agreement to provide “loss and damage” funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters.
The AIA students attended the conference with their chaperones, AIA founder and President Dr. Jacinta Higgs, and Dr. Ricardo Taylor of Civil Society Bahamas and Fox Hill Charitable Organization.
