Latest content: COP

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has urged countries attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh to progress talks towards a meaningful outcome by the end of the week.

Although Small Island Developing States contribute less than 1% to global carbon emissions that lead to climate change, they are among the most affected, due to a failure of action.

This blog about the new policy guide 'The State of Digital Agriculture in the Commonwealth' is written by Benjamin Kwasi Addom, Adviser on Agriculture & Fisheries Trade Policy, The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda.

With the growing climate uncertainties and mounting financial needs for climate adaptation and mitigation, member countries across the Commonwealth are keen to see businesses take up a greater role in the fight against climate change.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General and the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN) have launched a global competition to inspire, empower and reward young people taking action on oceans.

The Commonwealth Secretariat has today announced the first call for proposals under the newly established Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator.

Blog by Soumik Biswas, Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser for Mauritius and Othniel Yila, Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser for Zambia

New Commonwealth policy guide demonstrates how governments can leverage digital tools to revolutionise the agricultural sector

Representatives for the more than a billion under-30s in the Commonwealth have called on leaders at the start of COP27 in Egypt to end youth tokenism and pledge more finance and support for youth-led climate solutions.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, has called on member countries to uphold global climate change commitments and take decisive action to tackle the gaps in implementation, ahead of next week’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27).

By Sarmad Shahbaz, Commonwealth correspondent from Pakistan

The world is burning with the global temperature crossing the red line of 1.5 degrees Celsius for living beings. With the last eight years being the hottest ever on record, global decision-makers are working out measures to curb the climatic catastrophes of the present and the future.

The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) was hosted by the Arab Republic of Egypt from 6-18 November, 2022 at the Sharm el-Sheikh International Convention Centre.

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. 

Young climate activists from across the Commonwealth shone a light on just how critical youth are at a series of events organised by the Commonwealth Youth Programme at this year’s COP but demanded world leaders need to take more action beyond the annual conference.

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. 

Days before the global COP26 climate talks began in Glasgow, HRH The Prince of Wales met with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC for a high-level discussion at Clarence House, to call attention to the crucial importance of sustainable urbanisation in tackling climate change.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has called for all countries to deliver an ambitious and transformative outcome at the imminent UN Climate Change Conference COP26, while appealing for increased support for the smallest and most vulnerable nations.

As the countdown to COP26 continues, young environmental activists and innovators, academics, experts, and government officials joined a series of regional dialogues to help set the youth agenda at the conference.

Blog by Samuel Ogallah, Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser to Eswatini

During a visit to The Bahamas this week, the Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland called for urgent action to ensure improved climate resilience of small states and promised to amplify the concerns of small and other vulnerable states at the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow this November.

Yesterday, 20 world-class experts from around the Commonwealth joined two virtual consultations focussed on how to help attract sustainable finance for investment in youth and biodiversity in SIDS.

The following blog is based on a speech the author presented to the UK-Pacific High Level Dialogue on Climate Change in July 2021, which has been adapted and updated for this website.

More than 2,000 young leaders and youth-led organisations from across the Commonwealth are  urging governments to respect the needs and contributions of the world’s most vulnerable groups, in the lead up to global climate talks in Glasgow in November.