(Commonwealth)_ As the clock ticks towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey emphasized the critical role of business leaders in shaping a sustainable future. Speaking at the International Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Sustainability Conference on 10 June, she issued a stark call for immediate action in response to the escalating effects of climate change.
The conference mission, led by EY headquarters in London with the theme “2030 in Sight, 2050 at Stake: Accelerating Action for People, Planet, and Prosperity”, assembled an international community of leaders in sustainability, policymakers, and private sector stakeholders. The world is behind schedule in achieving the internationally agreed net zero objectives, Botchwey underscored. With only five years remaining before the 2030 timeline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she underscored that the opportunity window to witness significant progress is rapidly closing.
Botchwey outlined that the coming decade represents a decisive period in human history—one that will determine the quality of life for future generations. She emphasized that countries cannot continue with incremental change or half-hearted commitments. Instead, the world must adopt bold, accelerated strategies that transform economies, protect ecosystems, and empower vulnerable communities.
The Secretary-General called for a move away from traditional thinking, one that is positioned towards partnership, technology adoption, and mass-level innovation. Looming as overwhelming in scope are the challenges ahead: increasing global temperature and biodiversity loss, growing inequality, Botchwey identified the Commonwealth as a distinctive and potent tool for bringing about change on a grand scale.
The Commonwealth, with its 56 member states and 2.7 billion people across five continents, is an instant platform for action. Here, among a family of nations, the Secretary-General hopes there is the potential for rolling out pragmatic solutions to national as well as international challenges. She stated that while the environmental and economic crises are complex, they also present a chance to reform development and create a more inclusive and durable world economy.
The Commonwealth Secretariat, under Botchwey’s leadership, is placing innovation and sustainability at the forefront of its new strategic framework. From unlocking greater access to climate finance for vulnerable nations to supporting transitions to clean energy and boosting digital trade, the Secretariat is looking to arm member states with weapons that deliver tangible results.
Among the key programs being developed is a new strategic plan that will guide the Commonwealth response mechanisms to handle global challenges. The plan will speed up the pace and efficiency of ongoing activities, aligning them with international sustainability agendas and shifting priorities among members. The vision is to turn the Commonwealth into an energetic action force—a “Commonwealth of Delivery.”
Botchwey’s message to business leaders was unambiguous: innovation must be associated with impact. The private sector, with its finance and ability to scale solutions rapidly, plays a crucial role in acting on the climate crisis. But this action must go further than corporate commitments to go green. It must involve direct participation with governments, civil society, and international institutions in implementing policies and technologies supporting a net zero transition.
As she travels to Namibia for the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting and the inaugural Commonwealth Business Summit, Botchwey will no doubt be advancing greater synergy between the public and private sectors. The two events will convene ministers, CEOs, investors, and entrepreneurs of the Commonwealth to tackle global trade dislocation while considering how sustainable, inclusive economies can be built.
By spreading inter-sectoral and cross-border collaboration, the Commonwealth is positioning itself to be at the vanguard of climate goals. With the race to 2030 and 2050 gaining momentum, the message is clear: urgent, collective, and decisive action alone will see us through.
