Foreign Secretary speech at the 'Blue Finance and Innovation' event at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband pledged political commitment to elevate ocean issues at CHOGM, highlighting their economic, climate and security importance.
Ed Miliband opened his speech at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting by thanking the host nation and acknowledging the Commonwealth’s central role in ocean governance, noting the bloc’s jurisdiction over a third of the world’s ocean and nearly half of its coral reefs.
He framed oceans as pivotal to climate resilience, food security and economic stability, stressing that healthy oceans underpin millions of jobs and cultural identities across maritime nations.
Miliband reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to decarbonising global shipping through the International Maritime Organization, opposing any dilution of its net-zero framework to avoid increased long-term costs.
He outlined the UK’s support for international ocean protections, including ratifying the biodiversity agreement beyond national jurisdiction and launching the Hamilton II Declaration at COP31 to safeguard the Sargasso Sea.