Commonwealth nations and regional partners come together in major initiative to mobilise resources to accelerate protection of nature
The Commonwealth Nature Initiative (CNI)was launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda aboard the Fortescue Green Pioneer, bringing together governments, philanthropic leaders and conservation organisations behind a landmark US$202.2 million pledge to accelerate progress towards protecting at least 30 percent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030, the 30×30 target.
Following the launch, The King joined high-level segment attendees and CNI supporters for a reception aboard the Green Pioneer.
Minderoo Foundation, the Rob Walton Foundation, the Rainforest Trust, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Waitt Foundation, and National Geographic Pristine Seas are the founding supporters of the CNI, with initial commitments supporting the establishment, expansion, and implementation of terrestrial and marine protected areas across Commonwealth countries, including through investment in programmes to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ and the rights and governance of local communities. These serve as the initial pledges at launch with the goal of raising attracting a further USD$1 billion from other donor countries and philanthropic efforts by 2030 to finance 30×30 action across the Commonwealth.
At the launch, which took place aboard Fortescue’s vessel the Green Pioneer, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Right Hon. Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Fiji, Guyana, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Uganda, the UK, and Zambia showcased ambitious 30×30 initiatives, including the establishment of new protected areas, revealing a breadth of ambition across Commonwealth regions, from the Caribbean and the Pacific, to Africa.
The CNI demonstrates a new partnership between nations, philanthropies, Indigenous People and local communities to deliver the global 30×30 target and reinforces a shared commitment to turn conservation ambition into practical action across the Commonwealth.
The launch comes at a critical moment for global biodiversity. With just four years remaining to achieve the 30×30 target agreed under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022, governments and partners must accelerate the pace of conservation and increase finance to protect habitats and ecosystems and support the communities that depend on them for their survival.
The Commonwealth has an outsized role to play as the initiative spans almost a quarter of the world’s land area and more than 40 percent of global ocean Exclusive Economic Zones. Its members are home to significant terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including some of the most important biodiversity and conservation priorities. The CNI seeks to unite efforts under a shared Commonwealth vision, bringing together high, middle and low-income countries under one platform of action.
Initial areas of focus for the CNI include the Eastern Caribbean, where the OECS seeks to deliver their 30×30 Transformation Programme; the Africa Keystone Protected Area Partnership, which aims to secure sustainable financing for 162 of Africa’s most irreplaceable protected areas; and the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity initiative which seeks to secure long-term financing for marine and coastal conservation across the Pacific.
In the coming years, the Initiative will seek to expand its network of conservation programmes and financing opportunities across the Commonwealth, supporting countries in translating their 30×30 commitments into enduring action.
Protecting nature is fundamental not only to biodiversity, but also to climate resilience, economic prosperity and human security. Healthy oceans, forests, and other ecosystems help regulate the climate, sustain food systems, protect communities from extreme weather and support livelihoods across the Commonwealth.
Through continued partnership and new investment, the Initiative aims to help ensure that the Commonwealth’s natural heritage is protected
Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and Founder of Pristine Seas said: “From the resilient corals of Kiribati to the sperm whale habitat of Dominica, the Commonwealth’s ecosystems are critical to ocean health. But we can’t protect these engines of biodiversity and economic prosperity without ambitious financing. The Commonwealth Nature Initiative is a game-changing step towards the 30×30 target — uniting leaders and funders in an unprecedented effort to conserve our planet.”
Kristin Rechberger, Founder & CEO of Dynamic Planet and Revive Our Ocean said: “Big challenges demand bold financial solutions. The Commonwealth Nature Initiative knits together public budgets, philanthropic capital, and private investment to make meaningful progress towards 30×30. These shared commitments will help drive the economic and environmental benefits of habitat protection reach communities across the Commonwealth. Nature is literally our commonwealth.
