The Commonwealth Secretariat and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation have announced a partnership aimed at accelerating ocean conservation across Commonwealth countries in Asia and the Pacific. This collaboration brings together scientists, policymakers, economic actors, and civil society stakeholders to mobilize expertise and commitment toward protecting marine and coastal environments. The initiative aligns with the Apia Commonwealth Ocean Declaration, adopted at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, which calls for the restoration, protection, and sustainable use of the ocean.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey highlighted the significance of the partnership, noting that one-third of the world’s ocean under national jurisdiction lies within the Commonwealth. Strengthening ocean conservation in Asia and the Pacific, regions already vulnerable to sea-level rise, is expected to generate positive impacts across other Commonwealth regions.
The initiative will be implemented through the Commonwealth Blue Charter Project Incubator, which provides grants of up to £50,000 to support early-stage ocean conservation projects. The Incubator focuses on five priority areas: reducing marine pollution, ecosystem restoration, sustainable fisheries, advancing the blue economy, and addressing the ocean-climate nexus. Projects supported by the Incubator are expected to foster partnerships between local communities, civil society organizations, and governments, ensuring Indigenous Peoples, youth, and gender-marginalized communities are central to ocean governance.
Romain Ciarlet, Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, emphasized that the partnership will accelerate the development of impactful solutions for marine protection while promoting sustainable maritime development and a regenerative blue economy. The Foundation will particularly target support to projects in Asia and the Pacific, complementing the Incubator’s broader Commonwealth-wide work, which has previously financed ocean conservation initiatives across Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas, and the Pacific.
The next call for Incubator grant applications will open in the coming quarter, inviting governments across the Commonwealth to propose projects that advance marine conservation and sustainable ocean use. The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, established in 2006, works globally to promote biodiversity, climate, ocean, and water solutions, focusing on the Mediterranean Basin, Polar Regions, and Least Developed Countries.
