Hutchison Ports scholarship student and Grand Bahama native Kariel Stuart is representing The Bahamas at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (also known as Conference of the Parties or COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.
Stuart is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Florida in Environmental Management in Agriculture and Natural Resources with two (2) minors in Soil & Water Sciences, and Geography.
In the midst of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Dorian (2019) in Abaco and Grand Bahama, Stuart developed an interest in the environmental consequences of such an event. She attributes this inspiration as well as her passion for her home country, the ocean and forestry to her ultimate decision to study environmental and earth sciences, with a view to contribute to environmental sustainability efforts.
“The fear that it could all disappear became apparent the very moment I realized that another storm like Dorian is highly likely if we don’t change the path we’re on right now,” Stuart said. “I want the Bahamas to be around for a long time and the only way to ensure that is to meet the IPCC’s goals for climate change. We need to halve global emissions by the end of the decade, and reach global carbon net zero emissions by 2050.”
As a youth ambassador for combating climate change, Stuart says that the conference provides a platform for small nations to have a voice in the dialogue.
“It was really nice being able to connect with people from different walks of life, because open perspective is important in this conversation,” Stuart said.
“We won’t understand how to solve these problems unless we understand how climate change affects everyone. “Solutions for some may be detrimental to other countries eand it’s impossible to cater to everyone’s needs unless we as individuals know exactly what’s going on. Poor and vulnerable nations contribute the least to carbon emissions, but we face the most intense consequences and do not have the resources to be able to implement structures that can withstand these storms, or build our community up when the disasters have already happened. By telling our stories and contributing to the conversation, we give ourselves a chance to advocate for financial compensation that we’ve deserved for a long time. Most of these consequences are a result of colonial and neocolonial traces that we still face today, and reparations are absolutely due. By having dialogue with larger nations, we are able to advocate for the lives of the living, the lives of the lost, and the lives of future generations to come,” said Stuart.
Stuart believes that more emphasis must be placed on environmental studies in global education systems, particularly in our region.
“Surface level knowledge about climate change simply won’t cut it anymore. We are the victims, but at the end of the day we need to adapt and find ways to commit to personal changes,” Stuart said. “Everything we need is already here, it’s just a matter of managing what we have and not taking it for granted, as well as advocating for funds from external sources and allocating them into renewable energy sources, as well as programs to encourage people into living more sustainable lifestyles.”
In the short term, Stuart hopes to educate the masses on global environmental issues. She also hopes to work as an Environmental Crisis Manager to assess environmental damages, formulate plans to repair the environmental mistakes, and create strategies to reduce the world’s carbon footprint. She also has a passion for advocacy and dreams of one
day working with the United Nations to liaise with global powers on effects of environmental damage to developing nations.