Date: 6 October 2026
Location: Nadi Bay, Fiji
Host: Pre-COP31

SIDS are already proving what works, from Niue's NOW conservation financing model to the Caribbean's pioneering parametric insurance for fisherfolk. In this official Pre COP31 side event session, we brought island leaders together to unpack these models and discuss what the Pacific and SIDS globally need to scale them.

Date: 29 October 2025
Location: Virtual
Host: Rare, Coastal500 GLISPA, Local2030 Islands Network, ICLEI

As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, a powerful message is rising from coastlines and islands: global progress begins with local action. This recent dialogue convened mayors, indigenous leaders, and coastal community representatives to discuss how local action drives global ocean and climate outcomes.

Date: 09 - 15 October 2025
Location: Abu Dhabi

The IUCN World Conservation Congress is the largest gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers in the world. From Palau’s traditional wisdom to new Pacific financing pilots, the conversations at WCC 2025 reinforced a shared conviction: lasting conservation must begin with local leadership, locally grounded finance, and long-term trust.

Date: 24 September 2025
Location: Virtual
Host: GLISPA

Ahead of the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, we convened a call of our members to coordinate island participation, identify opportunities for collaboration, and align messaging on key island-related motions and events.

Date: 29 July 2025
Location: Virtual
Host: GLISPA

In this video, members and supporters of the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) connected to debrief, share insights, and align on our collective next steps following UNOC3 in Nice, France. This recording features updates and reflections from partners and leaders from the two calls combined including Grenada's Climate Ambassador Safiya Sawney; Ariane Steins-Meier, of ORRAA; Emily Goodwin of Rare; and Cameron Diver of Island Conservation. 

At UNOC3 in Nice, we achieved our objectives by deepening partnerships and member engagement, elevating the role of local action and leaders, continuing to build our new SIDS-CTF Community of Practice, strengthening regional initiatives such as Actioning Blue and Pacific 30x30, and advocating for island-led solutions across global platforms.  

Date: 05 February 2025
Location: Virtual
Host: GLISPA

Ahead of COP16 Part 2 in Rome, we gathered experts and island leaders to reflect on key takeaways and strategize on how to move forward. Our speakers included island advocates such as Grenada's Ambassador Spencer Thomas; Joe Appiott, from the CBD Secretariat and GLISPA Board member; Teshia Jn Baptiste from the Caricom Secretariat and Rolenas Tavue Baereleo from Vanuatu's Ministry of Environment. 

At the UN Biodiversity Conference in Colombia, GLISPA has been at the forefront of highlighting island issues, hosting impactful sessions and building connections with partners, members and stakeholders. A major focus at COP16 has been the launch of our Conservation Trust Fund Community of Practice for Small Island Developing States (SIDS-CTF CoP) – a dedicated platform for sustainable funding, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.  

At the 4th UN International Conference for Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), in Antigua and Barbuda, GLISPA organised a high-level reception to commemorate enduring island initiatives we helped to catalyse as well as celebrate the launch of our new strategy.

Date: 15 November 2023
Location: Virtual
Host: GLISPA

In this video, members and supporters of the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) connected to share strategies, and learn how we can work together to make a difference for islands at COP28. Our speakers include island advocates such as Grenada's Ambassador Spencer Thomas; Secretariat of the Pacific Community's Coral Pasisi; WWF's Jone Raqauqau; Ignace Beguin for the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action/Climate Champions/COP 28 Presidency; James Ellsmoor from Island Innovation; Emily Goodwin from Rare; Hailey Campbell from the youth coalition Care About Climate; and Diego Tabilo from Ocean Risk Resilience Action Alliance.

Date: 28 March 2023
Location: Virtual
Host: GLISPA, Blue Nature Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, Rare, SeyCCAT

A critical analysis of the outcomes of the recent COPs on Climate and Biodiversity held late last year in Sharm-El-Shiekh and Montreal respectively. Featuring expert testimonies from influential island delegates who were on the ground for both these events. Next we examined some of the ways islands are rising to these challenges and implementing real solutions. Featuring presentations on Debt Swaps, Eco-based Adaptation, and establishing durable Marine Protected Areas, courtesy of some of the member organisations within our network.

Date: 7 February 2023
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Host: IMPAC5

This session brought together a diverse set of partnerships and networks related to protected ocean spaces at national and global levels. We engage with MPAs to highlight their priorities of work, experiences and lessons that can inform this effort of building a global network in the protected ocean space and exploring what might be some of the challenges and opportunities. This was an official Knowledge Sharing Session of IMPAC5 2023.

Date: 5 February 2023
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Host: IMPAC5

As we struggle to achieve the global target of at least 30% protection levels by 2030 both within EEZs and on the High Seas we know that we need to have a bold vision backed with a series of effective and resourceful partnerships with and between states, organisations, and local people. This session shows that there are countries and organisations that are working in alliances, networks and partnerships at different levels who have developed a body of knowledge on how to pull together diverse stakeholders in a larger network - like a protected ocean space global network - and leverage efforts.

Date: 11 November 2022
Location: Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Host: Oceanic Global

GLISPA Executive Director, Kate Brown, moderates this dynamic discussion on the role of multi-stakeholder action at the local level joined by: Mayor Mary Jean Te (Mayor, Municipality of Libertad, Antique, Philippines), David Obura (Director, CORDIO East Africa), Sefanaia Nawadra (Director General of SPREP), and Daniel Lin (Pasifika Storytelling Lead, Nia Tero).

The Oceanic x Climate Summit was a daylong event hosted by Oceanic Global that took place at COP27. The summit immersed global stakeholders in the importance and potential of the ocean within the climate change narrative and supported multi-stakeholder action for the ocean and all it sustains.

Date: 12 November 2022
Location: Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
Host: Global Island Partnership, GEF Small Grants Programme UNDP, Rare, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), Micronesia Conservation Trust (MCT), Smithsonian Institute, SMILO

In our final Bright Spots episode for 2022, we talk about climate adaptation and hear stories from organizations such as the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, the GEF Small Grants Programme in Mauritius, and the International Student Environmental Coalition.

Date: 25 October 2022
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership, GEF-SGP

In April 2022 GLISPA launched its inaugural Bright Spots Fellowship to further showcase inspired, home-grown island solutions. This initiative brought together 10 community champions, created a platform to share their stories, and provided the opportunity to communicate with influential policy makers to discuss how their interventions can be implemented globally. We are honoured to present to you our 2022 Fellows from Malta, the Solomon Islands, Mauritius, Brazil, and the Palmyra Atoll. Hear their stories, in their own words.

Date: 28 July 2022
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership

The GLISPA Community Call is an open forum designed to allow GLISPA members to inspire and support each other to take action and produce results for island communities.

Highlights on this call include introductions to our new Board Members (7:40), meeting some of our amazing GLISPA Fellows Class of 2022! (38:06) and presentations from our members Island Conservation (1:01) and the Climate Strong Island Network (1:07). 

Date: 21 July 2022
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership, Conservatoire du littoral, GEF-SGP, Island Coast Ocean Solutions, Celebrate Islands

Episode IV puts the spotlight on "Sustainable Practices" as we highlight amazing island initiatives to reduce the harmful negative impacts of various economic sectors, particularly tourism, in islands off Europe, Indonesia and in the Pacific.

Date: 18 May 2022
Location: Virtual
Host: SMILO, Conservatoire du littoral, PIM, Global Island Partnership, GEF-SGP

As part of the 9th edition of "CELEBRATE ISLANDS" 2022, the brainchild of our GLISPA members SMILO, Conservatoire du littoral and PIM; we have partnered with them to celebrate current and future Island Bright Spots around the themes of 1. Preservation of marine ecosystems; 2. Reduction of the impacts of economic activities; and 3. Sustainable management of water resources. 

Islands celebrate each other as some of our 2022 GLISPA Fellows were on hand to announce the CELEBRATE ISLANDS video contest grant awardees.

Date: 1 July 2022
Location: UN Ocean Conference, Altice Arena, Lisbon, Portugal
Host: GLISPA, Blue Nature Alliance, UNDP GEF-SGP, Micronesia Conservation Trust, Big Ocean

Part II of our virtual event held in March that focused on the policymaker perspective, this high-level dialogue held live during the UN Ocean Conference turned to the "Leader perspective", convening current Island Ministers of the Environment to discuss carrying on large scale conservation projects from one government to another. The event facilitated a dialogue around the Governance and transitions of Large-Scale Conservation Projects and highlighted achievements, challenges, and bright spots. This is particularly relevant with some of the island champion countries for marine conservation having undergone recent changes of government leadership. 

Date: 30 March 2022
Location: Virtual
Host: The Nature Conservancy, Global Island Partnership

This webinar provides insight into how Blue Bonds can be used for ocean conservation, with speakers who were at the heart of the effort to secure the world’s biggest debt conversation for marine conservation in Belize.

Date: 9 March 2022
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership, UNDP GEF - Small Grants Programme, Blue Nature Alliance, Micronesia Conservation Trust 

Our first GLISPA Bright Spot event for 2022 is a special episode that departs from our usual format. Here, we took a deep dive in examining the challenge of sustaining long-term marine conservation projects through successive election cycles, the implications of governance switch and the perspective of new political leaders on carrying-on these legacies. Our exciting discussion panel cast of politicians and experienced conservation practitioners seek to answer these important questions, through the airing of diverse perspectives in a safe space, as only our Bright Spot episodes can deliver.

Date: 23 February 2021
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership

The GLISPA Community Call is an open forum designed to allow GLISPA members to inspire and support each other to take action and produce results for island communities.

Highlights on this call include remarks from new GLISPA Chair Ambassador Gerald Zackios of the Republic of Marshall Islands (8:26) and a Member spotlight on the Siargao Islands and their road to recovery from a Category 5 typhoon (51:43)

Date: 8 November 2021
Location: Glasgow COP
Host: US State Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

An official United States side event at COP26 titled Partnerships for Island Resilience: Sharing Solutions in the Great Ocean States, with special guest President Barack Obama. Featuring a panel of island leaders and representatives from Fiji, Grenada and the Marshall Islands, all members of the Local2030 Islands Network, the event saw the launch of two topic-specific Communities of Practice to facilitate engagement between islands through an iterative, peer-to-peer process. The United States also announced $9 million in financial support for the Local2030 Islands Network as part of the President's Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE)

Date: 6 November 2021
Location: Glasgow/ Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership, UNDP GEF - Small Grants Programme, AOSIS, UNDESA, Rare, The Nature Conservancy

A hybrid side-event held during COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland at the AOSIS pavillion. A special SIDS focused episode, participants celebrated innovative nature-based solutions to climate change and food-security challenges in Jamaica, Cabo Verde, Mauritius, and Palau.

Date: 21 October 2021
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership, UNDP GEF - Small Grants Programme, Convention on Biological Diversity, UNDESA, Rare, Climate Strong Island Network

A special virtual event held in the margins of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15). Participants were treated to amazing presentations on real time grassroots biodiversity conservation efforts currently being sustained in Seychelles, Philippines, Puerto Rico and Palau.

Date: 12/13 August 2021
Location: Virtual
Host: Global Island Partnership

The GLISPA Community Call is an open forum designed to allow GLISPA members to inspire and support each other to take action and produce results for island communities.

Date: 12 July 2021
Location: Virtual
Host: Government of Ireland on behalf of the Local2030 Islands Network

A special side event convened by the Local2030 Islands Network during the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Leaders, high-level officials, and stakeholders from numerous island economies, including Ireland, the United States, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Grenada and Guam shared perspectives on their approaches to a green, resilient and equitable COVID-19 recovery to address climate change and achieve the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). GLISPA serves as the co-secretariat to the Local2030 Network alongside our member, Hawai'i Green Growth.