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Co-operationClimate changeand sustainabledevelopmentClimate changeDealing with climate change is one ofthe greatest challenges facing the worldtoday. All countries are affected; butsome are especially vulnerable –particularly small and low-income states.In 1987, the Commonwealth was thefirst major inter-governmentalorganisation to commission a scientificstudy on the effects of variations in theworld’s climate. Published two yearslater, the Holdgate Report warned:“Changes in climate will change thefrequency of extreme climatic eventssuch as severe tropical storms, floods,droughts or extremes of heat”, andcalled for a major international initiativeto establish global responsibilities forpreventing unmanageable rises in theworld’s temperature.The same year, at their meeting inMalaysia, Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment issued the LangkawiDeclaration, in which they undertook totake immediate action to promotesustainable development. They alsocalled for a wider international agreementunder the auspices of the UnitedNations. This came three years later atthe Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit.Small states ● The wording of theLangkawi Declaration also drewattention to the distinct environmentalproblems faced by some developingcountries arising from poverty andpopulation pressures, and by someisland and low-lying areas, threatenedby rising sea levels.Today, the Commonwealth takes aleading role in representing small stateson the international stage, and providesthem with training and guidance toincrease their effectiveness in climatechange negotiations.Under threat ➤ The Maldives comprise 1,190 islands and atolls in the IndianOcean, with a land area of about 115 sq miles (300 sq km). The highest point of theislands reaches no more than eight feet (just over two metres) above sea level, whichmeans that, as sea levels rise, the very existence of Maldives becomes in jeopardy. Ifnothing is done to combat this, it is believed between 50 and 80 per cent of theislands will disappear in 50 years time.ForestryAs well as providing a habitat formillions of species, the world’s forestsare of both economic and ecologicalvalue. Forests provide many valuableproducts, but also exert a significantinfluence on climate patterns.An international centre ➤ At the1989 Commonwealth Heads ofGovernment meeting, Guyana’sPresident announced the setting asideof one million acres (370,000hectares) of rain forest for purposes ofresearch as a wilderness preserve andfor sustainable use. Today theIwokrama International Centreprovides practical guidance on the bestways of managing and maintainingforests of this kind, along withimportant data on the ways in whichforests regulate climate.Iwokrama now works under a broadalliance that includes the EuropeanCommission, the United Nations, and awide range of specialist agencies.FisheriesThe decline of fish stocks is a problemconcerning many countries throughoutthe world, and is of particularimportance to the 47 member stateswith coastlines.The impact of over-fishing is greateston those least responsible for theproblem – members of poorer, morevulnerable, communities, who fishprimarily to survive. As well asmarginalising these groups, the loss offish stocks means that people may turnto hunting – something generally muchless desirable than coastal fishing.Commitment to action ➤ Between2007 and 2009, three Commonwealthorganisations, headed by theCommonwealth Foundation, ran aseries of programmes designed to raiseawareness about the problem of illegalfishing and the need for greatermeasures to help sustain existing stocks.These concerns were put toCommonwealth Heads of Governmentat their meeting in Trinidad and Tobago,with leaders agreeing to undertakeurgent action to strengthen marinemanagement, particularly in the watersof more vulnerable member states.MiningMining and energy production are important industries for any country, but not allgovernments have the knowledge of how to develop these sectors in the long termnational interest. However, Commonwealth states such as Australia, Botswana, andSouth Africa have considerable experience in this kind of resource managementand, with help from the Commonwealth, are able to share this expertise with othermember nations.Since the discovery of significant oil stocks in Belize in 2005, the Commonwealthhas been helping the Government develop a petroleum tax and royalty structuredesigned to benefit the management and investment of the new oil revenues.28Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom United Republicof TanzaniaA practical guide to the Commonwealth ➤ Co-operation29
Co-operationCulture and sportThe promotion of culture and sport arenot obvious ways in which to addresssome of the world’s most pressingissues. But the Commonwealthbelieves that cultural expression,creativity, and competition can be astrong force for human developmentand social justice.The cultural connectionCulture – in the sense of arts andcultural expression – may be harnessedto benefit communities in many ways.Creative industries can make asignificant contribution to both localand national economies. With relativelylow start-up costs, they may also offeran effective means of introducinggreater economic diversity.A legal framework ➤ TheCommonwealth supports the PacificIslands Forum in its work to developlaws and guidelines designed to helpproducers of traditional arts and craftsprotect their intellectual property fromunwanted commercial exploitation.Culture may also be used as aninstrument of social or political change.The visual and performing arts can beparticularly effective (especially in hardto-reachcommunities) in conveyingmessages about legal and politicalrights, or health and environmentalconcerns.Promoting and valuing culture is alsocentral to developing respect andunderstanding between people withdifferent identities. A failure to takeculture seriously may result in missedopportunities, the marginalisation ofgroups or communities, and thedestruction of habitats and livelihoods.Taking culture seriouslyThe promotion of culture is central tothe work of the CommonwealthFoundation, see page 19. It runs anumber of prizes and programmeshelping Commonwealth artists, writers,musicians and filmmakers to make aliving from their work. Amongst thebest-known of these is theCommonwealth Writers’ Prize,established in 1987 to take the best ofCommonwealth writing in English to awider audience.Culture also plays an important part inthe Foundation’s other work ongovernance, democracy and humandevelopment, through the use of music,drama, and street theatre to convey keyideas about political rights or healthconcerns, to both mass and hard-toreachaudiences.Musicians performing at a CommonwealthDay celebration in the CommonwealthYouth Programme (CYP) Africa RegionalCentre in Lusaka, Zambia.Medal Winners at the 2002Commonwealth Games in Manchester, UK.SportThe Commonwealth Games arearguably one of the most widely-knownCommonwealth activities. The idea wasfirst raised in 1891 by the Rev AstlyCooper, who suggested the competition“as a means of increasing the goodwilland good understanding of the Empire.”The first Games, however, were notheld until 1930, after a proposal byCanadian, Bobby Robinson. Knowninitially as the British Empire Games,the first competition took place in theCanadian city of Hamilton, with$30,000 being provided by the city tohelp cover the travel costs of theparticipating nations.Since then, the Games have beenheld every four years, except in 1942and 1946 as a result of the SecondWorld War, and today they are knownsimply as the Commonwealth Games.For many years, the programmeconsisted of only single sportscompetitions, such as athletics, boxingand swimming. The 1998 Games inKuala Lumpur were the first to includeteam sports.A further development took place in2000, with the introduction of theCommonwealth Youth Games, open toathletes aged 18 and under. The firstcompetition was held in Edinburgh andthe next, in 2011, will be on the Isle ofMan.In 2002, Manchester hosted the Gamesand, for the first time, at any multi-sportworld event, a number of events wereheld for athletes with a disability.New Delhi won the right to hold theGames in 2010 and Glasgow in 2014.In the first Commonwealth Games,400 competitors took part in 59 eventsin six sports. Today there are 17 sports;and the Games village in Delhi has thecapacity to welcome 8,500 competitorsand officials.The ties of sport ● Although theCommonwealth Games is the sportingevent that unites all Commonwealthcountries, other sports, such as cricket,football, rugby, hockey, and badminton,are also played widely throughout theCommonwealth, serving to bringpeople and nations together.International Test cricket is playedprimarily between Commonwealthmember states.30A practical guide to the Commonwealth ➤ Co-operation31Vanuatu Zambia The Commonwealth Flag
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