Case Studies
What was SIDS4?
Policymakers from 57 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and associate member states were present in Antigua & Barbuda between 27-30 May to create the next set of sustainable development frameworks that will dictate the next decade of policy making. The International Conference on Small Island Developing States happens every ten years, this fourth iteration (SIDS4) aimed to assess the ability of SIDS to achieve sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Goals.
During the four-day summit, experts from government, academia, and civil society from SIDS and beyond gathered to advance new ideas, raise new pledges of support, spur delivery on agreed commitments, and seek to deliver specific initiatives and concrete deliverables to address SIDS-specific challenges including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, and debt. The close of the conference saw the publishing of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) declaration, which outlines the decision-making pathways guiding SIDS between 2024-34 under four key thematic goals:
- Build resilient economies;
- Foster safe, healthy and prosperous societies;
- A secure future;
- Environmental protection and planetary sustainability.
SIDS4 Side Events
Island Innovation organized and co-hosted seven side events during SIDS4, each focused on different aspects of development, policy, and sustainability. This was the largest number of side-events to be run by a single organization at SIDS4. The short turnaround between the UN’s announcement of successful side-even applicants and the beginning of the conference, roughly two months, was more than enough for Island Innovation to coordinate with partners to find locations on the ground in Antigua, create an engaging agenda, identify high-level speakers for each event, and launch targeted communications campaigns advertising each session.
Catalysing Climate Finance Flows for Overseas Territories and Sub-National Island Jurisdictions
(Online) Building blue bridges: Charting a course for resiliency with a focus on economic diversification and inter-regional collaboration
Amplifying action in the call for climate justice: An inclusive approach for meaningful change
Financing on the edge: Making climate finance work for the Caribbean’s most vulnerable populations
Unlocking sustainable futures in SIDS: national climate policies and actions on clean energy and climate finance
Facilitating innovation and capacity building in SIDS: Leveraging the power of technology to foster economic, social, and cultural resilience
Over 430 stakeholders registered to attend these sessions, translating to equally strong in-person attendance.
Speakers
Speakers for each session were leveraged from Island Innovation’s extensive network of stakeholders and experts, as well as sourced from our respective partners.

Hon. Gilmar Pisas
Gilmar Simon Pisas (born 28 October 1971) is a Curaçaoan politician and Prime Minister of Curaçao, serving since 14 June 2021. He previously served as prime minister between 24 March 2017 and 29 May 2017, and as a member of the Parliament of Curaçao until June 2021.
Hon. Gilmar Pisas
Prime Minister of Curacao

Joseph Easton Taylor-Farrell
Joseph Farrell is a politician and a current Member of Parliament in Montserrat.
Career
In 2006, Farrell successfully contested the general election and served in the Legislative Counsel for three years, two years as a member of the opposition and one year a back bencher.
As a member of Movement fo Change and Prosperity (MCAP), in the 2009 general elections, he was once again successful and with my party gaining majority seats in the Legislative Assemble, he was given the portfolio of Minister with responsibility for Agriculture, Land, Housing, and the Environment. Ecclesiastical Affairs also formed part of that portfolio.
Farrell successfully contested the 2014 general election for MCAP, and currently sits as an opposition Member of Parliament.
In 2019, Farrell successfully led MCAP to victory in the 18 November 2019 general election. He was sworn in as the third premier of Montserrat on 19 November 2019.
Joseph Easton Taylor-Farrell
Premier, Government of Montserrat

Dr Shelly Ann Cox
Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox is an experienced ocean professional and fisheries management specialist. She holds an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Natural Resource Management from the UWI Cave Hill Campus, and a BSc (Hons) in Environmental and Natural Resource Management with Marine Biology from the UWI St. Augustine Campus. Shelly-Ann has ten years’ experience in applied interdisciplinary climate related research and fisheries management research.
Dr Shelly Ann Cox
Ocean Professional, University of the West Indies

Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke
Senator the Hon Dr Joyelle Trizia Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment is easily described as a Climate Action advocate, defender of youth involvement in decision- making, and a climate and gender justice specialist. Professionally, she became one of the youngest females to become a Director of a government office, the Department of Constituency Empowerment in 2012. Shortly thereafter, Dr Joyelle Clarke worked as an educator, bridging her passion for environment and youth together under the banner of one of the strongest youth-led environmental programmes in St Kitts and Nevis. The Cayon High School Environmental Club members became ambassadors for the students to a project called the St Mary’s UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Project which allowed for even more advocacy and youth-led conservation work. Dr Clarke has been involved in Social Impact Assessments and Sustainable livelihoods research for over 15 years. During this time, she has led projects on livelihoods-transition, conducted research and developed programs in various capacities as a government official and community activist. Her key livelihoods research focused on assessing the transition of former female sugar workers to tourism and agricultural livelihoods, post-sugar production in St Kitts. Dr Clarke has also been intimately involved in retraining exercises with key female groups of former sugar workers to retool and reskill women with the necessary assets for succeeding in new tourism-based livelihoods. The Honourable Minister’s project-related work ranges from livelihood support, community-based development initiatives, sustainable tourism and environmental conservation. She was engaged in developing and executing community-based projects in collaboration with community groups on behalf of the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis. Projects included climate change initiatives such as reforestation programs, and the establishment of school-based agricultural programs. She has worked extremely close with female farm cooperatives, assisting with the transition from traditional farming to environmentally friendly, climate resilient farming methods. So far, she has co-founded a mentorship program called, “Women Empowering Girls”; She serves as a mentor in GirlsCare Jamaica; Co-founder of a consultancy firm that assists companies and communities to shape mutually beneficial relationships, called Relate Consultancy. In addition to being a director and an educator, she sat on the Opposition benches as a Senator and advocated extensively for matters relating to the environment, climate action, youth empowerment and gender justice. Added to that, Hon Dr Clarke served as a Research Supervisor for the University of the West Indies and the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College. All of her hard work, passion and dedication has now transitioned to this period of public service as she holds the title of Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment. A portfolio aligned to her passion, her training and her advocacy.
Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke
Minister of Sustainable Development, St Kitts and Nevis

Arieta Gonelevu Rakai
Ms Arieta Gonelevu Rakai is the Regional Programme Officer, Islands at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). She leads the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative, promoting partnerships and support for just energy transition in island economies. With 20 years of experience in renewable energy, Arieta specializes in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). She holds a BTech in Electrical Engineering from the University of the South Pacific and an MSc in Renewable Energy from Murdoch University.
Arieta Gonelevu Rakai
Regional Programme Officer, Islands at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
Partners


The Department of Environment is the overarching National Government Agency responsible for Environmental Management in Antigua and Barbuda.
The overall mission of the DoE is to provide technical advice and implement projects and programs on behalf of the Government and the people of Antigua and Barbuda. These projects are designed to protect and enhance the country’s environment, as well as seek common solutions to national, regional and global environmental problems.


The Cabinet of the Special Envoy for Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius (BES-islands) strengthens collaboration with the European Union (EU), the United Nations (UN), and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Cabinet of the Special Envoy plays an important role in advancing the interests of the Dutch Caribbean within the EU, working to bring the BES-islands closer to Europe and ensure they benefit from EU cooperation. Currently various funds -known as the horizontal funds- are available for the Dutch Caribbean. However, these funds are underutilized. The Cabinet of the Special Envoy assists the islands in developing funding proposals and ensures that island residents can benefit from these resources.


SPREP is the regional organisation established by the Governments and Administrations of the Pacific charged with protecting and managing the environment and natural resources of the Pacific.
The Headquarters is based in Apia, Samoa with other SPREP offices in Fiji, the Republic of the Marshalls Islands and Vanuatu. SPREP has around 150 staff recruited from around the Pacific region and the world, and has an annual budget of approximately USD35 million in 2022.
The establishment of SPREP in 1993 sends a clear signal to the global community of the deep commitment of Pacific island Governments and Administrations for better management of the environment within the context of sustainable development.
The strategic direction for SPREP is clearly set out in the 2017-2026 SPREP Strategic Plan. The Plan outlines the mandate, vision and programmes for the organisation, and places strong emphasis on effective delivery of services to SPREP Member countries and territories.


The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.


UN Climate Change and six prominent partners are catalysing action on the ground through Regional Collaboration Centres that bring together climate change expertise with in‐depth local knowledge.
Set up to spread the benefits of the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol, the RCCs have broadened their role since the adoption of the Paris Agreement to facilitate the implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions under that agreement.
The RCCs facilitate national climate action through capacity-building, technical assistance and strategic networking—mobilizing know-how and resources to drive clean development.
In this context, the RCCs help the secretariat and its partners to deliver Regional Climate Weeks in Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin-America and the Caribbean and MENA regions. The Climate Weeks are fast emerging as one of the most important platforms for bringing together regional stakeholders and support climate action at the regional level.


As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. We have over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security. The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries. We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The commissioning parties and cooperation partners all place their trust in GIZ, and we work with them to generate ideas for political, social and economic change, to develop these into concrete plans and to implement them. Since we are a public-benefit federal enterprise, German and European values are central to our work. Together with our partners in national governments worldwide and cooperation partners from the worlds of business, research and civil society, we work flexibly to deliver effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions.
The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. In 2022, we generated a business volume of around EUR 4 billion. Our 25,422 employees, almost 70 per cent of whom are national staff, work in around 120 countries. As a recognised development service provider, we currently have 353 development workers in action in partner countries. Furthermore, in 2022, the Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM), which is run jointly by GIZ and the German Federal Employment Agency, placed 143 integrated experts and 257 returning experts with local employers in our partner countries, or provided them with financial support, advice or other services.


The Islands and Small States Institute (ISSI) of the University of Malta (UM) is a world-renowned centre of excellence in islands and small states studies, promoting teaching, research and training on economic, social, cultural, ecological and geographical aspects of islands and small states. We offer postgraduate courses on islands and small states studies, as well as a PhD degree, by means of a student-centred, hybrid teaching programme, including supporting students from Small Island Developing States through scholarships. The ISSI hosts the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre on Health Systems and Policies in Small States, and coordinates the Climate Change Platform. To learn more about the ISSI, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.


O Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I. P., abreviadamente designado por Camões, I. P., é um instituto público integrado na administração indireta do Estado português, dotado de autonomia administrativa, financeira e património próprio, que prossegue atribuições do Ministério dos Negócios Estrangeiros (MNE) sob superintendência e tutela do respetivo ministro.
No domínio da cooperação, compete ao Camões , I.P. propor e executar a política de cooperação portuguesa e coordenar as atividades de cooperação desenvolvidas por outras entidades públicas que participem na execução daquela política.
No domínio da promoção externa da língua e cultura portuguesas, o Camões, I.P. tem por missão propor e executar a política de ensino e divulgação da língua e cultura portuguesas no estrangeiro, assegurar a presença de leitores de português nas universidades estrangeiras e gerir a rede de ensino de português no estrangeiro a nível básico e secundário.


Peace Boat US works to build a culture of peace and sustainability around the world by connecting people across borders and creating opportunities for learning, activism and cooperation. We achieve this through programs in which people from the US and around the world participate in voyages onboard the Peace Boat, our Japan-based partner organization and one of the most unique and creative peace-building initiatives in the world.
Programs combine learning, activism, advocacy, and travel, enabling participants to learn first-hand about global issues such as war, environmental degradation, gender violence, and other issues. Participants experience grassroots peace-building efforts to find non-violent, creative, and constructive solutions, from local communities to global advocacy networks.


Climate Analytics is a global climate science and policy institute engaged around the world in driving and supporting climate action aligned to the 1.5°C warming limit.
We connect science and policy to empower vulnerable countries in international climate negotiations and inform national planning with targeted research, analysis and support.
Our international team of 130 experts and support staff work from our headquarters in Berlin and our regional offices in Africa, Australia and the Pacific, the Caribbean, North America and South Asia.


Blue Planet Alliance is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2020 by visionary entrepreneur and leading climate change advocate Henk Rogers. With support from partner organizations around the globe, the mission of Blue Planet Alliance is to get islands and countries around the world to legislatively mandate a commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2045. It is also working with governments, businesses, and individuals to help grow a global movement aimed at reducing the negative impact on the planet, thus aligning human behavior more in harmony with nature. For more information, visit blueplanetalliance.org/


EcoVybz Environmental Creatives is a creative changency focused on building powerful environmental content through storytelling initiatives and developing innovative tools to mobilise youth as strategic agents of change. Specialised in topics such as climate change, water management and ocean conservation EcoVybz also offers consultancy services in the field of environmental research and youth capacity building workshops.


We are young ocean advocates representing the Caribbean Island Nations, voicing out our concerns regarding the state of our ocean and implementing projects that benefit the health of the ocean. The hub membership is open to interested individuals who fall between the ages of 18-35 and are passionate about protecting our marine resources and leading innovation in the marine space in the Caribbean.


Welcome to Kneyzus Energy and Co., where our journey began as an ambitious thesis project aimed at sparking a vital change in Trinidad and Tobago’s education system. We’re dedicated to shedding light on the immense potential of renewable energy, particularly the innovative concept of waste-to-energy or bioenergy.
As we’ve grown, our mission has expanded beyond the classroom walls. We’ve evolved into passionate advocates for Sustainable Development Goal 7, committed to driving awareness and action towards affordable and clean energy for all. At the heart of our endeavor is the transformational power of bioenergy – harnessing organic materials to generate not only clean energy but also organic byproducts that enrich local farmers’ yields.


The Antigua & Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute (ABHTI), formerly known as the Hotel Training Centre began in 1977 as a unit of the Antigua State College at Golden Grove which came out of a merger of the Leeward Islands Teachers’ Training College, and the Golden Grove Technical College. At that time the Golden Grove Technical College included to form the Advanced Level Department at the Antigua State College. Our Vision states that we seek to be the premier Hospitality and Tourism Training Institute in the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and wider Caribbean.
At ABHTI, we believe that the life of the mind is vitally linked to a life of imagination, level-headedness, and action. Because of this, we have developed a selection of programmes that will enable you to create a solid learning experience that takes you into the future. ABHTI will equip you for an exciting career, opportunities and responsibilities in the Tourism/Hospitality Industry, and for a lifetime of learning and growth. An ABHTI education is your first step to becoming a Hospitality Professional.


The vision of ABIIT is to be the pace setter for tertiary level education in the Eastern Caribbean by providing programs relevant to the global market place. We will do this by providing our students with opportunities for life long learning in a supportive and professional environment.
ABIIT is committed to fostering academic access, scholarship and excellence as it builds a cadre of human resources with the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are current and relevant for the global job market and for continuing studies.