Commonwealth countries today adopted the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future, calling on all 56 Commonwealth countries to protect and restore the ocean in the face of severe climate change, pollution and the consequences of overexploitation.
The declarationagreed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, paves the way for robust, ambitious, innovative and transformative action for a Common wealth of shared ocean prosperity, resilience and sustainability that builds on national and collective efforts to protect and sustainably use the ocean.
Key aspects of the statement include:
- recognition of national maritime boundaries in the face of sea level rise
- protecting at least 30 percent of the ocean and restoring at least 30 percent of degraded marine ecosystems by 2030
- urgent finalization of the Global Plastics Treaty
- ratification of the Convention on Biodiversity on the High Seas on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (known as the BBNJ Agreement)
- development and implementation of coastal climate adaptation plans and strategies, including vulnerability assessments and nature-based solutions, such as blue carbon
- increased support for a sustainable blue economy with sustainable ocean plans, recognizing the need for 100 percent management of national waters
- reducing emissions from global shipping
- enhanced marine renewable energy targets to meet the global climate target of tripling renewable energy capacity, agreed as part of the UNFCCC global inventory last year in Dubai.
The Prime Minister of Samoa, the Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata’afawelcomed the agreement and said:
“It is fitting that our first Ocean Declaration is adopted on the blue continent of the Pacific, as climate change is recognized as the greatest threat to the security and well-being of our people. The ocean covers 96 percent of our region; and where we are among the first to suffer most immediately from the effects of climate change.
“The Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future should be a line in the sand from which the world collectively transforms ocean exploitation into protection and sustainable stewardship. We look forward to moving from words to action!”
The Commonwealth Secretary General, the Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland KCnoted:
“The incredible progress we have made with the Blue Charter that underpins this declaration will help Member States meet today’s climate challenges and seize tomorrow’s opportunities. I am confident that this declaration will have a profound and lasting impact on the well-being of our people, the ocean and the planet.
“This document now sets the standard for future international meetings and generates momentum for protecting the oceans we are heading to COP29 in Azerbaijan in November, and next year’s UN Ocean Conference. We are extremely proud of this achievement and will not leave anyone behind as we advocate for stronger ocean protection.”
The Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future is the result of many years of visionary and collective action. In 2018, Commonwealth leaders agreed to work together towards a sustainable ocean by adopting the Commonwealth Blue Charter. Since then, seventeen champion countries have led ten action groups on marine protection, sustainable blue economies, climate change and ocean pollution. These action groups will now play a central role in implementing the declaration.
Bee the CHOGM 2022 in RwandaGovernments called for a Commonwealth Ocean Declaration. In April 2024, the countries agreed for the first time on the priorities for the Ocean Declaration Meeting of Commonwealth Ocean Ministers in Cyprus.
The Commonwealth represents a third of the world’s population and 49 of its 56 countries have a coastline. Crucially, the 25 Commonwealth countries are small island developing states, increasingly affected by climate change, sea level rise, rising temperatures and increasing acidity of the oceans – impacting marine life, ecosystems and the communities that depend on it.
Read the full Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration for One Resilient Common Future (PDF)
The Commonwealth and the Ocean: Facts and Figures
- 49 of the 56 members of the Commonwealth have ocean borders.
- The Commonwealth has more than a third of the world’s ocean under national jurisdiction (36 percent) and approximately 45 percent of the world’s coral reefs.
- 25 of the 33 small Commonwealth states are small island developing states (SIDS) or ‘large ocean states’. They make up two-thirds of cot deaths in the world.
- Pacific islands are large ocean states: on average, 96 percent of Pacific island states are ocean and 4 percent land. In Kiribati, for example, atolls and islands cover 811 square kilometers, located within an ocean domain of 3.5 million square kilometers – about the width of the continental US – meaning the country has 4,000 times more ocean than land.
- Pacific fishing and tourism generate $3.3 billion for the national economies of Pacific countries and territories.
Summary of relevant Commonwealth programs
- Commonwealth Blue Charter: An agreement among all 56 Commonwealth countries, adopted at the 2018 CHOGM, to actively work together to solve ocean-related challenges and meet sustainable ocean development commitments, with a focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ) of the UN, especially SDG 14 (Life underwater). The Blue Charter is being implemented through member-driven action groups, led by 17 ‘champion countries’, with the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat. So far, 47 countries have joined one or more of the action groups.
- Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub: The CCFAH helps small and other vulnerable Commonwealth states access finance for climate projects by embedding highly qualified, long-term national and regional advisors into relevant government departments to build capacity. CCFAH has helped countries secure approximately $365 million in climate finance, with a robust project pipeline worth more than $500 million. The program also trained 2,500 government officials who received training in various aspects of climate finance.
- Commonwealth Living Land Charter: The Commonwealth Living Lands Charter: A Commonwealth Call to action on Living Lands (CALL), commits all 56 Member States to protect the world’s land resources while taking coordinated action on climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable land management.
- Commonwealth Clean Energy Investment Toolkit Business Case for SIDS: Developed in partnership with SEforALL and launched at COP26, this toolkit helps SIDS formulate business cases that quantify the investments needed to meet a country’s renewable energy and net zero targets. Two pilot business cases have been developed for Seychelles and Barbados and we would like to see opportunities to develop business cases for Pacific SIDS and facilitate an investor roundtable to launch the business cases.
Notes for editors
- The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states. Our combined population is 2.7 billion people, over 60 percent of whom are 29 years of age or younger.
- The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-three of our members are small states, many of which are island states.
- The Commonwealth Secretariat supports Member States in building democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthening governance and promoting justice and human rights. Our work helps grow economies and boost trade, build national resilience, empower young people and tackle threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
- Member States are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organizations.
- For more information and regular updates on Commonwealth activities and initiatives, subscribe to our monthly newsletter And follow our new WhatsApp channel.
Media contact
CHOGM communications team
Commonwealth Secretariat
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