ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Nov 3, CMC – The Commonwealth Nature Initiative (CNI) has been launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here, bringing together governments, philanthropic leaders and conservation organisations.
The US$202.2 million pledge is intended to accelerate progress towards protecting at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and oceans by 2030, the 30×30 target.
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 one billion US dollars from other donor countries and philanthropic efforts by 2030 to finance 30×30 action across the Commonwealth.
The launch, which took place aboard Fortescue’s vessel, the Green Pioneer, showcased ambitious 30×30 initiatives, including the establishment of new protected areas, revealing a breadth of ambitionacross Commonwealth regions, from the Caribbean and the Pacific, to Africe.
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.
Initial areas of focus for the CNI include the Eastern Caribbean, where the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (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.
CMC/2026