Royal Commonwealth Society launches ocean cleanup campaign at CHOGM

The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), in partnership with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), has launched an ocean cleanup campaign.

In a statement on Saturday, the RCS said the campaign was launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa. 

It will feature a sustainability relay uniting athletes, youth, conservation groups, and local communities for country-specific weeks of action.

“This campaign is a new pan-Commonwealth environmental initiative by the Royal Commonwealth Society. The aim is to prevent one million pieces of plastic from entering Commonwealth waterways,” the statement reads.

“Through local action and education, this youth-led campaign will encourage everyone to reduce their plastic waste, highlight alternatives, and seek to permanently change the way we utilise our collective waterways across the Commonwealth.

“The RCS is honoured that our Patron, His Majesty The King, highlighted this ambitious pan-Commonwealth campaign at CHOGM, reinforcing his long-standing commitment to the environment.

“The launch of the campaign took place at the Ulalei Vaiala, Taula Stadium in Apia, and was attended by the Commonwealth political and diplomatic community, including UK Foreign Secretary.

“Speakers included The Rt Hon David Lammy MP, UK Foreign Secretary; Dr Linda Yueh CBE, Executive Chair of the Royal Commonwealth Society; Dr Chris Jenkins OBE, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation; and Marina Keil, President of the Samoa Recycling and Waste Management Association.”

Speaking at the launch, Linda Yueh, RCS executive chair, noted that the Commonwealth is disproportionately affected by ocean pollution, hence the need for the campaign.

“According to the United Nations (UN), ‘plastic is the most harmful type of ocean pollution,’ and the Commonwealth is disproportionately affected because nearly half of its members are Small Island Developing States (25 out of 56 countries),” she said.

“That is why this RCS Commonwealth Clean Oceans Plastics Campaign is so important and why, together, we take action to prevent plastic waste from entering our waterways and help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, ‘Life Below Water.’

“We are delighted to be working with local partners across the Commonwealth, notably including the Commonwealth Games Federation, to achieve this ambitious aim together.”

 Chris Jenkins, CGF president, said “the love of sport is just one thing we all share; the planet is another”.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the Royal Commonwealth Society and look forward to working closely with our Commonwealth athletes and Games Associations on an innovative new relay to champion sustainability and climate action through sport as part of the countdown to the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” he added.