COP27: C’Wealth’s Secretary-General welcomes historic outcome on loss, damage
At last, following two weeks of extensive negotiations at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27, nearly 200 countries have agreed on a set of key outcomes, including the establishment of a fund to address loss and damage due to climate change.
Welcoming the developments, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, KC, averred that “I welcome this historic outcome from the COP27 summit and applaud the tireless negotiators who have helped bring about this significant step forward. This is an encouraging day for all Commonwealth member countries – including climate-vulnerable small states, least developed countries, developing countries, and indeed for all the world.
“The Commonwealth stance on loss and damage has been unequivocal. When Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting met in Kigali, Rwanda earlier this year in June, they were united in their call for scaled up action and financing to address loss and damage resulting from climate change.
“This follows on a long history of global advocacy on climate change, ever since Commonwealth leaders issued the Langkawi Declaration on the Environment in 1989, which underscored the need for worldwide collaboration on climate change to avert permanent and irreversible damage to our environment and way of life.
“However, while I welcome today’s developments, the threats around us continue to intensify. We must work together to ramp up climate action and ambition, recognising that we are all in the same storm, and the only way for us to survive is by steering in a common direction and taking bold, courageous actions, together.”
The Commonwealth covers 56 diverse member countries from five geographical regions, including 33 small states, 25 of which are small island developing states.
Business Hilights gathered that to find out more about the flagship programmes driving forward climate action across the Commonwealth, visit the following links: Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub; Commonwealth Living Lands Charter; Commonwealth Blue Charter; and Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition Agenda.
The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal sovereign states. Our combined population is 2.5 billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or under.
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 nations.
The Commonwealth Secretariat supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and human rights. Our work helps to grow economies and boost trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people, and address threats such as climate change, debt and inequality.
Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organisations.
