Reflections on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Climate Forum

In October 2025, I had the privilege of representing the Isle of Man at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Climate Forum, where representatives from sixteen nations came together to share experiences and ideas on responding to the global climate and nature emergency.

What struck me most throughout the discussions was the strong sense of shared purpose and community spirit. While we each come from very different contexts — from island nations facing rising sea levels to large countries grappling with flood, drought and deforestation — the themes of community engagement, adaptation, and resilience ran through every session.

The forum’s panel discussions and Q&A sessions were dynamic and informative, touching on issues such as energy and food security, flood defence, and community resilience and recovery. These conversations reminded me that climate action is not just about government policy or technology — it’s about people: how communities prepare, respond, and recover.

A number of sessions looked at how parliaments can play their part — through scrutiny and oversight of climate legislation, and by supporting strategies that enable a sustainable and fair economic transition. As Chair of Tynwald’s Environment and Infrastructure Policy Review Committee, I found these exchanges incredibly valuable. The sessions on supporting sectors and businesses, and on leveraging finance, policy and innovation, provided a wealth of ideas and practical examples that I will be taking back to share with my colleagues and committees in Tynwald.

What left the deepest impression were the personal testimonies from delegates whose countries are already living with the devastating effects of climate change. For many in the global south, this is not a debate about the future — it’s a daily reality affecting homes, livelihoods, and national security. Hearing those stories really brought home to me, personally and emotionally, the urgency and humanity of the challenge we face.

Here on the Isle of Man, it can be easy to feel somewhat removed from those impacts. But climate change is not a faraway problem — it is a global one, and the choices we make now will determine how resilient and sustainable all of our communities will be in the years ahead.

My sincere thanks go to Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK (CPA UK) for organising such a thought-provoking and inspiring event, and to my friend and colleague Minister Clare Barber MHK, who represented the Isle of Man alongside me. Together, we will report back to the Isle of Man Branch of the CPA and ensure that the insights gained feed into our ongoing work in Tynwald.

The forum reaffirmed for me that while the climate and nature emergency is one of the greatest challenges of our time, it is also an opportunity — to build stronger communities, greener economies, and a more resilient future for all.