Ambassador puts case for climate change action
IN AN address to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 13, Cheryl Bazard KC, Ambassador of The Bahamas to Belgium and the European Union, called for stronger accountability from major polluters and emphasised the urgent need for global action to combat climate change.
Representing the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) in her capacity as Chair of its Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Forum, Ambassador Bazard addressed the ICJ during its historic hearing on the “Obligation of States in Respect of Climate Change” on the final day of the hearings at the Peace Palace in
The Hague. Ambassador Bazard was joined by Assistant Secretary General of the OACPS Cristelle Pratt, Professor Pierre-Marie Dupuy and Brenda Reson Sapuro, a young Kenyan environmental lawyer and African Front coordinator for the World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ).
During her presentation, she sought to dismantle several key arguments presented by major polluting nations seeking to evade responsibility for climaterelated harm. Her remarks reinforced the importance of the obligation of prevention under international law and underscored the accountability of states for the environmental harm caused
both within and beyond national borders.
“The arguments made by major polluter states are profoundly flawed and misleading. They effectively seek to prevent the court from discharging its mandate in these proceedings,” she said.
She said the prevention principle, enshrined in international legal instruments, applies directly to climate change, contrary to claims by some major emitters. She also underscored that responsibility for climate harm extends beyond the entry into force of modern climate treaties like the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement, dating back to well- established obligations from the 1960s onward.
AMBASSADOR Cheryl Bazard at the International Court of Justice.
CAMPBELL HOSTS CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY
Social Services visit to residents
Photos: Patrice Johnson
TOYS and Christmas essentials being distributed at the wekeend in the Elizabeth constituency.
MAPPING TEAM PLAYS PART IN DATA WEEK
THE Bahamas recently observed National Geospatial Data Week, also known as GIS Week, highlighting the critical role that Geographic Information Systems and the professionals that utilise them play in understanding and managing the nation’s land and resources.
At the heart of this effort is the Bahamas National Geographic Information Systems Centre (BINGIS). The Centre is a unit within the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. It has been instrumental in mapping critical aspects of the Bahamian landscape.
BNGIS technicians have been leveraging cuttingedge geospatial technology to gather, store, and display precise data for specific locations across The Bahamas. Duane Miller, Director of BNGIS, emphasized the critical role geospatial data plays in addressing environmental challenges. He highlighted its potential to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, ensuring a more sustainable future for The Bahamas.
With a dedicated team
and a forward-thinking approach, BNGIS continues to provide essential data and insights to government agencies and private companies alike, cementing its role as a cornerstone of national development.
During GIS Week, the BNGIS team travelled
to Grand Bahama, especially to celebrate World GIS Day. The delegation included Jermaine Johnson, GIDS Technician II and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Employee of the Year; and Terrell Thompson, GIS Technician III, who shared
the value of drones, ATVs and mapping software in accomplishing their work.
The day included a series of insightful presentations from strategic partners, including: Dr Ancilleno Davis, Assistant Professor, Environmental Science, University of The Bahamas;
Shavonne Seymour, GIS Analyst, Grand Bahama Power Company; James Martin, Utility Technician, Grand Bahama Utility Co Ltd; Charles Pratt, Senior Manager, Commercial Development, Grand Bahama Port Authority; Amit Seeram, GIS
Analyst, Grand Bahama Port Authority; and Gabrielle Hudson, GIS Analyst, BNGIS.
Afternoon sessions for World GIS Day highlighted more presentations from experts including: Tammi Mitchell, Officer, DRM Authority, Disaster Consultative Committee; Suzanne Russell-Dorsett, GIS Analyst, Bahamas Department of Meteorology; Yvette Thompson, GIS Supervisor, Bahamas National Statistical Institute; Ldina Pelecanos, Assistant Fisheries Officer, Dept. of Marine Resources; Liyah Forbes, Water Quality Coordinator, Waterkeepers Bahamas; and Lindy Knowles, Senior Science Officer, Bahamas National Trust.
Recognising the importance of sustainability and innovation, BNGIS. is actively training the next generation of GIS technicians. These young professionals are mastering the skills needed to read and create maps, while utilising advanced tools and technologies to better understand and protect the nation’s natural environment.
FROM left, Terrell Thompson, Gabrielle Hudson, and Jermaine Johnson, GIS technicians, BNGIS, Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources.
PRESENTERS at World GIS Day, recently celebrated in Grand Bahama