Explore historical and projected climate data, climate data by sector, impacts, key vulnerabilities and what adaptation measures are being taken. Explore the overview for a general context of how climate change is affecting Bahamas, The.
This page presents high-level information for Bahamas, The's climate zones and its seasonal cycle for mean temperature and precipitation for the latest climatology, 1991-2020. Climate zone classifications in the map below use observed, historical data (sourced from the Climate Research Unit [CRU]) and are derived by applying the Köppen-Geiger climate classification methodology. This classification divides climate into five primary climate groups, which are divided based on seasonal precipitation and temperature patterns. The five primary groups are A (tropical), B (dry), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar). All climates, except for those in the E group are assigned a seasonal precipitation sub-group (second letter). It is important to understand the different climate contexts that exist within a country as well as the surrounding region when analyzing current climates and projected change. Climate classifications are identified by hovering your mouse over the legend. A narrative overview of Bahamas, The's country context and climate is provided following the visualizations.
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The Bahamas is in the North Atlantic Ocean and comprises an archipelago of more than 700 islands, though no more than 30 are inhabited. The islands of the Bahamas have low relief and generally flat terrain, and contain significant wetlands and mangrove forests, with the majority of the population on or near the coast. In fact, 80% of the land lies less than 1-1.5m above sea level and, as such, is vulnerable to inundation caused by sea level rise and storm surges due to hurricanes. The Bahamas is home to five percent of the world’s coral as well as the world’s third longest barrier reef. The major economic contributor is the services industry, largely based in tourism, which accounts for 90% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The reliance of the country’s economy on tourism, an industry supported and reliant on the natural environment, marine resources and coastal infrastructure, makes the country highly vulnerable to climate change and associated natural hazards.
The Bahamas ratified the Paris Agreement on August 22, 2016 and its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2016. The NDC commits the Bahamas to reducing GHG emissions by 30% compared to its Business-as-Usual scenario by 2030, conditional upon international support.
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