Premier Reuben Meade has been named as one of the high-level speakers to present at an upcoming conference dedicated to sustainability in island nations.
The three-day 2025 Global Sustainable Islands Summit (GSIS) is taking place in St Kitts and Nevis from 27 to 29 May and will feature high-level panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities.
It is one of the only island-related sustainability conferences which showcases the innovative solutions island communities and stakeholders are developing.
This year’s event is being hosted by the St Kitts and Nevis government in partnership with global, social enterprise Island Innovation.
Joyelle Clarke, sustainable development, environment and climate action minister, said the country is honoured to host the summit and keen to showcase its Sustainable Island State Agenda.
“Island communities hold the knowledge needed to tackle the climate and sustainability challenges we collectively face,” she added.
“Being able to share our experiences and ideas across communities is critical to the long-term prosperity of islanders around the world.”
Leading speakers
Last September, prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis Terrance Drew invited world leaders to attend the conference during a speech at the United Nations General Assembly.
This was echoed by Clarke when she addressed the plenary at the UN Climate Conference (COP29) several weeks later.
A list of confirmed speakers to date was released on 20 March and, as well as Premier Reuben Meade, includes the following:
- Alida Francis, governor of Sint Eustatius
- David Burt, premier of Bermuda
- Rebecca Fabrizi, UK’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS) envoy
- James Fletcher, CARICOM’s climate envoy
- Edison Rijna, special envoy BES islands for EU and UN, and economic development with Latin America and Caribbean
- Chris Lee, state senator in Hawaii
- Isaac Solomon, vice president – operations, Caribbean Development Bank
- Pepukaye Bardouille, director od the Bridgetown Initiative and special advisor on climate resilience in the Prime Minister’s Office, Barbados
Stakeholder collaboration
The main conference will be held at the Marriott Bonvoy in Frigate Bay, centred around the host country’s Sustainable Island State Agenda.
Several special forums are bookending the hub, including the Island Youth Forum, Geothermal Energy Forum, and the Forum on Access to Climate Finance for Sub-National Island Jurisdictions.
Island Innovation CEO James Ellsmoor said the 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 and 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.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: Montserrat Focus is an event partner for the 2025 Global Sustainable Islands Summit.
