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Environment and climate change

Overview of Elements

The BBNJ Agreement is the third implementing agreement under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and, like its parent treaty, it has been structured around a complex package of indivisible issues. Each element carries its own unique set of obligations, rights and duties for States Parties
under the BBNJ Agreement. This briefing note summarises the four key elements.
Read publication - Overview of Elements

Lighting up lives: Young Nigerian and the Commonwealth ignite hope with recycled solar innovation

In the heart of Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, where the sprawling Durumi Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp is home to thousands of people forced from their communities by conflict and chaos, a powerful new light known as the Lighthouse for Peace has dawned.

At the centre of this initiative is Stanley Anigbogu, a 26-year-old Nigerian energy innovator, who saw the IDP camp’s tangled walkways and makeshift shelters not just as hardship, but as an opportunity to foster hope and practical resilience through energy access.
Read news - Lighting up lives: Young Nigerian and the Commonwealth ignite hope with recycled solar innovation

Enhancing gender-responsive NDCs for climate justice: Lessons from Eswatini and Sri Lanka

4 March 2026 to 4 March 2026
(GMT)
Webinar
For International Women’s Day 2026, the United Nations calls for urgent action on “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” reminding the world that gender equality remains unfinished business. This year’s theme is a rallying cry to dismantle entrenched barriers, accelerate justice for women and girls, and anchor all climate, development, and governance efforts in human rights and gender equity.

Commonwealth launches practical guide to unlock blue bond finance for ocean protection

The Commonwealth Secretariat launched The Commonwealth Guide to Blue Bond Issuance at its inaugural environmental resilience day, held at Marlborough House. It is a practical, user-focused resource to help governments unlock innovative finance to protect the ocean while delivering benefits for people and nature.
Read news - Commonwealth launches practical guide to unlock blue bond finance for ocean protection

Transformative climate finance for climate action: Leveraging COP30 decisions, commitments and momentum

5 December 2025 to 5 December 2025
(GMT)
Event
At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the global climate finance architecture and the need to accelerate the flow of both public and private capital to climate-vulnerable nations was high on the agenda for Commonwealth member countries. This is particularly critical for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and other vulnerable countries which continue to face persistent barriers to accessing finance at scale.

Webinar: Capacity-building for young people on the building blocks for climate finance

28 October 2025 to 28 October 2025
(GMT)
Webinar
Young people are increasingly recognised as vital agents of change in advancing climate action. This means including them in climate-policy decision-making and implementation. However, many young people - particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other climate-vulnerable countries - continue to face barriers such as limited access to climate finance, insufficient green skills, and exclusion from decision-making processes.

The National Data Hub for Gender and Climate Information in Nigeria: A Framework for Implementation

This framework describes how a National Data Hub for Gender and Climate Information – a centralised, policy-linked platform that collects, harmonises and disseminates gender-responsive climate data – could be implemented. This transformative initiative would enable the Government of Nigeria to design inclusive and effective responses to mounting climate risks, strengthen institutional accountability and ensure that Nigeria’s climate actions reflect the lived realities of all of its citizens.
Read publication - The National Data Hub for Gender and Climate Information in Nigeria: A Framework for Implementation

Growth opportunity for Caribbean and Pacific businesses

Commonwealth Investment Network (CIN)

The Commonwealth Investment Network (CIN) fosters collaboration across a diverse ecosystem of local, regional, and international partners to identify, develop, and support investment opportunities in Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS). By engaging international financiers, facilitating knowledge exchange, strengthening local capacity, and delivering tailored technical assistance, the CIN works to enhance project bankability and unlock viable, climate-positive growth opportunities. The Network’s overarching objective is to mobilise private finance and technical expertise to help build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable island economies.

The Commonwealth Investment Network (CIN) is piloting a three-month accelerator programme for Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean and the Pacific.