August 11, 2026 | CCCCC Press Release 011
Belmopan, Belize — The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), with funding from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), has opened applications for the Caribbean Climate Leadership Fellowship, a fully funded professional development opportunity designed to strengthen the participation and exposure of emerging Caribbean professionals within the international climate change arena.
Applications are open from August 10 to 21, 2026 to nationals of CARICOM Member States between the ages of 18 and 30 with a demonstrated interest in climate change and sustainable development. The fellowship creates an opportunity for early or mid-career professionals, or emerging leaders affiliated with a Caribbean-based organisation to build capacity at an international level.
Through the Fellowship, two emerging Caribbean professionals will join the CCCCC delegation at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026.
The opportunity reflects a shared commitment to building the next generation of Caribbean climate leaders by creating meaningful opportunities for young professionals to gain first-hand exposure to international climate diplomacy and the processes that shape global climate policy. For a region that remains highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, strengthening the knowledge, experience and leadership capacity of emerging professionals is critical to sustaining and advancing Caribbean climate priorities long-term.
Young professionals will gain greater insight into the UNFCCC negotiation process, the CCCCC’s regional coordinating role, and CARICOM’s climate priorities, while developing a broader understanding of how the Caribbean engages within the global climate agenda.
CCCCC Director of Business Strategy and Regional Coordination, Dr. Mark Bynoe said “The Caribbean’s ability to respond effectively to climate change will depend, in part, on the people we prepare today to lead that response tomorrow. Through this Fellowship, we are creating a meaningful pathway for emerging Caribbean professionals to gain first-hand exposure to international climate processes, understand how regional priorities are advanced on the global stage, and contribute their own perspectives to that work. We want participants to return from COP31 with greater knowledge and stronger networks, as well as the confidence and experience to contribute meaningfully to climate action across the region”.
Through a combination of capacity building, mentorship, knowledge exchange and practical engagement, the Caribbean Climate Leadership Fellowship will help participants deepen their understanding of climate change and its implications for the Caribbean, strengthen their leadership, communication and advocacy capabilities, and build connections with climate practitioners, policymakers and other stakeholders from across the region and internationally.
By providing participants with direct exposure to the COP process, the initiative will help emerging professionals better understand how global climate decisions intersect with the realities, priorities and development needs of Caribbean Small Island Developing States.
For further information, interested persons are invited to visit the CCCCC website at https://caribbeanclimate.org/leaders-fellowship/
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About the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre is an intergovernmental organisation established by the Heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to coordinate the region’s response to managing and adapting to climate change. The CCCCC also serves as a delivery partner for climate finance for the region, a repository for regional climate change information and data provider of climate change-related policy advice and guidelines to the CARICOM Member States.
