#Résilience

Publié le 30/07/2025, mis à jour le 30/07/2025

From the islands to the rest of the world: the voice of a youth committed to the Ocean - episode 4/6 (Clémence Cormier)

  •           In June 2025, the city of Nice hosted the 3rd edition of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3). With its strong commitment to the environmental and ecological resilience of European and British Overseas Countries and Territories, the Green Overseas Programme was involved in a long-term and far-reaching effort to make its participation in this international event an unforgettable episode.
              From the outset, the Programme team set about putting together a delegation of ten young people from the OCTs benefiting from the Program: these 10 young people, representing a total of 8 OCTs (New Caledonia, Bermuda, French Polynesia, Ascension Island, Montserrat, Sint Maarten, Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, and Aruba) carried the voice and colors of the Green Overseas Programme through a series of workshops, exchanges and conversations, whose reflections are recounted through the testimonies of each of them.

  •           As a young delegate from Saint Pierre and Miquelon and a proud member of the Overseas Countries and Territories Youth Network of the European Commission, I had the honour of participating in the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) this week in Nice. This experience, made possible through the support of the Green Overseas Programme and Island Innovation, gave me the chance to represent my islands and join a powerful, global conversation on ocean protection and climate action.
              One of the true highlights of the conference was the opportunity to connect with other islanders from across the world, from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. UNOC3 served as a rare and invaluable moment to unite voices from diverse island territories around a shared mission: to protect our ocean, our common good.
     

  •           These exchanges – cultural, technical, and political – are where real impact happens. We listened, learned, and inspired one another to think beyond borders, to imagine new solutions, and to act together, as a global island community. It is also an opportunity to reflect on a European identity that goes beyond the usual discourse, by reflecting the place and role of the European Union in our respective overseas territories. In this sense, the Green Overseas Programme is a concrete example of the levers used by the EU to act for the energy transition of our territories.
              Being part of those large-scale events with my fellow OCT representatives is proof that the place of youth and islanders in the decision-making process of public policies is about to change. In fact, young people should no longer be seen as a separate category within public policy, but as an integral part of decision-making and implementation. In this sense, UNOC3 was ultimately a mean of experiencing real cultural immersion over these few days, an opportunity to discover and learn more about the culture of the OCTs by meeting their representatives, but also players from all over the world.It was really inspiring to discover all those youth organizations and meet their representatives that aim to protect our biodiversity, our ocean, our future. In that perspective, it was a true honour to attend the launch of the Coalition of Emerging Ocean Leaders (CEOL) a global alliance of youth and early-career professionals (ECOPs) working at the forefront of ocean innovation, science, policy, and civil society. 
     

  • It is a privilege to witness and contribute to such an important institutional shift : one that truly recognises the unique voices, needs, and potential of islands. I’m excited to follow the first actions of this new coalition and to keep working with peers across oceans to help bring these ideas to life.

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