Ladies and Gentlemen, Honourable Members of Parliament,
It is my privilege to be addressing you this evening in Westminster, and I regret that I cannot join you in person.
I want to thank Bankers for Net Zero, the APPG on Sustainable Finance and its officers, Anna Gelderd MP, Noah Law MP, Lord Goldsmith and Baroness Evans, and all of our partners in the United Kingdom for convening us at this pivotal moment for climate and nature.
I also want to extend my warmest regards to His Majesty’s Deputy Ambassador to the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Mr. Zeno Vahn den Hook, whom you will hear from shortly.
Bolivia and The Bahamas are facing some of the greatest challenges on land and in the sea: the preservation of our natural world in the face of climate change and economic turbulence.
The Bahamas is proud to stand at the forefront of this initiative. As a small island state, we live every day with the realities of climate change. Rising seas, stronger storms, and the fragility of ecosystems on which our people depend are daily realities. For us, this is not a distant concern; it is the defining challenge of our generation.
But we do not come to speak only of vulnerability. We come to speak of leadership, innovation, and partnership.
The Bahamas is committed to showing how nations on the frontline of climate change can also be at the frontline of solutions, demonstrating that natural capital can be valued properly, financed effectively, and protected for future generations.
One of our greatest assets lies beneath the surface of our waters: vast meadows of seagrass. These ecosystems are not only beautiful; they are among the most powerful carbon sinks in the world, capable of storing up to 35 times more carbon than tropical rainforests.
They shelter our marine life, sustain our fisheries, and act as a natural shield against coastal erosion. In short, they are vital to our economy, our communities, and our future.
Yet until now, ecosystems such as seagrass have been undervalued in global finance.
That is why The Bahamas is so excited to be part of this initiative, anchored by the UK’s convening power and the City of London’s financial expertise, which is bringing forward the innovative finance models we need.
Article 6.2 cooperation, blended finance vehicles, and high-integrity carbon markets can transform the way we safeguard these ecosystems, ensuring they are protected, not just as natural treasures, but as assets of global importance.
By demonstrating these models in The Bahamas, alongside our friends in Bolivia and other partner nations, we can prove to the world that climate and nature finance is not an abstract concept. It is real. It is investable. And it delivers resilience and prosperity for both people and nature.
This is why The Bahamas is deeply committed to working hand in hand with the UK, with Bankers for Net Zero, and with the broad coalition represented here tonight.
Together, we can mobilize billions in private investment, protect our seagrass and our oceans, and build a global movement that places nature at the heart of climate action.
Let us ensure that history reflects that we, in partnership across borders, had the vision and the courage to act, and that we turned finance into a force for safeguarding our planet.
Thank you.