The Next Generation Of Island Leaders

James Ellsmoor is the Director of Island Innovation, a communications agency focused on the need of island communities. He has a passion for sustainable development and renewable energy, particularly applications for rural and isolated communities. Last year he ran the inaugural Virtual Island Summit, which brought together 4,000 participants from Scotland to Samoa to share stories about their communities. James has always used technology to advance his mission, allowing him to live and work anywhere and manage a team spread over 4 continents. Island Innovation focuses on bringing together NGOs, the private sector, universities and government with projects covering topics including lithium extraction, climate change and public policy.

Chet Monday is a 20 year old organizer from Dallas, TX. Chet currently serves as the Director of Youth Engagement for March For Science. He has a background in performing arts and circus, but began his journey in advocacy by organizing walk outs at his high school.

Heeta is a firm believer in the power of the young people in grassroots as well as international processes and policies. She has attended multiple United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) climate change negotiations since COP21, Paris in 2015. She is currently the Executive Director (India) for the 11th World Wilderness Congress (WILD11) which was scheduled to be convened in Jaipur, India in March 2020 and aimed to straddle the overarching issues related to biodiversity conservation, economics and climate change. She is a Global Mentor with the POP (Protect Our Planet) Movement, Inc. a youth movement aimed to address the issues of climate change faced by our planet using knowledge-based solutions. In 2017, Heeta started her own program in Mumbai, India called Green Warriors. She educates school students on climate change and aims to bridge the knowledge gap on climate science as well as international processes among the children in Mumbai, who are at the forefront of facing the impacts of climate change in the coming years.

Marie-Claire Graf is a Swiss youth advocate and change maker for just sustainable development and ambitious climate action through her diverse engagement in several initiatives around all dimensions of sustainability on a local, national and international level. It’s her aspiration to inspire and empower youth to take meaningful, impactful and positive actions to create a momentum for change. She was initiating and is leading several associations in the fields of climate action, sustainable development, youth and women empowerment and education. Since COP23 she is a member of YOUNGO and the Bottom-Lining Team and joined COP25 as member of the Swiss Delegation as expert on ACE and negotiator for PCCP, technology transfer and gender issues. Recently she was awarded as United Nations Youth Climate Champion for Switzerland.

Selina Neirok Leem is an activist from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and took on the role of a climate change advocate for her country. She credits her grandfather for her deep awareness of the increasing fate of her island home through his stories about how the ice in the North Pole and South Pole were melting and would soon flood the Marshall Islands. Representing her home, Selina was the youngest delegate at the COP21 in Paris. During the closing remarks, then Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony deBrum gave her the opportunity to give the final statement on behalf of her country. She told the world that Paris agreement, “should be the turning point in our story; a turning point for all of us.”

Tarran Simms is a young sustainable tourism professional with over 9 years of experience in the eco-tourism and hospitality sector. Mr. Simms has a BSc in Small Island Sustainability with a focus in Development and Eco-tourism from the College of The Bahamas, and a MSc in International Hospitality and Tourism focus in tourism development from ESCP Europe Madrid campus. Mr. Simms career in sustainable tourism career started in The Bahamas at Small Hope Bay Lodge as the environmental coordinator of the property. During his tenure as environmental officer, he oversaw the re-establishment of the properties creative recycling program, and the implementation of hot water solar for the properties cabins, and hot tub, and solar cooling for the properties walking in freezers.

Solomon Yeo, from the Solomon Islands, graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) in 2019 from the University of South Pacific, majoring in politics and law. Solomon is dedicating his life to addressing climate change and inequality. Solomon wants to amplify the voice of Pacific youth in all platforms and help them achieve justice, and is the Campaign Director of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC). PISFCC began in March 2019 when 27 USP Law students from 8 Pacific Island countries decided to join together to begin a campaign to persuade the leaders of the Pacific Island Forum to take the issue of climate change and human rights to the International Court of Justice.

Jamilla is a Caribbean Youth Environment Network's Regional Chairperson, Project Coordinator of CYEN Barbados and 2016 Queen Young Leaders Awards awardee. Jamilla was given a Queen’s Young Leaders Award in 2017 for her work to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the environment through the Caribbean Youth Environment Network, which has included community clean ups and teaching environmental science to young people.

Komal is 25 years old from the Fiji Islands, passionate about curbing the issues of climate change in the Pacific and is currently a Global Youth Ambassador for Education by the A World at School Global Youth Ambassador Network. Komal’s home is at the forefront of climate change, and that proximity drives Komal’s work.

Angelique Pouponneau is CEO of Seychelles’ Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust, barrister and attorney at law. She is a legal expert in climate change, oceans and global commons. She is a speaker on youth, Blue Economy, Islanders' rights in the face of rising sea levels, climate change, and legal barriers to gender equality.

Onika Stellingburg is a Climate Change Fellow with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) which is an ad hoc lobby and negotiating voice for Small Island States (SIDS) within the United Nations System. She is the first Guyanese selected and is stationed at Guyana’s Permanent Mission to the UN as an advisor with a focus on issues on the 2030 Sustainable Agenda and Climate Change while being trained as a Climate Negotiator. She has worked on the development of a 15 year developmental strategy to transition Guyana into a Green State.

Elissa Lalande is a Senior Policy Analyst for Climate Change. She has enjoyed working one year in the post with the Department of Energy and Climate Change. One of her roles and duties is to propose and draft new policies and legislation on energy and Climate Change based on relevant principles, programs, practices, and processes. Elissa’s biggest job right now relates to her leadership and assistance in drafting the first National Climate Change Policy for Seychelles. In her job, Elissa reviews and updates existing policies and legislations in relation to Energy and Climate Change. In Elissa’s work, she travels around the world to represent her country and deliver presentations about Seychelles’ vulnerability to Climate Change at various workshops, symposiums and conferences, both nationally and internationally, including at COP.

La Tisha has a great passion for the oceans, life on land and educating others. She has been an active citizen scientist with Zooniverse for over 3 years, a secondary school Biology teacher at Polytechnic institute for the past year, member of the Caribbean Youth Environment Network in Trinidad and Tobago (CYENTT) and attended the United Nations High Level Panel Forum on Sustainable Development in 2017, 2018 and 2019. Currently she is Trinidad and Tobago’s Country Ambassador for Youth Opportunities and a UN Volunteer with UNICEF Youth Advocate Program managing the U-Report Trinidad and Tobago platform.

A Samoan climate activist, Auimatagi Joseph Moeono-Kolio is Greenpeace's Head of the Pacific, working to get world leaders to take the plight of Pacific Islands seriously. He is also a climate negotiator for Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS).

Shafira Charlette is an environmental activist and has a passion for animal welfare. Shafira enjoys volunteerism as a member of Eko Youth Wildlife Club, Island School Seychelles, SYAH Seychelles, Ambassador - Tunza Eco-Generation and Seychelles Pet Haven Society. She tries her best to encourage young people to engage in environmental activities and learn to appreciate it. Shafira is also an entrepreneur; she owns her own Graphics Design and Photography start-up business, Simple Creativity.

Licenciado en Geografía de la Universidad de Chile
Miembro Observatorio de la Costa Chile;
Miembro de ONG Ciudadanos y Clima – Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego;
Miembro de la Fundación para la Integración del Patrimonio Natural y Cultural – FIPaNCu;
Miembro del Área de Investigación y Educación del Humedal de Mantagua;
Miembro de la Red Nacional de Humedales;
Miembro de la RED KIMLU – organización de jóvenes lideres en STEM;
Joven Líder de la región de Valparaíso – Fundación Piensa 2020

Gerard Prinsen teaches Development Studies at Massey University New Zealand and is Research Associate at the University of Prince Edward Island (Canada). After a professional career in development practice, he turned ‘pracademic’ and most of his research revolves around local health and education services as spaces where small, rural, or remote communities negotiate their relationships with big metropolitan powers.

Session: Towards Sustainable Island Futures: Comparing Small Island States and Subnational Island Jurisdictions - A Report.