The 10th edition of the Greening the Islands International Conference, held under the overarching theme “Expanding Holistic Island-led Solutions to Drive Global Sustainability and Climate Action,” will take place from 28 to 31 October 2025 in Gozo, Malta. This landmark event marks a decade of impactful dialogue, collaboration, and innovation in advancing island sustainability.
The 10th edition of the GTI International Conference
Bringing together a diverse array of stakeholders, from island authorities and global institutions to innovators, researchers, and universities – the GTI International Conference, will serve as a global platform to scale up the Sustainable Island Model, a holistic framework which integrates all key sectors of the green economy and supports the advancement of the 100% Renewables Island Initiative.
This integrated framework empowers island-driven pathways to achieve energy security, economic diversification and climate resilience at a time when islands are confronting increasingly complex and unprecedented challenges.
The conference will feature dynamic workshops, scientific sessions and roundtable discussions, all centered around pressing island-specific topics, including:
- Island energy models: renewable energy sources, storage, and smart grids
- Circular economy & sustainable tourism
- Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) nexus and governance
- Mobility, pollution and public health
- Blended climate finance models
- Blue economy, biodiversity and ecosystem protection
- Digitalization, monitoring and climate resilience
The conference sessions are co-designed in close collaboration with its international supporters, including the CPMR Islands Commission, European Desalination Society, Global Island Partnership, Global Renewables Alliance, Global Solar Council, INSULEUR, SMILO, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) and also the Islands & Small States Institute of the University of Malta, ensuring that each discussion reflects a diverse range of global expertise and priorities.
Held at The Reef Hotel & Spa in Gozo, the conference will also include networking activities and site visits, providing participants with practical insights and first-hand experience of local sustainability practices.
With international participation expected from the Pacific and Caribbean to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Atlantic, and North Sea, the event aims to reaffirm the role of islands as living laboratories for sustainable innovation. Case studies from La Digue (Seychelles), Rodrigues (Mauritius), Tonga, St. Kitts & Nevis, Chios (Greece), and Curaçao’s bold transition to 100% renewables will showcase tangible, scalable models that can inform and inspire global sustainability efforts.
This milestone edition is part of a broader, interconnected programme that also includes two additional pillars:
The 3rd edition GTI Observatory Summit
Taking place on 28–29 October, just ahead of the Conference, the GTI Observatory Summit will be held under the theme: “Scaling the Island Model: Advancing Global Energy Security and Resilience from the Climate Frontline.”
Gathering the GTI Observatory’s three committees; the Island Advisory Committee, the Strategy Scientific Committee and the Island Companies Committee, this high-level Summit serves as a strategic forum to shape the Observatory’s priorities for the year ahead, convening key global and regional island leaders including international organizations to consolidate insights and intelligence into a unified framework for global replication of the 100% RES Islands approach.
The outcomes will culminate in a position paper to be presented at COP30, reaffirming small islands as powerful laboratories for innovation and global climate leadership.
The GTI Awards 2025
Back for its 9th edition, the GTI Awards will celebrate outstanding projects and initiatives across the island sustainability spectrum. A reputable jury of international experts will oversee the selection process. The Awards will highlight pioneering work in clean energy, circular economy, climate resilience, community engagement and innovative financing, inspiring other islands to follow suit.
Why Gozo?
The Maltese Island of Gozo has long served as a sustainability frontrunner in the Mediterranean. Its strategic location, enduring collaboration with the GTI Foundation and recent application of the GTI Observatory Sustainability Index make it the ideal host for this pivotal edition of the conference.
EU Projects Powering Sustainability in Malta & Gozo
Malta and Gozo, together with GTI, are actively engaged in key EU-funded projects that contribute to advancing island sustainability. These initiatives will be featured during the GTI conference, with special focus on MAESHA, whose final event will be hosted during the conference to showcase the project’s outcomes and replicability.
Key Projects:
- MAESHA
Demonstrates smart and flexible solutions for the decarbonization of island energy systems through the deployment of RES and innovative flexibility services. Piloted in Mayotte, MAESHA assesses replicability across five additional islands, including Gozo, representing over 1.2 million people.
- ReBoat
Deploys a mobile, modular recycling plant onboard a boat, addressing seasonal plastic and textile waste from tourism on islands. The waste is transformed into new products that benefit both island communities and visitors.
- RETOUCH Nexus
Focuses on resilient water governance by applying the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus approach to tackle water scarcity and strengthen ecological and social sustainability in the EU water economy.
- Dialogue4Tourism
Aims to guide sustainable tourism governance in the Euro-Mediterranean region. It fosters institutional cooperation, capacity building, and policy dialogue to promote greener, smarter, and more resilient tourism practices.
- EcoMedIslands
Intends to deliver circular solutions for sustainable waste management on Mediterranean islands through prevention, reuse, better segregation, and digital tools like SMART-WASTE, promoting scalable, community-driven practices.
Partners and Synergies
The conference is organized in partnership with the MAESHA project, the Gozo Business Chamber, and the Gozo Regional Development Authority, with valuable contributions from other leading international initiative, all aligning with Europe’s broader efforts to accelerate renewable energy deployment and integrated solutions for islands.
