At CoP30 in Belem, Brazil the Green Overseas Programme united the voice of 25 EU and UK Overseas Territories. These Island Territories are leading the way in some of the most innovative responses to climate change. However due to their political status they do not benefit from climate finance mechanisms in place for developing nations. This critical finance gap threatens to undermine global climate goals and reduce the ability of OCTs to build climate change resilience.

Falling through the Climate Finance Gap

The EU funded Green Overseas Programme, implemented by Expertise France, brought a clear message to COP30 that Overseas Countries and Territories need greater access to climate finance. Due to their autonomous but not sovereign political status, OCTS fall outside of finance frameworks designed to support developing nations. This finance gap leaves some of the most vulnerable territories without the necessary resources to build resilience and implement effective climate change adaption and mitigation strategies.

Ahab Downer, Director of the Green Overseas Programme said: ‘The EU-funded Green Overseas “GO” Programme is proud to be proactive in helping to strengthen technical adaptation and mitigation capacities within and across these partner countries and territories and to facilitate their access to climate finance. The GO Programme is thus present at COP30 to participate in reminding decision makers across the globe that it is high time that they align to allocate requisite and necessary climate change support to these extraordinary and remarkable Overseas Countries and Territories’

The Green Overseas Programme Strategy

Green Overseas aims to accelerate the energy transition of OCTs and strengthen their resilience to escalating climate disruption. It acts as a link between OCTs, international institutions and climate financers and gives them a united voice in global decision making. The Programme focuses on four main strategic areas:

• To support the adoption of renewable energy infrastructure and sustainable grid innovations

• To build the resilience of communities and ecosystems against sea level rise, coastal erosion and storm intensification

• To improve access to essential finance through international climate funds and with high quality project proposals

• To equip local governments and institutions with the tools to implement and plan long term climate strategies

Innovative Solutions to Climate Change

Green Overseas calls for OCTs to be recognised as key leaders in the implementation of climate solutions. Island territories are particularly vulnerable to increased climate disruption. This was demonstrated by the recent devastation of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, the third most intense hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic. As a result they are quickly becoming global leaders in innovative, scalable solutions.

Saint Helena has a roadmap to 80% renewable electricity by 2028 whilst Turks and Caicos is looking to implement floating offshore wind farms, proving themselves to be leading players in clean energy transitions. In risk analysis French Polynesia are leading the way with 30 year shoreline projections to guide the implementation of adaption measures.

Mike Eman, Prime Minister of Aruba, gave examples of some of the strategies under implementation in his country: ‘Aruba is reshaping its institutions around a model of broad prosperity. Our decision to definitively dismantle the oil refinery and repurpose its vast site for a sustainable and inclusive new economy marks a clear turning point – from an industrial past toward a regenerative future.’

The National Resilience Scorecard

In the Cayman Islands the Green Overseas Programme is helping to support the implementation of the National Resilience Scorecard. This unique tool aims to guide public and private investment decisions based on their contribution to climate change resilience.

Ms Lina Tode, GO Programme Caribbean Regional Coordinator, Expertise France commented: ‘The Cayman Islands Resilience Scorecard project will be a strategic tool for evidence-based planning and to provide guidance for public and private investments towards alignment with national climate resilience objectives. Mainstreaming resilience into decision making is at the heart of the GO Programme, and the Cayman Islands Resilience Scorecard project will showcase a comprehensive tool to facilitate the achievement of this objective.’

A Common Goal to Unite Nations

The presence of the Green Overseas Programme at COP30 reminds us that we cannot allow individual countries to fall through the climate finance gap. Green Overseas reminds us of the importance of a globally coordinated effort to mitigate and adapt for climate disruption. OCTs have unique vulnerabilities and their leading efforts in climate change solutions should not be undermined by a lack of climate finance.  

Mike Eman, Prime Minister of Aruba, spoke on climate change strategy as a common goal as he reflected on the recent devastation of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica: ‘It is a sobering reminder of how closely our destinies are intertwined as islands in one shared sea. The crises of our century – inequality, ecological collapse, and distrust – all spring from fragmentation. We have forgotten that humanity and nature form one living system – man and his biosphere. The principle of the Common Good offers a path back: it calls us to align policy with the long arc of the common good and resilience, not short-term gain.’

The Challenge Ahead

The Green Overseas Programme was at COP30 to help ensure the perspective of OCTs was represented in global climate negotiations. These Island Territories are innovative leaders in the implementation of climate solutions, and need urgent access to climate finance to continue to build resilience against the impacts of climate change.