Essay, Paragraph, Speech on “Commonwealth Games” Complete English Essay for Class 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, Graduation classes.

Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2015, also known as CHOGM 2015 was the 24th meeting of the heads of government of the Commonwealth of Nations. It was held in Malta from 27 to 29 November 2015. The Commonwealth meeting was held immediately prior to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. The Commonwealth conference accordingly held a special session on climate change and global sustainability in an attempt to build political support around the issue prior to the Paris summit. In consideration of small island nations that are being threatened by rising sea levels that accompany climate change, a proposal was discussed to allow these countries to write off their debts in exchange for taking measures to protect the environment.

The leaders agreed on and issued the Commonwealth Leaders’ Statement on Climate Action which called climate change an “existential threat” to many states and called for the upcoming 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) to produce “an ambitious, equitable, inclusive, rules-based and durable outcome … that includes a legally binding agreement” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and control climate change. The statement asserted that “many of our most vulnerable states and communities are already facing the adverse impacts of climate change … (and) for some it represents an existential threat.” The leaders also called for developed nations to spend $100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing countries deal with the effects of climate change. To that end, Canada pledged $2.65 billion over five years to help developing countries tackle climate change. The UK committed £21. million for disaster management and £5.5 million for the ocean-based economy whilst Australia has committed $1 million for a new Commonwealth initiative, the Climate Finance Access Hub, and India pledged $2.5 million in assistance. A $1 billion Commonwealth Green Finance Facility, proposed by the Prince of Wales, was also created to support environmental projects among poor Commonwealth nations.

The final Communiqué issued by leaders at the end of the CHOGM also addressed the issues of peace and security, affirming that “radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism in all its forms and ramifications are serious threats to the whole world”. It called upon Commonwealth members to fully implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 2178 (2014) on terrorism and extremism and called for the implementation of “national strategies to counter radicalisation, violent extremism and terrorism” including education and the addressing of grievances and alienation by susceptible individuals, particularly young people. The Commonwealth leaders also agreed to a British proposal to create a new unit of experts to counter extremism. The body will be run by the Commonwealth Secretariat, which will combat radicalisation and terrorist recruitment across the Commonwealth. Australia has committed $2.5 million to the unit in addition to a £5 million by Britain.

The statement also reaffirmed commitments to human rights and good governance, and respect for rule of law and democratic principles and agreed to enhance national and international efforts to address the causes of irregular migration including prevention and abatement of conflict and violent extremism. The statement called for eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable economic development; strengthening the rule of law; nurturing inclusive and pluralist political systems; combating organised crime, human trafficking and people smuggling, and modern day slavery; and reinforcing respect for human rights. It also called for international co-operation and the adherence of international law in regards to migration, calling on all stake-holders to work towards a lasting solution to this global issue.

On the issue of sustainable development leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and called for its implementation in the hopes that it would “lead to the eradication of poverty in all its dimensions and ensure no one is left behind”. It was also agreed to “provide continued assistance to member states in attaining long-term debt sustainability by means of technical advice on institutional strengthening, debt financing, debt strategy formulation and debt restructuring.”