As Hurricane Milton is expected to produce tropical storm conditions in the northern Bahamas, Director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP), Dr Rhianna Neely explained the impacts of climate change on The Bahamas on Tuesday.

Dr. Neely said, “we are creating an environment through the emissions of our green house gases that continue to absorb the heat from the atmosphere.  The ocean is intended to absorb the heat and to absorb these gases so the ocean is just doing what it’s supposed to do.”

Neely further explained that the impacts are not just hydrometeorological.  “We’re gonna experience other kinds of impacts that relate to human illness that we need to be taking into consideration.  We’re starting now to do research at our hospitals now to see about these climate related illnesses and tracking so that we can be prepared for what we expect to be the impacts of climate change.”

The DEPP director also advised that The Bahamas will also feel the impact on the economy.