Connor Childs| Community Service

Growing up in the Cayman Islands I developed a very early love for the ocean and before I

knew it, I was spending every spare second immersing myself in it. However, the more

time I spent in the ocean; the more plastic I saw wash up on our shores, along with more

corals being bleached. I knew from a young age that this was not right and that there

was something I could do about it.

I have been selected for youth delegate roles to represent Cayman at a variety of regional

and global climate conferences. This includes the Conference of Parties (COP) 25 in

Madrid, Spain; the Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) in Barbados; COP28 in Dubai,

United Arab Emirates, and most recently, the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice,

France. These conferences make it possible for me to take part in workshops, seminars

and discussions with youth from other countries. I use my participation to further climate

education for Caymanian youth, and to involve them in advocacy efforts.

I am currently an intern with the marine unit at the Cayman Islands Department of

Environment (DoE) with plans to start my master's programme in Geography and the

Environment at the University of Hawaii in August 2025. After higher education, I will

return home to the Cayman Islands and seek to continue my work with the DoE, along

with continuing to educate Caymanian youth about how we can make a positive

difference in matters relating to the climate and our oceans.

My devotion to environmental protection stems from my connection to the ocean

through surfing and diving. As a Proud of Them Honouree, I wish to give back through

education and inspiring youth to create their own connections to nature, so that they

understand the collective importance of protecting our environment.