This week, September 26th to October 2nd, 2022, people from around the world will participate in “Sharing Knowledge for Resilient, Sustainable and Prosperous Islands Worldwide” at the Virtual Island Summit, hosted by Island Innovation.  The opening session on the first day was addressed by the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.

In her remarks, Prime Minister Mottley spoke candidly about the challenges resulting from the ongoing climate crisis, the covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the disruption of the supply chain. “Regrettably, nations like ours are already suffering tremendously from the effects … that has shaken the world systems to its core, food security challenges have emerged, and overall, a global system that does not ensure the prosperity of our people, particularly as it faces the cancer of inflation”, Prime Minister Mottley expressed.

With COP27 in Egypt on the horizon, it is an opportunity to place into focus the continued battle against the ongoing climate crisis. Prime Minister Mottley noted that it will take the attention of each and every one of us to respond to these global challenges with resilience and innovation with the private sector playing a critical role in helping us to find and achieve these solutions.

To this end, Prime Minister Mottley provided insight into the actions being taken by Barbados, “On the renewable energy front, Barbados remains one of the leading countries in the world in terms of solar water heaters per capita. And as a government, we have recently embarked on an innovative sustainable program making provision for every Barbadian homeowner to have the right to own and install photovoltaic systems on their roofs, lowering electricity costs for Barbadians while reducing our reliance on fossil fuel-based electricity. Meanwhile, we have led the region in renewable energy-driven public transport, acquiring 49 electric buses for our transport board and about to acquire more, making it one of the largest fleets of electric buses in the region if not the largest, and saving the government millions of dollars and benefiting the environment in which we live.”

Referencing the 2022 Virtual Island Summit, Prime Minister Mottley said, “I truly believe that this conference can be one of the catalysts for making the change we so often speak about, a reality.”

The Virtual Island Summit 2022 is a zero-carbon conference using modern technology to maximize opportunities for participation and minimize harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The Summit will cover all 17 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in addition to other topics pertinent to island communities. The summit offers a diverse range of viewpoints with speakers and attendees from 100+ island communities including the Arctic, Caribbean, Europe, Indian Ocean, Pacific Islands, South America and beyond. The Summit will emphasize the need for input and partnerships from across the private, public, academic and NGO sectors. To learn more, visit islandinnovation.co/events/virtual-island-summit/.