Below are all latest news articles and upcoming events related to Commonwealth Blue Charter.
Op-ed by Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey
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Commonwealth leads the charge to protect the high seas
Main page for this area of work
The Government of Mauritius, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office recently joined forces to develop a strategic partnership framework for implementing the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement that became international law earlier this year.
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From commitment to action: Commonwealth advances BBNJ implementation in Mauritius
The Commonwealth Secretariat and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation today announced a new partnership to accelerate ocean conservation for Commonwealth countries in Asia and the Pacific.
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Commonwealth and Prince Albert II Foundation launch major ocean protection alliance
21 January 2026 to 21 January 2026
(GMT)
Event
This Marlborough House event aims to elevate environmental resilience as central to Commonwealth prosperity, and to demonstrate impact through partnerships across the Commonwealth’s climate, oceans, energy and natural resources work.
This case study highlights how Barbados tackled plastic pollution through three key factors: embracing comprehensive policies to reduce plastic pollution, empowering youth through education, and developing a model that can be replicated by other Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
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How Barbados is turning the tide on plastic pollution
Blog by Henrietta Wolstenholme, Project Support Officer; Dr Jane Collins, Ocean Governance Adviser; and Shevon Campbell-Roberts, Climate Research and Policy Officer, Climate Change and Ocean Directorate, Commonwealth Secretariat
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The Commonwealth and Antigua and Barbuda: Partners for environmental resilience
With trillions of pieces of plastic littering oceans, threatening ocean and life and economic opportunity, drones, satellites and artificial intelligence (AI) are informing countries about how to tackle this growing global emergency. A recent Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance webinar focused on these innovative technologies for monitoring and reducing marine pollution.
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Fighting plastic pollution with innovative technologies
Blog by Dr Jane Collins and Alison Swaddling, Advisers Ocean Governance, Commonwealth Secretariat
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Blog: Tailored technical assistance drives change - Sri Lanka commits to High Seas Treaty
Every year up to 23 million tonnes of plastics enter water ecosystems, posing serious human and environmental health threats. As negotiations for a legally binding global plastics treaty accelerate, the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance brought together officials from members countries to prepare for these critical negotiations.
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Commonwealth stakeholders come together ahead of critical global plastics treaty negotiations
By Dr Rahanna Juman, Deputy Director: Research, Institute of Marine Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago, and co-Champion of the Commonwealth Blue Charter Mangrove Ecosystem and Livelihood Action Group
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Blog: Why the world needs healthy mangroves
Blog by Dr Daniel Wilde, Head of Oceans, and Dr Jane Collins, Ocean Governance Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat
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Blog: Benefits from the high seas must be shared fairly and equitably
The Commonwealth is playing a vital role in advancing the ratification and implementation of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), adopted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 2023, and now coming into focus as countries gather this week in Nice, France, for the UN Ocean Conference.
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The Commonwealth drives progress on historic BBNJ Agreement
Blog by Mxolisi Sibanda, Interim Head of Climate Change, Commonwealth Secretariat
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Blog: Accelerating action for biodiversity conservation
Commonwealth High Commissioners and other member country representatives recently met at Marlborough House for a briefing on the implementation of the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, adopted in Samoa at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The briefing provided member countries with a vision for the Commonwealth at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, to be held in June.
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Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration reaffirmed ahead of major UN Ocean conference
The International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MPEC) is convening this week in London to try to negotiate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from the global shipping industry. The discussions are expected to have major implications for global trade, climate action and economic resilience, with almost all of the 56 Commonwealth countries likely to be affected.
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The Commonwealth unpacks critical negotiations for decarbonising global shipping
10 April 2025 to 10 April 2025
(BST)
Webinar
This webinar, in partnership with the 100% Alliance, will focus on the feasibility of 100 per cent sustainable ocean management. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the role of sustainable ocean plans in securing ocean health, economic prosperity and climate resilience.
26 March 2025 to 26 March 2025
(GMT)
Webinar
We are excited to announce the next webinar in the Commonwealth Blue Charter Blue Dialogue series.
The Blue Dialogue series provides a platform for Commonwealth Blue Charter members to share their experiences and best practices in addressing ocean challenges, with a focus on national-level initiatives.
The Blue Dialogue series provides a platform for Commonwealth Blue Charter members to share their experiences and best practices in addressing ocean challenges, with a focus on national-level initiatives.
5 March 2025 to 5 March 2025
Webinar
Join us for a discussion on key decisions in International Marine Organization greenhouse gas negotiations and their global impact.
By Dr Brandon J Bethel, Small Island Sustainability, University of The Bahamas; Ernest Ohandja Nomo, MSc. Teaching Assistant and Research Officer, Association of Professionals in Coastal and Aquatics Management (APCAM), Cameroon; and Dr Nokubonga Mbandzi-Phorego, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
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Blog: Tackling Eutrophication: From small islands to big nations with GEM-in-a-Box
There are estimates that over three billion people depend on the ocean for their lives and livelihood. In the Commonwealth, 49 of the 56 member states have an ocean border and so it is no surprise that at the Commonwealth Secretariat there is a sustained focus on ensuring there is a healthy ocean.
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Eight Commonwealth countries advance ocean science with Canada’s GEM-in-a-Box project
With over 12 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean annually, the cost of inaction is untenable. Commonwealth stakeholders are now better equipped to advocate for a bold and inclusive pathway that reflects the priorities of its members and builds momentum towards sustainable, circular economies.
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Commonwealth webinar prepares stakeholders for pivotal INC-5 Plastics Treaty negotiations
The Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, which was agreed at last month’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, paves the way for accelerated climate action to help save our planet, say Commonwealth Island leaders.
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SIDS leaders say Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration key to accelerating climate action
The Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future was adopted at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa and takes its name from the coastal capital city, Apia.
Commonwealth countries today adopted the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future, which calls on all 56 Commonwealth nations to protect and restore the ocean in the face of severe climate change, pollution and impacts related to over-exploitation.
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Commonwealth nations adopt pivotal ocean declaration in Samoa
17 October 2024 to 17 October 2024
(BST)
Webinar
As part of the Secretariat’s capacity-building and technical-assistance project to assist member countries in their ratification and implementation of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), we are pleased to announce the second webinar in a series of six dedicated to the BBNJ Agreement.