Latest content: Environment and climate change

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In 1967, American civil rights leader Dr Martin Luther King said in a speech, "we are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late." For far too many in the world today affected by our changing climate, this statement is an urgent truth.
Read news - Op-ed: The fierce urgency of now
At the 2023 Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Forum, Dr Shavana Haythornthwaite, Head of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Human Rights Unit, highlighted the importance of integrating human rights into the transition to renewable energy. In this blog, she delves into the challenges and opportunities associated with this integration, shedding light on its significance.
Read news - Blog: Integrating human rights into renewable energy transition
Labanya Prakash Jena served as the Commonwealth Regional Climate Finance Adviser, Indo-Pacific Region at the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH) from 2021 to 2023. To date, more than US$8 million in climate finance has been mobilised for the region, with the support of CCFAH. Nearing the end of his tenure, Labanya shares some insights about the region and his work.
Read news - Ask the Expert: Labanya Prakash Jena, Commonwealth Regional Climate Finance Adviser Indo-Pacific
This report provides a succinct overview of development finance and climate finance, focussing on its provision to Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States within the Commonwealth. It considers the current and potential roles of multilateral development banks and international development financial institutions; tools such as ‘debt for climate’ swaps; and the need to reconsider the use of and balance between debt capital and grants. Finally, the report proposes alternative funding mechanisms and reforms to international financial architecture that could have transformative impacts on capital flows to enable vulnerable developing nations to respond to the effects of climate change and increase their resilience.
Read publication - Accessing Development and Climate Finance: Issues and Challenges in the Commonwealth Countries
The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH) deployed National Climate Finance Adviser (CNCFA), Carol Mwape, in May 2021 to facilitate improved access by Namibia to climate finance to meet their priority needs in securing sustainable development. The support is aimed at creating an enabling environment conducive for accessing available climate funds both locally and internationally, and to effectively utilize it for supporting sustainable development efforts.
Read case study - Case Study: Building capacity for sustainable access to climate finance – A case of Namibia’s readiness for Green Climate Fund
This book explores how we get energy and how it is used, and charts the journey from traditional energy sources towards clean, renewable ones. Taking a global view while remaining grounded in young readers’ everyday lives, it considers why this transition is happening, and explains why no one must be left behind in the process.
Read publication - Roads to Clean Energy
Commonwealth member countries rich in natural gas face complex policy choices and trade-offs concerning the need to generate maximum benefits from those natural gas resources while also transitioning to a low-carbon economy. While taking account of diverse and conflicting views on the subject, this report offers succinct and holistic guidance to inform these countries’ choices and help them achieve their development and climate change goals.
Read publication - Natural Gas Development in Low-Carbon Energy Transition
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, is in Papua New Guinea this week where she met with Prime Minister the Hon James Marape to discuss issues of mutual interest and strengthen partnerships between the Commonwealth and Papua New Guinea. The Prime Minister and Secretary-General also had fruitful discussion on gender issues, climate action and youth empowerment.
Read news - Commonwealth Secretary-General visits Papua New Guinea to strengthen partnerships and encourage action on gender issues