Country Comments

The Bahamas located off the southeastern United States consists of over 700 islands and cays. Its crystal clear ocean water and sandy beaches favor a heavy tourism based economy. Agriculture, especially fruits, as well as fishing are large industries. Half the country is covered by forest. Environmental threats facing the country are fresh water scarcity and contamination, overfishing, pollution from agriculture and deficient sewage collection and treatment, and rising sea levels from climate change.

A 2015 National Report outlined “the current national policies, regulatory responses, and enforcement of activities in the coastal areas do not adequately protect the environmental, social, and economic significance of coastal resources to the society.” (1) And in 2021, environmentalists raised serious concerns about significant damage done to coral reefs in the area and documented in video footage by luxury cruise ships anchored offshore. (2)

The citizenry's rate of consumption and population of just under 400,000 in 2017 can more than be sustained by the ample biodiversity for the foreseeable future.

(1) http://www.oas.org/reia/IWCAM/pdf/bahamas/Bahamas%20Report.PDF Bahamas National Report ICF consulting (2) https://ewnews.com/negative-impacts-feared-environmentalists-raise-concern-over-cruise-ship-anchored-near-egg-island