The Bahamas is stepping up collective action against climate change, as the Baha Mar Resort Foundation officially launched Climate Week 2026, a landmark seven-day event that gathers stakeholders from across government, scientific research, conservation, civil society, and the arts to confront the growing climate risks threatening the island nation.
Centered around the evocative theme *At the Edge of the Water*, the event runs from September 18 to 24, with a full lineup of activities spanning educational outreach, environmental restoration projects, and creative cultural programming all tied to advancing local climate action and protecting The Bahamas’ unique natural resources.
The official opening plenary, held Monday at ECCHO on the Baha Mar resort campus, welcomed senior government environmental officials including Obie Roberts, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, and Dr. Rhianna Neely, Director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection. Co-hosted in partnership with the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund, the opening session delivered a frank assessment of the most pressing climate challenges facing the archipelago, alongside a detailed overview of ongoing conservation efforts being implemented across the country’s islands.
In his opening remarks, Robert Sands, Senior Vice President of Baha Mar, emphasized the collective responsibility required to address the climate crisis: “Climate change presents very real challenges for The Bahamas. Addressing them will require government, the private sector, conservation organizations, non-profits, the creative community and Bahamians across our islands to play a part.”
Programming for Climate Week actually got an early start last Friday, with the opening of the signature *At the Edge of the Water* art exhibition. The show features work from 24 local and regional artists, each exploring the deep, complex relationship between The Bahamas’ island communities and the surrounding waters that shape their culture, livelihoods, and daily life.
On Saturday, the foundation continued hands-on action by partnering with the Public Parks and Public Beaches Authority and a local environmental non-profit to host a large-scale beach revegetation project at Nassau’s popular Saunders Beach, designed to restore natural coastal buffers that reduce erosion and storm surge risk.
The remainder of the week’s schedule includes a range of targeted engagement activities: school outreach visits to teach K-12 students about climate science and local conservation, an interactive World Cafe dialogue session hosted in collaboration with the Organization for Responsible Governance, and a closing celebration titled *Poetry of the Natural World* — a poetry night and reception to be held at ECCHO on Thursday that will wrap up the week’s programming.
Conservation is a core institutional priority for the Baha Mar Resort Foundation, forming one of its three foundational pillars alongside community development and cultural preservation. Beyond Climate Week, the foundation maintains a robust portfolio of ongoing environmental initiatives across The Bahamas, including large-scale mangrove and coral reef restoration projects, the national Queen Conch Education Program, and Baha Mar’s industry-leading Climate Friendly Travel initiative that works to decarbonize the country’s key tourism sector.