Deadline: August 21, 2026
Applications are open for the Caribbean Climate Leaders Fellowship 2026. 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.
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.
Benefits
- They provide economy airfare from your home country to Antalya, Türkiye.
- Hotel accommodation throughout the conference period.
- Daily allowance covering meals and incidental expenses.
- Official observer accreditation through the CCCCC delegation.
- Guidance from experienced members of the CCCCC delegation before, during and after COP31.
- Pre-COP preparation, role definition and post-conference knowledge-sharing activities.
Eligibility
- 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.
- 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.
Evaluation Criteria
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.
Application
- Your CV should clearly outline your education, professional experience, volunteer involvement, climate-related work and relevant skills.
- You must have 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.
For more information, visit Caribbean Climate Leaders Fellowship.
