When you look out of your window in Bermuda, the view may seem calm and beautiful. However, that beauty is in danger — from climate change, overdevelopment, plastic pollution and weakened environmental protections.

It is easy to think that environmental issues are happening “somewhere else”. But the reality is Bermuda is vulnerable — and so is our way of life.

At the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce, we work to protect the island’s land, sea and air for today and for future generations. Borne out of the “Save Southlands” initiative in 2007, we serve as an environmental watchdog, advocate and collaborator — responding to immediate threats while also pushing for long-term solutions.

This is not about nature alone; it’s about health, safety and sustainability for all of us.

Our planning and environmental systems are stretched thin. There are growing threats to green space, protected zones and farmland. Critical government departments are understaffed, making it harder to enforce environmental laws and policies.

Meanwhile, the effects of climate change — such as hotter temperatures, stronger storms and rising sea levels — are becoming more visible and more dangerous.

We must act before these challenges increase, becoming more expensive to address.

That’s why BEST is committed to raising public awareness. Through educational initiatives, media outreach and policy advocacy, we are reminding Bermuda that conservation is not a luxury — it’s a necessity.

Our work for the year ahead includes:

• Advocating for national policies on climate change, water management and food security

• Pushing for long-overdue legislation on single-use plastics and pesticide safety

• Ongoing reviews of planning applications to protect agricultural and other conservation zones

• Collaborating with youth and educators through school programmes such as Environmental Whys

• Collaborating with Bermuda College for the eighth year of lunch-and-learn presentations, which educate the public about local environmental issues

• Keeping the focus on the opportunity to protect the Sargasso Sea as part of the United Nations High Seas Treaty

We have also joined with other non-governmental organisations to form the Planning Applications Review Team, which meets weekly to assess proposed developments and speak up when important land or marine zones are at risk. We continue to raise our voice in support of strong environmental protections.

An indisputable fact is that all living things exist in the environment and cannot be separated from it. Inspired by the Parable of the River, we are asking: what if we could go upstream — before the damage is done? Instead of just reacting to crises, we need policies, leadership and public support that prevent harm in the first place.

We need to ask deeper questions, share knowledge more widely and advocate more boldly for policies that prioritise long-term environmental health over short-term gain.

Whether you are planting a tree, reviewing a development application, supporting climate legislation or helping us to reach the next generation, your voice matters. Protecting our environment is not just a job for experts; it’s a responsibility we all share.

Join us. Support our work. Ask more questions. And help shape a more sustainable Bermuda for everyone.

• Kim Smith is the executive director of the Bermuda Environmental Sustainability Taskforce. Learn more or donate at best.org.bm