BELMOPAN, Belize, Oct 19, CMC – The Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) Monday announced that Dominican Christianna Paul and Tristan Ward of Barbados had been selected as fellows of the Caribbean Climate Leaders Fellowship, a fully funded professional development opportunity supported by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
It said that Paul and Ward will join the CCCCC delegation at the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, from Novvember 9-20, 2026.
The CCCCC said that their selection follows a regional call for applications and was open to nationals of all CARICOM member states between the ages of 18 and 30.
The CCCCC said it received a high calibre of applications, reflecting the depth of interest and talent among young Caribbean professionals working on climate change and sustainable development.
It said 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.
“We were very encouraged by the quality of the applications we received from across the region. It confirms that the Caribbean has a strong pool of emerging professionals ready to engage with the issues that will shape our future,” said CCCCC Director of Business Strategy and Regional Coordination, Dr. Mark Bynoe.
“We look forward to supporting Christianna and Tristan as they gain first-hand experience of the COP process and bring that knowledge back to their communities and the wider region,” he added.
The CCCCC said that the Fellowship aims to deepen participants’ understanding of climate change and its implications for the Caribbean, strengthen their leadership, communication, and advocacy capabilities, and connect them with climate practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders from across the region and internationally.
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