Publié le 06/11/2025, mis à jour le 10/11/2025

UNFCCC at the COP: giving island territories a voice

As COP30 gets underway in Belém, the Green Overseas (GO) Program is mobilizing alongside representatives of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) to give voice to a reality that is often barely visible in negotiating arenas: that of island territories confronted daily with the effects of climate change, but also bearers of expertise, solutions and innovations.

This COP is not just a diplomatic stage. It is a moment of clarification:
How can island territories access the financing they need to adapt?
How can local experiences be transformed into levers for international action?
How can we ensure that the voices of those who are experiencing climate change in the present, rather than in anticipation, are heard?
"It's high time the allocation of climate support was aligned with the real needs of these remarkable territories."
- Ahab Downer, Green Overseas Program Director
Challenges specific to island territories
The OCTs today find themselves on the front line of climate change: coastal erosion, rising sea levels, intensified storms, fragile ecosystems. Yet their political status - autonomous, but not sovereign - places them outside the major international mechanisms for climate financing. They face a paradox: a high vulnerability, but a limited access to the resources needed to adapt.
At COP30, the GO Program is carrying a clear message: insular territories must not only be seen as vulnerable, but as key players in climate solutions, already developing innovative local approaches to energy, coastal management and resilience.
Role and contributions of the GO Program in Belém
In Belém, the Green Overseas Program will act primarily as a facilitator. Its role will be to connect island territories with their technical, regional and institutional partners, in order to strengthen existing cooperations and foster the emergence of new ones. The Program will also contribute to the sharing of concrete feedback from islands, highlighting local solutions in energy, resilience or coastal adaptation.

GO will also accompany discussions linked to access to climate finance and the structuring of long-term resilience strategies, supporting delegations in the formulation of clear and sustainable priorities.

The aim is not just to "represent" the OCTs at the COP:
it's about making their voice heard where international climate guidelines are decided.
Sessions and side events
Building climate resilience in sub-national island jurisdictions requires international support and strong local financial ecosystems.
This session will highlight innovative financial solutions (green bonds, revolving funds, public-private partnerships) often under-recognized in global frameworks, and explore methods for sustainably financing adaptation and mitigation strategies.
This session will bring together young representatives from the European and British OCTs as well as the Caribbean region, to present youth-led climate initiatives.
The discussion will focus on the vulnerabilities common to island territories, the resource constraints and the representation gaps, with the aim of defining concrete pathways to strengthen the influence of OCT youth within international climate policies, including in CARICOM decision-making spaces and at global level.
By bringing together urban planners, indigenous leaders and local stakeholders, this session will address the climate threats facing coastal communities.
The aim is to highlight proven island solutions for resilient water, housing and infrastructure systems.
We will analyze how the integration of traditional knowledge and participatory approaches can strengthen local capacities and generate globally applicable sustainable models for climate mobility planning.
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are on the front line of the climate crisis, facing rising adaptation costs, slow access to finance and increased pressure from sea-level rise and extreme weather events.
This session will explore innovative financial mechanisms and partnerships to strengthen island resilience, protect livelihoods and reduce climate-related displacement.
A message relayed in local media
The messages carried by Programme GO to COP30 are already replayed in the local media of several territories.
- Bermuda Broadcasting Newsdesk (Bermuda) - Support offered to islands to help bridge climate finance gap
- Saint Martin News Network (Saint-Martin) - Green Overseas Calls for Greater Recognition of EU & UK Overseas Territories' Climate Vulnerabilities at COP30
- Cayman iNews (Cayman Islands) - Green Overseas Calls for Greater Recognition of EU & UK Overseas Territories' Climate Vulnerabilities at COP30
Other publications are in preparation, to ensure a continuous and transparent circulation.
To follow our news throughout the COP
📌 LinkedIn : Green Overseas Programme