Latest content: Commonwealth Blue Charter

Commonwealth countries are breaking new ground with innovative financial deals that are cutting the cost of their national debt, while unlocking funds for vital marine conservation.

Each year, around 20 million tonnes of plastics end up in our rivers, lakes and seas. That’s equivalent to the weight of 20,000 cargo ships. It is waste that can take hundreds of years to decompose and it is altering our ecosystems and wildlife and impacting human health.

Commonwealth to launch e-learning course to support policy handbook on ocean acidification

In a move to bolster treaty negotiations for an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the UK Government through the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have convened a training programme for Commonwealth government officials.

The search for the next winners of The Earthshot Prize 2026 has begun!

Young people from across the Commonwealth have shared strategies and actions to address the urgent environmental crises affecting their generation.

The Commonwealth Secretariat and the US-based Stimson Center have embarked on a new phase of their groundbreaking project, which aims to identify climate vulnerability and risks in coastal communities through the use of a new rapid assessment protocol.

By Nafesha Richardson, Commonwealth Blue Charter Ocean Gender Outreach Assistant

The ocean is facing unprecedented challenges, from plastic pollution and overfishing to climate change and habitat destruction. As the custodians of the future, young people have a critical role to play in addressing these issues and shaping a sustainable future for our ocean.  

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are taking the lead in promoting responsible trade in sustainable fisheries by fostering collaboration and sharing successful strategies.

Ocean scientists and advocates have underscored the vital role of women in ocean-related sectors and the blue economy, calling for intensified efforts to achieve gender parity in these areas across the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, visited Vanuatu on April 29th and 30th to address climate justice and climate action issues for the Pacific. Her visit came at a critical time for Vanuatu, which is still recovering from the devastating impact of two Category 4 cyclones, Judy and Kevin, that hit the country in early March.

By Subaskar Sitsabeshan, Outreach and Project Development Manager, Commonwealth Blue Charter

Last month, the champion countries of the Commonwealth Blue Charter gathered in Ottawa, Canada to reflect on joint progress to date in advancing ocean sustainability, and to chart a course for the next phase of the Blue Charter. As Outreach and Project Development Manager for this flagship initiative, I was excited to attend this long-awaited meeting, which had been postponed for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Champion countries leading the implementation of the Commonwealth Blue Charter are gathering in Ottawa, Canada this week to take stock of Commonwealth ocean action over the past five years, and outline a robust plan of action for the future.

The international community must prioritise funding to address the challenges facing our ocean, as the available support is currently far too little, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, said at the Monaco Blue Initiative conference.

Targeted assessments carried out in Trinidad and Tobago as well as Antigua and Barbuda show that these countries are well prepared to pursue the development of sustainable blue economies, while also facing a range of untapped opportunities and challenges.

Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, will address the Monaco Blue Initiative on 20 March 2023 to advocate for increased international co-operation and action on tackling shared ocean challenges.

New research has found that most of the Commonwealth’s coastal and island states have mainstreamed ocean-based actions into their national climate commitments.

Please join us in promoting women’s contributions to the ocean and blue economy sector.