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 programs to strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ rights and governance of local communities. These serve as the initial pledges at launch, with the goal of attracting a further $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 Peoples, 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% 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 its 30×30 Transformation Program; 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 programs 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.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne said: “I am very proud that Antigua and Barbuda was the birthplace of the Commonwealth Nature Initiative in the presence of His Majesty The King. Its strategy of getting funding directly to regional and national 30×30 programs is the only way to achieve this global conservation goal and ensure the resources reach communities and deliver tangible results on the ground.”
Foreign Minister of Mozambique, Hon Maria Manuela dos Santos Lucas, said: “Mozambique is proud to commit to supporting the global 30×30 target by advancing the protection and effective conservation of at least 30% of our terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030. We will restore 500,000 hectares of degraded ecosystems, strengthen the protection of our forests, mangroves and marine biodiversity, and place communities at the heart of conservation. Through this commitment, Mozambique reaffirms its determination to build a greener, more resilient and more prosperous future for our people and for the Commonwealth.”
Dr. Andrew Forrest AO, Founder of Minderoo Foundation, said: “Minderoo’s $10 million contribution will provide catalytic, cornerstone funding to help the Commonwealth Nature Initiative attract further philanthropic investment and accelerate conservation outcomes across the Pacific and wider Commonwealth. This funding will be available immediately, ensuring projects can get underway without delay. Nature is facing an accelerating crisis, with biodiversity and habitats declining at an alarming rate. We know that protecting at least 30 percent of the world’s land and ocean by 2030 is critical to securing healthy, productive and resilient ecosystems for future generations.”
James Deutsch, CEO of Rainforest Trust, said: “The Commonwealth of Nations encompasses some of the world’s most critical landscapes for biodiversity and the essential benefits nature provides to people across the Global South. We applaud the Commonwealth Nature Initiative and are privileged to join this effort to accelerate conservation at the scale and pace our planet urgently needs. But ambitious global targets mean little without the funding and partnerships to turn them into lasting protection. Rainforest Trust’s $50 million pledge reflects our commitment to supporting local conservation organizations, strengthening Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ rights, and permanently protecting some of the world’s most irreplaceable ecosystems. With 2030 rapidly approaching, we have a narrow window to make meaningful progress toward protecting 30% of the planet. This initiative demonstrates what is possible when international ambition is matched by concrete investment and local leadership.”
Cherie Prothro Shea, Executive Director of the Waitt Foundation, said: “We’re honored to support holistic ocean management in Bermuda, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu, all global leaders in protecting and managing their ocean. Our implementation funding helps countries that have achieved 30% full protection turn their vision into lasting results, supporting the monitoring, enforcement, and outreach needed to deliver tangible benefits for the ocean, communities, and the economy.”
Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence, 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.”
Senator Russ Feingold, Chair of the Global Steering Committee for Campaign for Nature, said: “The world is currently not on track to protect and conserve at least 30 percent of the planet by 2030, but there has been significant progress over the last four years. From the East Caribbean to Africa and the Pacific, governments are setting ambitious national targets and are working together to establish regional 30×30 plans. The Commonwealth Nature Initiative will recognize and celebrate this level of ambition and encourage other leaders across the Commonwealth to prioritize nature conservation. For the last two years, international finance for 30×30 has gone down. The Commonwealth Nature Initiative will help reverse that trend by attracting new public and private funding to accelerate progress towards 30×30. The Campaign for Nature is honored to have played a role in developing this initiative. Moving forward, we are committed, through our SPACES program, to help Commonwealth countries make their 30×30 commitments into financially sustainable conservation plans, and to help staff the CNI’s secretariat. We stand ready to reach out to more governments, philanthropists, and companies to help ensure that this initiative succeeds and that 30×30 is reached within the Commonwealth.”
Kristin Rechberger, Founder and 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 common wealth.”
