Latest content: Commonwealth Climate Change Programme

Commonwealth leaders have officially adopted the Living Lands Charter: A Commonwealth Call to action on Living Lands (CALL), which commits all 56 member countries to safeguarding global land resources while taking coordinated action on climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable land management.

The Governments of Kenya and Eswatini have stepped forward to champion action on geothermal energy and energy literacy, as part of the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition (CSET) Agenda.

Leaders and senior officials from across the Commonwealth have voiced their robust support for a non-binding charter on climate change, biodiversity and land degradation, that would boost coordinated action in these areas among the 54 countries of the Commonwealth.

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 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 Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, The Rt. Hon. Patricia Scotland QC met with the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, today in Zanzibar for the first time.

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.

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.

A blog by Sharon Ng’etich, Climate Change Officer – Economic, Youth and Sustainable Development Directorate (EYSD)

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.

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.

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

A blog by Dr Ruth Kattumuri, Senior Director, Economic, Youth and Sustainable Development at the Commonwealth Secretariat

The Commonwealth Secretariat has deployed a regional climate finance adviser to focus on mobilising funds for renewable energy and sustainable land management projects in the Indo-Pacific region.

Week two in the Commonwealth Pavilion at COP26 in Glasgow saw a full schedule of high-level meetings, collaborative launches and technical side events organised by the Commonwealth Secretariat, accredited organisations and member countries. Here are some of the video highlights from the second week of COP26 at the Commonwealth Pavilion. 

The Commonwealth Secretariat organised its first Commonwealth Pavilion at COP26 to serve as an inclusive and collaborative space for member countries and accredited organisations to meet, host side events, convene meetings and showcase research. Here are some of the highlights from the first week of COP26 at the Commonwealth Pavilion. 

National Parks and marine protected areas in The Bahamas both exemplify and help protect the archipelago’s vast marine and terrestrial ecosystems. But despite their important role, they are often ignored by the local community, who rarely visit or feel pride for them. To rekindle this lost relationship, Elijah raises awareness of the parks and marine protected areas and impacts of climate change through visual storytelling, which he believes is more effective for communicating with people than complex data and graphs.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has appealed to world leaders attending the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 to close the gap in ongoing negotiations this week in Glasgow, with millions of lives and livelihoods on the line in climate-vulnerable countries.

A new toolkit launched in the margins of the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 aims to unlock clean energy investments for small island nations, many of whom rely heavily on imported fossil fuels for power generation.

Leaders from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific have expressed their strong support for a proposed ‘Living Lands Charter’ that will spur cooperation among 54 nations to manage land use sustainably, protect the natural world and fight climate change.