The 2025 Global Sustainable Islands Summit (GSIS) is set to be the most ambitious iteration of the event, reflecting the drive of the St Kitts and Nevis government who are co-hosting the conference alongside Island Innovation. A major event held in a different regional island hub each year, the GSIS is one of the only island-related sustainability conferences which showcases the innovative solutions island communities and stakeholders are developing.
St Kitts & Nevis Prime Minister the Honorable Dr. Terrance Drew announced during the March 6 cabinet meeting that preparations were well underway for the 2025 GSIS and the Twin Islands were prepared to showcase Caribbean excellence throughout the summit. The Hon. Dr. Drew had invited world leaders to attend the conference during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2024, an invitation echoed by Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment the Honorable Dr. Joyelle Clarke when she addressed the plenary at the UN Climate Conference (COP29) several weeks later. As the first speaker announcement goes out, it is clear that their calls were heard, with the following high-level speakers confirmed:
- Hon. Reuben Meade, Premier of Montserrat;
- H.E. Lady Alida Francis, Governor of Sint Eustatius;
- Hon. Edward David Burt, Premier of Bermuda;
- Hon. Rebecca Fabrizi, UK Envoy, UK’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS);
- Dr. James Fletcher, CARICOM Climate Envoy;
- Edison Rijna, Special Envoy BES islands for EU and UN and Economic Development with Latin America and Caribbean;
- Hon. Chris Lee, State Senator, Hawaii;
- Isaac Solomon, Vice President (Operations), Caribbean Development Bank;
- Dr. Pepukaye Bardouille, Director, Bridgetown Initiative & Special Advisor on Climate Resilience, Prime Minister’s Office, Government of Barbados.
Key 2025 GSIS Partners include the Government of Curaçao, the Cabinet Special Envoy for Bonaire, Eustatius, and Saba, Sustainable Travel International, and Global Island Partnership. More information about the Summit, speakers, and supporting partners can be found here: https://islandinnovation.co/events/global-sustainable-islands-summit/
The main conference will be held at the Marriott Bonvoy in Frigate Bay, with three days (May 27-29, St. Kitts) of high-level panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities centered around the host country’s Sustainable Island State Agenda (SISA) and how it can be a replicable blueprint for other island communities. Several special forums are bookending the hub, including the Island Youth Forum (May 25-26, St Kitts), Geothermal Energy Forum (May 26, Nevis), and the 1st Forum on Access to Climate Finance for Sub-National Island Jurisdictions (May 30, Nevis).
Each forum aims to highlight and empower their respective movements, more information about each can be found at: https://islandinnovation.co/events/global-sustainable-islands-summit/
Speaking on the importance of the GSIS, the Hon. Senator Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment said, “Island communities hold the knowledge needed to tackle the climate and sustainability challenges we collectively face. Being able to share our experiences and ideas across communities is critical to the long-term prosperity of islanders around the world. As such, St Kitts & Nevis is honoured to be hosting the Global Sustainable Islands Summit and we are keen to showcase how our Sustainable Island State Agenda can have a global impact.”
Commenting on preparations for the 2025 GSIS, Island Innovation CEO James Ellsmoor said, “This conference will highlight just how much islands excel in developing local solutions for complex sustainability challenges. The issues islanders face – whether that is in St Kitts & Nevis, elsewhere in the region, or even farther afield – can be solved using the innate innovation and resilience of local communities. We need to nurture and promote these solutions, and that starts with collaboration across jurisdictions and involving stakeholders at every level.”
