A report outlining the dangers Bermuda may face from climate change has been made public.

Walter Roban, the Minister of Home Affairs, said that the Bermuda and Climate Change report outlined risks and solutions from two years of research.

He warned that the effects of climate change were already being felt and were likely to put critical infrastructure in danger.

Mr Roban added: “Change is no longer far off — it is here right now with us in Bermuda today and our environment is changing.”

The report was commissioned in March 2022 and put together by the coastal engineering firm Smith Warner International and the British Government.

It studied Bermuda’s vulnerabilities, as well as how sea level rises and storm patterns would alter the environment.

Mr Roban pointed to extreme weather events the island had experienced over the past few years, including intense flooding in some low-lying areas and more intense storms.

He said that Ernesto in August had been the earliest hurricane to hit the island head-on in almost 30 years, while last year stood as the wettest year on record.

Mr Roban added that as sea levels continued to rise, areas including LF Wade Airport and major roadways would be in danger.

He said that the report reflected “the urgent need for a co-ordinated action” to address the risks in the short, medium and long-term.

The report showed that 2,130 buildings, or about 6 per cent of all buildings on the island, were in some form of danger, with 326 in critical danger.

Vulnerable areas included roadways, the Belco power plant and 96 per cent of coastal reserves.

Mr Roban said: “Bermuda stands at a very critical junction — that is the truth for us today. We must each consider how we — every citizen, every resident — will protect ourselves and our island for generations to come.”

Mr Roban said the report also came with solutions.

Protection from wave damage could include strengthening the shoreline by planting mangrove forests and nourishing coral reefs, and adding breakwaters.

The home affairs minister said the new approach would focus on adaptation, and would balance protection with educational campaigns and lifestyle changes.

He also acknowledged measures already taken, such as the creation of a Climate Change Task Force to draw up an action plan for at-risk areas.

Its priorities would include public education, infrastructural protection, policy changes and nature restoration.

Mr Roban encouraged everyone to read the report on the government website and share views by e-mailing climatechange@gov.bm.

He added: “By acting now, we can build a more resilient Bermuda, safeguarding our natural beauty, heritage and future.”

• To read the full report, visitgov.bm/climatechange