The 10th Greening the Islands International Conference, held in Gozo between the 29th and 30th October 2025, brought together international experts, policymakers, and island representatives to discuss the theme “Expanding Holistic Island-led Solutions to Drive Global Sustainability and Climate Action.”

The conference followed a series of important sustainability events held earlier in the week in Gozo – the final review meeting of the Horizon 2020 project MAESHA and the Greening the Islands Observatory Summit, both organised on the 27th and 28th October. These gatherings brought together project partners, European island representatives, and local stakeholders to share the outcomes of the MAESHA project and to explore new pathways for cooperation in sustainable energy, innovation, and island resilience.

Throughout this week, the Gozo Business Chamber (GBC) played a prominent role, with active participation from President Michael Galea, Chief Executive Officer Daniel Borg, Vice-President Joseph Borg, and Council Member Dr Josianne Cutajar.

Opening Session – Setting the Vision for Gozo’s Sustainable Future

The opening session featured introductory remarks by Daniel Borg, CEO of the Gozo Business Chamber, alongside Gianni Chianetta, Chair of the Greening the Islands Foundation, and Prof. Boris Heinz from Technische Universität Berlin. Opening addresses were delivered by Hon. Ian Borg, Hon. Clint Camilleri, Hon. Miriam Dalli, and Michael Galea, President of the Gozo Business Chamber.

In their interventions, Daniel Borg and Michael Galea underlined Gozo’s growing role as a living laboratory for sustainability and innovation.  Michael Galea highlighted the Chamber’s long-standing partnership with the Greening the Islands Foundation, initiated in 2019, which granted Gozo the status of Green Island Member within the GTI Observatory. He emphasised that collaboration between government, business, academia, and civil society is essential to driving meaningful transformation.

Daniel Borg reflected on the moral and practical urgency of climate action, drawing on Malta’s national progress in climate governance and Pope Francis’ environmental appeals. He stressed that while Malta has made great strides, regional integration remains crucial so that islands like Gozo can act as leaders in the green and digital transitions.

Session 5 – Financing Sustainability for Islands

During Session 5, titled “Modelling tailored finance solutions for islands’ sustainable development,” 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), discussed how islands can attract and scale investment flows that support their sustainable transition.

He emphasised that public and private sectors must collaborate from the earliest planning stages and that projects must serve the common good, improving quality of life while promoting sustainability.

Mr Borg referred to the MAESHA Project – a Horizon 2020 initiative promoting renewable energy innovation – and the I-STARS Project, which supports tourism SMEs in their sustainability journey.

He also reiterated the Chamber’s call for eco-tax revenues collected from Gozo to be ring-fenced and reinvested in ecological projects on the island, amplifying their impact through private-sector participation.

Representing INSULEUR, Mr Borg renewed the call for a dedicated EU Strategy for Islands, separate from coastal regions, to ensure that island realities are fully recognised in European policymaking.

Session 6 – Charting a Forward-looking Path for Island Sustainability

In Session 6, Dr Josianne Cutajar, Council Member of the Gozo Business Chamber, participated in a panel that brought together the key takeaways and policy directions emerging from the conference discussions.

Dr Cutajar stressed that the insularity factor must be mainstreamed in EU funding frameworks, alongside GDP, to guarantee a just transition for islands that face unique economic, climatic, and social challenges.

She expressed concern that the European Commission’s latest Work Programme, which proposes a Strategy for Islands and Coastal Regions, could dilute the island-specific focus by grouping islands with coastal areas. She therefore called for dedicated impact assessments to precede EU legislation, ensuring island realities are adequately addressed.

Dr Cutajar also advocated for a systems thinking approach, fostering stronger coordination and collaboration across all stakeholders to effectively address the complex challenges and opportunities facing islands. She concluded by congratulating the winners of the GTI Awards 2025, including the MAESHA Project, proudly supported by the Gozo Business Chamber, as an example of international best practice in sustainability and renewable energy.

You can download the following interventions from here: