Climate change is knocking at your door – Adderley

President of the Bahamas Senate, Julie Lashell Adderley, has charged graduates of Northern Caribbean University (NCU) to become advocates of climate-change adaptation and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN).

“The human-induced climate crisis requires more activists and advocates. Graduates, climate change is real and knocking at your door. Are you home?” the Bahamian legislator implored graduands at the first of two commencement ceremonies held at the Mandeville-based university on August 11. Five hundred and eighty-two people graduated in person and absentia during NCU’s 101st commencement, held under the theme “Empowered for Excellence: Poised for Greatness”.

Adderley noted that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, crippling heat, floods, severe fires, intense droughts, and severe hurricanes like Beryl, recently and Dorian in 2019, the latter having a catastrophic impact on the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Senator Adderley, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which owns Northern Caribbean University, also challenged spiritual leaders to lend their voices to protect the planet and honour God’s creation with messages about climate crisis and earth preservation. She underscored that activism and advocacy are vitally important to ensuring that industrialised countries fulfil their commitment and provide $100 billion a year to developing countries so that they can adapt and move towards renewable energy and a greener economy.

Turning to the UN 2030 sustainable development goals, Senator Adderley urged graduates to carve their own unique response to the goals targeting poverty reduction, access to education, hunger, gender equality, and gender-based violence. Adderley also implored the graduands to lend their positive voices, time, and talent towards “eradicating societal imbalances relating to social and economic injustices” in their community and the wider world.

“Keep going for you are ‘more than conquerors’ [and] you ‘can do all things through Christ who strengthens you’,” advised Senator Alderley, who was conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws in recognition of her distinguished career as a legislator, attorney-at-law, and economist.

Throughout her distinguished professional journey, Senator Adderley has held critical positions in esteemed institutions such as the Central Bank of The Bahamas, UBS Trustees (Bahamas) Ltd, and various legal firms. Senator Adderley’s leadership acumen is evident in her appointments to various boards, including Bahamas Judicial and Legal Services Commission and Northern Caribbean University International Development Foundation, a release notes.

On the international stage, Senator Adderley has represented the Bahamas at numerous conferences and seminars, including the Inter-parliamentary Union and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Seminar. She has facilitated and led delegations to significant global events, further solidifying her reputation as a seasoned diplomat and stateswoman.