The 10th Greening the Islands International Conference, is being held in Gozo at the Reef Hotel, Marsalforn. The theme for this year’s conference is – Expanding Holistic Island-led Solutions to Drive Global Sustainability and Climate Action.

Joseph Borg, Vice-President of the Gozo Business Chamber and of INSULEUR (the Network of the Insular Chambers of Commerce and Industry of the EU), delivered an intervention during the session covering – Modelling tailored finance solutions for islands’ sustainable development.

In his remarks, Joseph Borg highlighted that for islands to achieve real progress, public and private players must work hand in hand – with businesses and communities involved from the earliest planning stages of projects.

He emphasised that the common good must remain the ultimate goal of the economy, and that ecological projects should focus not only on profit, but also on improving quality of life for local communities.

He referred to successful examples such as the MAESHA Project, which demonstrated how islands can benefit from EU research and innovation programmes, and the I-STARS Project, which has helped numerous small businesses in the tourism sector become more sustainable and resilient.

Joseph Borg also called for eco-tax revenues collected from tourism in Gozo to be ring-fenced and reinvested in green projects on the island, creating a direct link between tourism and sustainability.

Finally, representing INSULEUR, Borg reiterated the call for a dedicated EU Strategy for Islands, separate from coastal areas, ensuring that the specific challenges of island regions receive the attention and support they deserve.

Photo: Gozo Business Chamber

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