Anthony Albanese and CHOGM leaders back landmark climate move endorsed by King

Anthony Albanese and other leaders at CHOGM have shown support for a climate initiative endorsed by King Charles. See the video.

Commonwealth nations have endorsed a landmark promise to protect the ocean from climate change — after King Charles III’s pro-environment tour of Australia and Samoa.

The move marks a promise to protect at least 30 per cent of the ocean and restoring at least 30 per cent of degraded marine ecosystems by 2030.

It also vows to reduce emissions from maritime shipping and increasing marine renewable targets.

“His majesty, King Charles indicated in his opening statement, and has certainly had a long-term view, that climate change as a new substantial threat, and we need to make sure we provide protection on land, but also on water to mitigate its impact,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on the final day of the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) meeting in the Samoan capital of Apia.

Prime Minster Anthony Albanese receives a warm welcome in Satapuala Village, Samoa. The Prime Minister is in Samoa CHOGM summit. The village “adopted” Australia for the CHOGM summit with each Samoan village representing a different Commonwealth nation during the event. Picture: PMO

In the CHOGM communique, leaders also committed to action on ethical artificial intelligence after the King raised concerns about the impact of AI and social media on Friday in a political speech that broke with tradition.

But Commonwealth leaders stopped short of committing to action on historic slave trade reparations — calls for which were being led by the Caribbean — saying they were focused instead on conversations about “a common future based on equity” to fix the intergenerational impacts of the slave trade.

Mr Albanese spent his final day in Apia, Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at a village that “adopted” Australia for the event.

Draped in green and gold decorations, with throngs of children singing the Australian national anthem, Mr Albanese was welcomed by Samoans who titled him chief of the Satapuala village.

The village celebrated Australian culture for the CHOGM summit with each Samoan village representing a different Commonwealth nation.

Mr Albanese receives a warm welcome in Satapuala Village, Samoa. Picture: PMO

“A security threat to any one of us is a threat to all of us,” Mr Albanese said announcing the first deployment of the Pacific Police Support Group, under a security deal he signed two months earlier in Tonga at the Pacific Islands Forum.

The deal came after Chinese attempts for greater influence in the Pacific, and reinforced that the region’s security is “for the Pacific … by the Pacific”.

“Families look after each other,” Mr Albanese said.

“It is a privilege to join my fellow Pacific leaders in welcoming officers from 11 nations … demonstrating the spirit of regional co-operation.”

Mr Albanese meets children from Satapuala Village in Samoa ahead of final meetings with Commonwealth heads at the CHOGM summit. Picture: PMO

More than 40 police officers provided security for CHOGM with the partnership expected to support future events such as the Pacific Islands Forum and in times of crisis.

On the sidelines of the forum, Mr Albanese continued his tradition of talking footy with our Pacific neighbours.

“Prime Minister Marape (of Papua New Guinea) was telling me last night that there are well over 1 million people in bars, in community centres, (who) watched the game between the Prime Minister’s 13 of Australia and Prime Minister’s team of Papua New Guinea,” he said.

“This morning the Reverend … spoke about the All Blacks captain being of Samoan heritage.

“We need to emphasise our common interests, rather than any differences.”

The leaders also announced the Ghanan Foreign Minister Shirley Botchwey as the incoming Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, replacing Patricia Scotland.