Islands on the front line of climate change must see themselves as trailblazers, the Deputy Premier told a forum in Brussels, where he highlighted the importance of sustainably managing oceans.

Walter Roban is attending a five-day conference focused on identifying new funding methods for resilience-building projects in the European Union and British overseas countries and territories.

The Climate Finance Forum in the Belgian capital was organised by the Green Overseas programme, funded by the EU under the 11th European Development Fund.

While overseas territories are vulnerable to climate change impacts, their links to governing authorities in Europe and Britain mean they are unable to tap into international climate finance programmes tailored for adaptation and mitigation projects.

Therefore, they must rely on funding from the EU and Britain to develop resilience-building plans.

The CFF aims to enable access to other funding opportunities and mechanisms by bringing together more than 30 stakeholders to progress next steps in developing sustainable solutions.

Mr Roban, who is also the Minister of Home Affairs, said in his keynote address: “In Bermuda, we have embraced the reality that ocean protection is critical to securing livelihoods, including food security and ensuring a sustainable blue economy for the future of our country and future generations, whether through fishing, tourism or renewable energy.

“Our ocean, for us, holds great economic potential and the work that we are doing is to ensure the safety, security and prosperity of our ocean, and the environment around it.

“It is crucial that all countries, particularly OCTs, understand the importance of sustainably managing the oceans around us and all of our ocean resources, to embrace and tap into unharnessed economic and environmental potential.”

He added: “Islands like ours that are on the front line of climate change must see ourselves as trailblazers, must see ourselves as pioneers, despite the vulnerabilities that we have.

“This is a necessity, and it will help ensure a path towards financial and economic independence and sustainability.”

During the forum, high-level representatives from the EU, Britain and their OCTs have engaged in debates, workshops and discussions alongside experts from civil society.

Ahab Downer, the GO programme director, emphasised that it is critical for OCTs to gain access to sufficient funding to underwrite required resilience-building initiatives.

He said: “The GO CFF offers a unique opportunity for representatives from across the OCTs to liaise, exchange and brainstorm with each other, as well as with a wealth of climate finance experts and providers of finance.

“The structured dialogue afforded by the CFF will allow participants to formulate together practical and actionable plans to close the funding gap, and more effectively address the intensifying challenges of climate change for their increasingly vulnerable countries and territories.”

Tasha Ebanks-Garcia, the Cayman Islands government representative to Britain, said the 25 European and British OCTs represented in the forum were united in being on the front line of climate change, and arguably had the most at stake.

Dr Ebanks-Garcia said: “We are all aware of the scale of the task ahead, but with global leadership and very active involvement from all countries and territories, not least the 25 represented here, we believe we have the ingenuity and the resources to tackle the climate crisis.

“Indeed all of us here at this forum bring a crucial perspective and have a vital role to play.”

On the international stage, climate finance has been a divisive issue at successive UN climate negotiations and is set to be at the top of the agenda again at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.