Latest content: Environment and climate change

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, made a powerful plea for ocean action today at the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.

Antigua and Barbuda has announced its intention to join the Commonwealth Blue Charter Action Group on Mangrove Ecosystems and Livelihoods, emphasising that the coastal forests are vital to mitigating and building resilience to the harmful impacts of climate change.

Commonwealth Secretariat secures $10 million in extra funding for Small Island Developing States as Cambridge Collaboration pays dividends.

Multiple stressors on the ocean, including overfishing, marine pollution and climate change, are threatening life under water as well as on land, but global efforts to protect the ocean are underway.

Top officials from the Government of Saint Lucia say they are staying vigilant as the Atlantic Hurricane season officially begins this week, while urging the Commonwealth’s continued support towards building climate resilience in the country.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, planted a tree today in Green Park, in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Commonwealth Secretariat and International Hydropower Association (IHA) are teaming up to advance sustainable hydropower in member countries, in line with the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has today held another instance of the Marlborough House Dialogues, its new forum for discussion and dialogue with political leaders and thinkers from within the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, has called for countries to ramp up action to urgently address key challenges linked to climate change, ocean, land degradation and biodiversity loss.

Climate finance is becoming increasingly available to countries, but it must be integrated with national policy, planning and budgetary systems. One way to address this is through a comprehensive Climate Change Financing Framework.

As we mark World Health Day under the theme ‘Our Planet, Our Health’, we are reminded of the urgency to catalyse ambitious targets to build low-carbon and climate-resilient health systems to enable net zero emissions and ensure the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Government of Saint Lucia is rolling out fresh projects that aim to boost the flow of climate finance into the country, with the support of the Commonwealth and key partners.

Blog by Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC

In July 2021, the European Commission (EC) announced a proposal to implement a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on energy-intensive imports from third countries. The proposed CBAM would initially apply to five sectors: electricity, iron and steel, fertilisers, aluminium and cement. However, its scope could be extended to include indirect emissions and other goods and services.

At the heart of the Paris Agreement are the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are country-specific climate targets to reduce greenhouse emissions and adapt to climate change.

The Commonwealth family has mobilised to assist the Kingdom of Tonga in its time of need, following a devastating undersea volcanic eruption on 15 January 2022, which generated tsunami waves of up to 15m high.

Belize is aiming to access enhanced levels of funding for climate action with the creation of a new Climate Finance Unit under the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment.

Judy Wangari is one of an estimated 800,000 smallholder potato farmers who, according to the National Potato Council of Kenya, contribute at least 83 percent of the total potato production.

By Chukwuebuka Nnabugwu and Muhammed Badamasi, Commonwealth Correspondents

Ahead of International Day of Education, the Commonwealth Secretariat is launching a public database full of useful training courses related to ocean action.