With the deadline for countries to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions fast approaching, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, urged business leaders to be ambitious in shaping the future of the planet.
Speaking at the International Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Sustainability Conference on Tuesday, 10 June, Secretary-General Botchwey pointed to the existential threat of climate change and the need to harness the expertise and innovation of businesses, combined with the opportunity that the Commonwealth offers, to deliver at the scale and speed that is required over the next 25 years.
A call to action
The need for urgent action is imperative as countries are not currently on track to meet the globally agreed net zero target, with experts warning that the world is in fact moving in the wrong direction. And, with just five years away from the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals deadline, the window to act is rapidly closing.
Addressing the audience at EY’s headquarters in London, on the topic of ‘2030 in Sight, 2050 at Stake: Accelerating Action for People, Planet and Prosperity’, Secretary-General Botchwey said:
“We are entering a decisive window — one that will determine not just whether we meet our goals, but whether our children will inherit a world worth living in.
“The challenge before us is not only to invent, but to share, and to deliver — at speed and at scale. This is the decade that must turn pledges into progress — in lives improved, economies transformed, and nature restored.
“The Commonwealth I serve as Secretary-General has a vital role to play in this transformation.”
Put simply, the status quo cannot continue if countries are to prevent falling further behind. As the Secretary-General made clear:
“We cannot simply continue to pursue the half-measures with which we are managing our collective decline. This must be our moment for transformation.”
Although “the clock is ticking”, she said, “the future is not yet written.”
While the challenge might presently appear insurmountable, the Commonwealth Secretary-General encouraged business leaders to embrace the era of innovation, collaboration, and the potential offered by technology to help to tackle the climate crisis head-on.
Read the keynote address by the Secretary-General: ICC 2025 Sustainability Conference
Practical solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges
That is why sustainability and innovation are being put at the heart of Secretary-General’s Botchwey’s leadership. The Commonwealth has been offering practical solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges - from expanding access to climate finance, to supporting transitions to cleaner energy, to advancing digital trade, and collaborating with businesses to deliver meaningful, tangible change. But more is required to ensure meaningful change.
At the Commonwealth Secretariat, a new strategic plan is being developed to accelerate and reimagine the support offered to member countries in light of the present global challenges. As the Secretary-General said in her address, this is a “Commonwealth of Delivery” — a practical, purposeful platform for action for the benefit of all member countries and its 2.7 billion people.
While rallying the business leaders, the Secretary-General pledged that the Commonwealth would play its part to bring about the urgent change that is necessary.
Later this week, the Secretary-General heads to Namibia for the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting, which will include the inaugural Commonwealth Business Summit. There, she will bring together the public and private sectors to address the challenge of ensuring economies are inclusive and resilient.
