Oceans and Natural Resources
Commonwealth countries are endowed with immense and precious natural resources. These include millions of square kilometres of ocean space, significant renewable (wind, solar) and non-renewable resources (oil, gas, minerals).
When managed equitably and sustainably, the exploitation of natural resources bolsters national resilience to economic and social crises, improving prosperity for all citizens.
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Commonwealth Blue Charter
The Commonwealth Blue Charter is an agreement by Commonwealth countries to actively cooperate in addressing the myriad of ocean-related issues and commitments that they face. The world’s ocean is essential to life on our planet. Billions of people depend on it for their livelihoods. Yet human activity is increasingly putting the health of this crucial natural resource in peril. Blue ecosystems are being degraded and destroyed at an unprecedented rate and this is not an issue any single country can solve.

Maritime boundaries
Legal uncertainty on the extent of maritime jurisdiction and entitlements impacts a coastal state’s ability to manage its marine resources and can lead to conflict over access to resources, stifle investment, and hinder marine environmental protection and the development of alternative energy sources. Lack of clarity over entitlements to resources and inadequate management frameworks can also undermine the economic potential of the seas for sustainable exploitation and management of fisheries, tourism, minerals, marine renewable energy and marine biotechnology.

Ocean governance
Under international law, coastal states have jurisdiction, control and responsibilities regarding economic activities within waters extending 200 nautical miles and beyond from their coastlines and on their continental shelf. For some Commonwealth coastal states, this jurisdiction far exceeds their terrestrial areas. The growing popularity of terms such as ‘Blue Economy’ and ‘Blue Growth,’ and the inclusion of a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal devoted to the oceans (SDG 14) reflect international recognition of the value of the ocean as a potential source of expanded economic growth.


2023


​https://thecommonwealth.org/our-work/oceans-and-natural-resources
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​​SAVE THE DATE 
INTERNATIONAL ROUNDTABLE
 FISHERY AND AQUACULTURE
SUSTAINABILITY AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 
September 15th 2023
​ore: 15:00 - 18:00
  Confitarma - Palazzo Colonna - Piazza S.Apostoli, 66
 Organized by: FEDERPESCA, FEDERAZIONE DEL MARE AND PLANET DIPLOMACY