Climate Resilience of the Water Sector in The Bahamas

The Bahamas is highly vulnerable to climate change, with 100 per cent of the population exposed to extremely strong winds. The country has low adaptive capacity with water supply infrastructure at risk from storm surges, hurricanes and overland storm run-off flooding and is affected by sea level rise. With 83 per cent of the country’s land area below five meters above sea level, The Bahamas relies heavily on desalination plants, accounting for 81 per cent of the water produced.

This programme will strengthen climate resilience in The Bahamas’ water sector by enhancing governance and capacity building, and by deploying climate-resilient infrastructure across remote Family Islands to ensure sustainable freshwater management and protection.

Key activities include providing technical assistance to strengthen the national policy, legislation, and regulatory environment, and to improve national water resources data and information for decision-making and planning; and investments in wellfields and water supply infrastructure and operations in the six Family Islands.

By delivering a system‑wide paradigm shift in water sector resilience and financial sustainability, the project aims to shift The Bahamas away from heavy reliance on climate‑vulnerable desalination toward integrated, climate‑resilient water resource management systems.