Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E. Davis on Saturday, Oct. 14, had a private audience at the Vatican with His Holiness Pope Francis, during which their discussions included the escalating concerns about climate change, a topic “of immense global importance,” according to an article published by BNN Network, based in Toronto, Canada.
“The meeting between the Bahamian Prime Minister and Pope Francis was not just symbolic, but rather an urgent discourse around the realities and impacts of climate change,” the article noted. “It was marked by the Pope’s recent remarks on this subject in his Apostolic Exhortation titled ‘Laudate Deum,’ in which he called out human-induced carbon emissions as the potential cause of cataclysmic seaquakes.”
Prime Minister Davis is one of the most outspoken Caribbean leaders on the impact of climate change on small-island and developing states throughout the Caribbean, often citing the need to “come to terms with the full extent of our vulnerability.”
In remarks following his meeting with the Pope that accompanied a collection of photos he posted on Facebook, Davis said, “I was humbled to meet the Holy Father, Pope Francis, today at the Vatican. His wisdom and guidance inspire us all.”
“Our conversations on pressing global challenges remind us of our shared responsibilities,” Davis continued. “I’m truly thankful to the Holy Father for his gracious invitation and look forward to strengthening our bilateral ties.”
