Leaders Fellowship

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Caribbean Climate Leaders Fellowship

Your Opportunity to Experience COP31 from Inside the Blue Zone

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), with funding from the Caribbean Development Bank, invites applications for the Caribbean Climate Leaders Fellowship — a fully funded professional development opportunity placing two emerging Caribbean professionals within the CCCCC delegation at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.

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Event

UNFCC COP31

Venue

Antalya, Türkiye

Dates

9–20 Nov 2026

Cohort

Two (2) fellows

Funding

Fully funded — travel, accomodation, per diem

Ages

Young professionals, 18–30

Deadlilne

21 August 2026

More Than a Conference.

A Regional Capacity-Building Experience.

COP31 will bring governments, climate experts, development partners, advocates and stakeholders from around the world together to advance global climate action.

For the Caribbean, these discussions are especially important. Decisions surrounding adaptation, climate finance, loss and damage and the Global Goal on Adaptation have direct implications for the future of Small Island Developing States.

Through the Caribbean Climate Leaders Fellowship, the CCCCC is investing in the next generation of professionals who will help carry the Caribbean’s climate agenda forward.

The Leaders Fellowship is designed to give two young professionals meaningful exposure to the UNFCCC process, CCCCC’s regional coordinating role and CARICOM’s climate priorities, while allowing them to make an active contribution to the region’s COP31 programme.

Fellowship Benefits

What the Fellowship Includes

Fellows will participate in the full leaders fellowship cycle, beginning with preparation before COP31, continuing through the two-week conference and concluding with post-COP knowledge transfer across the Caribbean.

Return Travel

Economy airfare from your home country to Antalya, Türkiye.

Accommodation

Hotel accommodation throughout the conference period.

Daily Per Diem

Daily allowance covering meals and incidental expenses.

Blue Zone Access

Official observer accreditation through the CCCCC delegation.

Mentorship

Guidance from experienced members of the CCCCC delegation before, during and after COP31.

Professional Development

Pre-COP preparation, role definition and post-conference knowledge-sharing activities.

First-hand exposure

Experience the UNFCCC process from inside the Blue Zone and gain practical insight into international climate negotiations.

Mentorship & guidance

Work alongside experienced members of the CCCCC delegation and, where possible, Caribbean climate negotiators and technical specialists.

Regional & international network

Build connections with Caribbean delegations, development partners, donors, practitioners, youth leaders and climate professionals from around the world.

Regional Network

Build lasting relationships with governments, development partners, youth leaders and international climate professionals.

Strengthen your professional profile

Contribute to meaningful COP31 outputs, build a credible portfolio of work and strengthen your visibility within the Caribbean climate and development space.

Create lasting impact

Use the knowledge, relationships and experience gained through the fellowship to support your institution, increase climate literacy and encourage greater youth participation in climate action across the region.

The Fellows’ Role at COP31

Active contributors, not observers.

Each fellow will receive a clearly defined role and set of deliverables during the pre-COP preparation phase.

Fellows will be active members of the CCCCC’s COP31 team, with responsibilities matched to their professional experience and interests.

Your role may include:

01

Supporting the planning and delivery of CARICOM Pavilion sessions and CCCCC side events;

02

Assisting with logistics, coordination and stakeholder engagement;

03

Producing social media content, talking points, short-form multimedia and live coverage of Caribbean activities;

04

Developing accessible climate-literacy content for Caribbean audiences;

05

Observing plenaries and open negotiation sessions, where permitted;

06

Preparing concise briefing notes on key discussions and outcomes;

07

Supporting note-taking and other negotiation-related activities, where required and permitted; and

08

Engaging with CARICOM delegations, partners, donors and visitors to the CARICOM Pavilion.

Eligibility

Who should
apply?

Applications are open to Caribbean nationals between the ages of 18 and 30 who are early-career, mid-career or emerging professionals with a strong interest in climate change and sustainable development.

Who can apply

Applicants must be nationals of a CARICOM Member State and be affiliated with or work with a Caribbean-based organisation. Applicants should also be currently enrolled in tertiary education, employed, or actively involved in one or more of the following areas:

  • Youth organisation
  • Non-governmental organisation
  • Community-based organisation
  • Private-sector organisation
  • Public-sector institution; or
  • Other organisation working in climate, development or public engagement.

Relevant areas of experience may include:

  • Climate change and sustainable development
  • Climate negotiations
  • Climate finance and resource mobilisation;
  • Project management and coordination;
  • Adaptation, mitigation, data and analysis
  • Monitoring, evaluation and learning
  • Communications, media and public engagement
  • Policy, research and technical or scientific work
  • Stakeholder engagement and partnerships
  • Youth advocacy;
  • Knowledge management
  • Education and outreach

Applicants must not currently be serving as an official Party negotiator.

A note on Blue Zone access

Selected fellows will receive Blue Zone observer accreditation through the CCCCC’s quota.

Fellows will also be encouraged to explore accreditation through their respective national delegations. Accreditation through a national government may provide additional opportunities to observe negotiation processes and contribute to country delegations, where appropriate. The CCCCC may provide a supporting letter to the relevant government upon request. However, national delegation accreditation decisions rest solely with governments and cannot be guaranteed.

Fellows who do not receive national delegation accreditation will still have Blue Zone observer access, allowing them to attend plenaries, observer-accessible sessions, side events and activities at the CARICOM Pavilion.

Register your Interest

How to Apply

01

A current curriculum vitae

Your CV should clearly outline your education, professional experience, volunteer involvement, climate-related work and relevant skills.

02

A written application of 1,200–1,500 words

Your written application must address the following three areas:

Professional development

Explain how the fellowship will contribute to your professional development. Identify the skills, knowledge, experience and career trajectory it will support, and explain why this is the right moment for you to participate.

Institutional impact

Explain how your participation will benefit your institution or organisation. Include a realistic plan for sharing the knowledge, insights and professional networks gained through the fellowship with your colleagues or community.

Caribbean climate literacy

Describe how your COP31 participation will translate climate discussions into accessible information that strengthens climate literacy and public engagement across the Caribbean. A short supporting statement from your institution or organisation is encouraged.

Selection Process

How Applications Will Be Assessed

Applications will be evaluated primarily on the strength, clarity and credibility of the three required statements.

Particular consideration will be given to:

 

  • The applicant’s commitment to the Caribbean’s climate agenda
  • The potential professional value of the fellowship
  • The quality of the proposed institutional knowledge-transfer plan
  • The strength of the applicant’s climate-literacy contribution
  • The applicant’s ability to communicate climate information effectively; and
  • The potential for the fellowship to create impact beyond COP31

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to participate in an interview with a CCCCC selection panel.

Two fellows will be selected.

Indicative Timeline

Important Dates

Applications open

10 August 2026

Application deadline

21 August 2026

Applications for the Leaders Fellowship Program are now closed.
Thank you for your interest in the program.