Statement by The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth on the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, released today
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Statement by Commonwealth Secretary-General on the latest IPCC climate report
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To mark the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on 26 July, the Commonwealth Secretariat is hosting a virtual event to showcase how powerful satellite technology can support the conservation and sustainable management of mangroves in the Commonwealth.
Barbados has announced it is joining Seychelles to co-champion Commonwealth action on marine protected areas, a vital area in promoting ocean conservation and the sustainable blue economy.
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Barbados steps forward as Commonwealth co-champion for marine protected areas
Commonwealth member countries are supporting a call to “reset and rebuild” equitable, resilient ocean economies in the wake of the devastating impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Commonwealth countries call for a “blue reset” in pandemic’s wake
8 June 2021 to 8 June 2021
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This high-level Commonwealth virtual event celebrates World Ocean Day, highlighting how protecting the health of the ocean and coastal communities is critical to national and international economic recovery.
The Second Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Forum concluded today with strong recommendations for member countries to work together to fast-track an inclusive, just and equitable transition to low-carbon energy systems across the Commonwealth.
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Commonwealth countries target inclusive shift to clean energy
More than 70 delegates from 16 Caribbean countries joined international partners to discuss financing solutions for climate action on land, and share their experiences in tackling the inter-related challenges of desertification, biodiversity loss and climate change.
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Caribbean countries discuss financing for climate action on land
12 May 2021 to 14 May 2021
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The Commonwealth recognises the critical importance of sustainable energy to economic development and the imperative to transition to clean forms of energy.
A new policy handbook, launched today, will help Commonwealth governments put in place strategies to tackle ocean acidification - a key aspect of climate change.
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New policy handbook to help governments fight ocean acidification
To celebrate Earth Day on 22 April, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Satellite Applications Catapult are launching the first-ever Hack the Planet competition, in search of innovative, impactful and scalable ideas that will tackle the threats facing communities around the world, linked to ocean degradation and the climate crisis.
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Hack the Planet competition seeks solutions to the world’s most pressing ocean challenges
Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has urged member countries to integrate sustainable land use management into their national climate action plans, with a focus on nature-based solutions, on the road to the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 this November.
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Commonwealth to bolster action on sustainable land use management on the road to COP26
2 March 2021 to 2 March 2021
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In this virtual event, speakers will discuss digital agriculture and digital fisheries, especially during the global health pandemic. The event builds on the outcomes of the 4th Supply-Side Connectivity Cluster meeting of the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda held in November 2020 which called for a focus on smart agriculture for sustainable development.
5 March 2021 to 5 March 2021
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In the lead up to International Women’s Day, the Commonwealth Secretariat will be celebrating women’s contributions to ocean science. Secretary General Baroness Scotland will introduce this special web event highlighting inspiring stories of women from across the Commonwealth who are challenging gender norms through their work in ocean industries.
The New Producers Group has launched a web platform that showcases its wide range of activities and resources as well as a ‘members portal’ for the network of 30 emerging oil and gas-producing countries to engage with each other.
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New Producers Group launch new website
Close to 4,000 robotic devices deployed in oceans around the world will soon be upgraded to collect a wider range of vital data on ocean health – this will help researchers better understand the impacts of the climate crisis on ocean life and blue economies.
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Robotic floats give hope for tackling ocean climate change
The Commonwealth Secretariat has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with eXXpedition, a non-profit organisation that runs all-women sailing expeditions to research the causes of, and solutions to, marine plastic pollution.
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Commonwealth joins forces with all-women sailing crew to fight plastic pollution
The Commonwealth Secretary-General has welcomed plans to establish a new Centre of Excellence in Oceanography and the Blue Economy at the University of West Indies Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda.
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New Caribbean centre for oceanography, blue economy welcomed
New petroleum-producing countries are facing key challenges linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a crash in oil markets, a significant decline in investments, along with long-term impacts of the global transition towards a lower carbon economy.
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Emerging oil and gas producers urged to adapt to new realities
When 197 countries adopted the Paris Agreement on Climate Change in 2015, I remember feeling an extraordinary surge of hope – for multilateralism, for science, for humanity.
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OPINION: Can we rise from the COVID-19 ashes and win the climate battle?
A newly released report funded by the Government of Canada has called for better opportunities in ocean science for women and those who identify as non-binary, in order to achieve sustainable ocean governance.
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New study calls for gender equity in ocean science
2 December 2020 to 2 December 2020
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Youth activists as young as nine will join a momentous session on protecting the planet at a time when global climate talks are put on ice.
1 December 2020 to 3 December 2020
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The Annual Meeting of the New Producers Group will be held virtually from 1-3rd December 2020.
More than 90 government officials from 11 nations have gained new skills that will help them make sound decisions on petroleum field development plans submitted by oil companies, to ensure they promote sustainable development.
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Officials trained to assess multi-billion dollar petroleum investments
The Commonwealth Blue Charter, the Commonwealth’s flagship programme on ocean cooperation, has been invited to join a leading line-up of official nominators for the prestigious Earthshot Prize.
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Commonwealth Blue Charter joins the search for first Earthshot Prize winners
21 October 2020 to 23 October 2020
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The COVID-19 crisis is wreaking havoc on development progress. It also presents an opportunity for rethinking the economic vulnerability of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and developing countries more generally.