Greening the Islands Foundation

📰 The latest issue of the GTI Magazine features an editorial by Therese Turner-Jones, who shares expert reflections on COP29's climate finance deals between unfinished business and future prospects for island resilience. This edition also features: 🔵 Outcomes and highlights from our participation at COP29 in Baku➡️ https://lnkd.in/eF6pCAsq 🔵 Updates from GTI Observatory members Instituto Tecnológico de Canarias, Elafonisos Eco, Federalberghi and Airborne Wind Europe  🔵 Islands' deepening debt crisis, innovative citizenship programs, and more in our summary of recent island news from around the world 🔵 New videos from the GTI Sofa ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eNgvEsbx ▶️ Dive into our Magazine to learn more: https://lnkd.in/dmFkeq7M 🌿 #GTIMagazine #100percentRESislands

🌍 Proud to see the Global Alliance for Sustainable Energy leading the charge at #COP29 on ethical renewable energy financing! As the Secretariat of the Alliance, Greening the Islands Foundation fully supports the commitment to aligning human rights, inclusion, and biodiversity with sustainable energy investments. 💚⚡ Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) #SustainableEnergy #EthicsInEnergy

📢 Our final side event at #COP29, titled "Rethinking Tourism in the Mediterranean: Advancing Sustainability Through Regional Cooperation," concluded earlier this week at the Mediterranean Pavilion in the Blue Zone. 🧿   The event successfully explored the barriers, best practices, and tools for promoting sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean and fostered regional cooperation to harmonise its development across the region. Discussions drew on lessons learned within the #Dialogue4Tourism project, part of the Interreg Euro-Med program.   The session advanced the role of small islands as drivers of a new tourism paradigm that benefits local communities, visitors, and the environment. Tourism represents the main source of income for islands in the region but also generates significant challenges due to seasonal stress on energy, water, food, waste and ecosystems.   Alongside nature and community-based solutions, innovative business models, and proper policies, renewable energy can be a powerful asset in empowering nexus and circularity among different sectors, helping islands establish new virtuous tourism models while reducing footprint and supporting local economies.   🏆 We thank our esteemed speakers and partners: Grammenos Mastrojeni Pierluigi Sassi Giulia Giordano Ioannis Mardikis Alexia Spyridonidou EPLO European Public Law Organization Interreg Euro-MED Programme Sustainable Tourism ASCAME ▶️ More Information: https://lnkd.in/eF6pCAsq

📢 Our final side event at #COP29 will take place today at 17:30 (AZT) at the Mediterranean Pavilion, Blue Zone. 🧿 Titled “Rethinking Tourism in the Mediterranean in a Sustainable Way through Regional Cooperation,” this event aims to achieve two key objectives: (1) To explore the main challenges, best practices, and tools for advancing sustainable tourism, featuring insights from diverse Mediterranean countries, and (2) to foster regional cooperation, with the ultimate goal of harmonising sustainable tourism development across the Mediterranean. 👉 During the event the Dialogue4Tourism project, as part of the Interreg Euro-Med program, promoting institutional dialogue on sustainable tourism and governance in the Euro-Med, will be presented. 🏆 We look forward to engaging with participants on this critical topic.

📢 We are honoured to serve as the Secretariat for the Global Alliance for Sustainable Energy, leveraging our expertise and resources to advance sustainability across the renewables value chain. 🏝️   ▶️ Join us tomorrow for the session "How Responsible Governance Can Catalyse Renewable Energy Financing" at the Global Renewables Hub pavilion during #COP29. This event, organised by the Global Alliance for Sustainable Energy in collaboration with the Global Renewables Alliance (GRA), will explore the critical role of ethical governance in driving investments in renewable energy.

We were honoured to participate in the "Efficient Water Management and Offshore Renewables – A Green Opportunity for Island Blue Economies" event, organised by SIDS Lighthouses Initiative and the Government of Malta at the Global Renewables Hub. Together with ministers from Malta and Fiji, as well as a panel of distinguished experts, we explored innovative best practices for ensuring water cycle sustainability on small islands. This included discussions on small-scale renewable energy solutions for desalination and water treatment. We also emphasised the key challenges faced by small island communities and highlighted the significant opportunities that the renewable energy-water nexus offers for driving their socio-economic development. #COP29

Our second side event at #COP29 was successfully held at the Greek Pavilion. “100% RES Islands in the Mediterranean: championing climate diplomacy towards 1 TW RES by 2030” was Co-organised by The Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (YPEKA), EPLO European Public Law Organization and Greening the Islands Foundation. The event focused on the role of islands in driving higher ambition in the Mediterranean towards 1TW RES capacity by 2030, a vision championed by #TeraMED. During the event, the Greek island of Chios was announced as the first Mediterranean island to join the 100% RES Islands Initiative, which is demonstrating through case studies worldwide the technical and economic feasibility of fully renewable energy systems on islands, revealing untapped market potential. Mediterranean islands, positioned as cultural and energy exchange hubs, as well as laboratories for technological and digital innovation, new financial models, community engagement, social acceptance, biodiversity, and nexus, were proposed as pivotal players in fostering climate diplomacy and advancing a just energy transition for the region. 📢 We thank our esteemed speakers and guests: Dimitris Kollias George Kremlis Francesco Corvaro Jauad El Kharraz Grammenos Mastrojeni Gianni Chianetta 🏆 We thank our partners: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) Blue Planet Alliance Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) SMILO - Small Islands Organisation Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) Green Destinations HSIN INSULEUR OCTA - Overseas Countries and Territories Association OTIE - Observatory on Tourism for Islands Economy Δίκτυο ΔΑΦΝΗ / DAFNI Network 💎 We thank our sponsors: Gewiss, BlueNova, BSW – Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V., REair ▶️ More Information: https://lnkd.in/eF6pCAsq #COP29 #greeceatcop

Our second side event at #COP29 will take place on Saturday 16th November (10-10.45 am AZT) at the Greek Pavilion, COP 29 in the Blue Zone. “100% RES Islands in the Mediterranean: championing climate diplomacy towards 1 TW RES by 2030” is Co-organised by The @Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (YPEKA), EPLO European Public Law Organization and Greening the Islands Foundation. The event will explore how Mediterranean islands can serve as leaders and innovators in driving a just and accelerated energy transition. Harnessing their unique geographic and economic characteristics, they can contribute to achieving a 1TW renewables target by 2030 #TeraMED, while enhancing energy security and climate resilience 📢 We thank our esteemed speakers and guests: Dimitris Kollias George Kremlis Francesco Corvaro Jauad El Kharraz Grammenos Mastrojeni Gianni Chianetta 🏆 We thank our partners: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) Blue Planet Alliance Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) SMILO - Small Islands Organisation Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) Green Destinations HSIN INSULEUR OCTA - Overseas Countries and Territories Association OTIE - Observatory on Tourism for Islands Economy ▶️ More Information: https://lnkd.in/eF6pCAsq #COP29 #greeceatcop

📢 We were pleased to have participated in the side event titled “Strengthening Public-Private Partnerships for a Green and Resilient Transition in Small Island Developing States” organised by UN-OHRLLS and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) at the Global Renewables Hub #COP29 in the Blue Zone.   The session provided an invaluable platform to highlight the role of strategic partnerships in supporting Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in addressing the challenges of their energy transitions and advancing climate action.   In particular, fostering public-private partnerships is crucial for enabling island communities to secure early-stage investments and accelerate the transition to 100% renewable energy, thereby strengthening resilience and sustainability. We reaffirm our commitment to continued collaboration with the SIDS Lighthouses Initiative.   ▶️ More information: https://lnkd.in/eqaSzNJV

Our side event, "Taking Off for 100% Renewables: The Importance of Early Finance for Islands’ Leadership" which took place at the SDG pavilion and was co-hosted by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) and Greening the Islands Foundation, successfully brought together a diverse range of stakeholders to develop a structured framework aimed at accelerating energy transitions on small islands, with the ambitious target of achieving 100% renewable energy. Moving beyond pledges, it underscored the necessity of concrete climate finance support and bolstered public-private partnerships. The discussions highlighted that reaching 100% renewable energy is not only technically and economically feasible but also provides unique opportunities for decarbonising other sectors. This transition enhances energy security, resilience, and climate adaptation, which are critical for the future of island communities. A dynamic panel discussion featured high-level representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), global leaders in the renewable energy industry, development banks, and other influential institutions. They shared diverse experiences, innovative strategies, and valuable perspectives on advancing sustainable energy solutions, highlighting the need for cross-sector collaboration and inclusive policies to support island nations in their Green transitional efforts. 📢 We thank our esteemed speakers and guests: Sai Navoti Hon. Fekitamoeloa Utoikamanu Gurbuz Gonul Vanessa Toré L. O'Reilly Lewis Jaimes Kolantharaj Sonia Dunlop Gianni Chianetta Guido Broggi 🏆 We thank our partners: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Global Renewables Alliance (GRA) Blue Planet Alliance Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) SMILO - Small Islands Organisation Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR) Green Destinations HSIN INSULEUR OCTA - Overseas Countries and Territories Association OTIE - Observatory on Tourism for Islands Economy 💎 We thank our sponsors: Gewiss, BlueNova, BSW – Bundesverband Solarwirtschaft e.V., REair ▶️ More Information: https://lnkd.in/eF6pCAsq #COP29 #SDGPavilion