Island Voices @ COP30

For many Sub-National Island Jurisdictions (SNIJs), climate resilience depends on more than access to international funds, it requires building sustainable, locally rooted finance ecosystems. While global frameworks often overlook the unique fiscal and governance contexts of SNIJs, these islands are increasingly pioneering innovative finance solutions: green bonds, blended finance platforms, revolving adaptation funds, and partnerships that bridge public, private, and community investment. This session explores how SNIJs can move from aid dependence to financial autonomy, designing mechanisms that attract long-term capital, retain local value, and sustain adaptation and resilience goals. It aligns with the broader push under COP30 to make climate finance more accessible, transparent, and responsive to real island needs.

As oceans change and climate impacts intensify, island communities are pioneering strategies to protect coastal populations, sustain marine ecosystems, and advance national adaptation plans. This session will explore nature-based and innovative solutions that strengthen resilience, identify knowledge gaps, and showcase how island-led initiatives can inform climate action on both regional and global scales. Participants will hear directly from island stakeholders about the challenges they face and the solutions driving a sustainable blue economy.

This session will highlight the voices of island communities in the world that have something in common: the Spanish language and the pursuit of climate justice. Participants will explore island-led solutions, from renewable energy projects to coastal adaptation strategies, and discuss how regional cooperation, including Hispano-American initiatives, can promote fair and equitable climate action at COP30.

As COP30 draws to a close, island leaders and local governments face a familiar challenge, translating global climate commitments into tangible, financed local action. This reflective session brings together Subnational Island Jurisdictions and climate negotiators to assess the key outcomes of COP30 and identify what is required to ensure accountability, coordination, and measurable progress at the island level.

The discussion will focus on how SNIJs can operationalize COP30 agreements, integrate them into policy frameworks, and leverage new funding or partnerships. It also aims to outline next steps toward COP31, ensuring that momentum continues and island priorities remain at the forefront of global climate implementation.