Press release: Monaco’s Governement

The Principality’s commitment to science, and in particular to the Ocean, but also to climate, is very long-standing. This engagement is strongly perpetuated today by the voice of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, whose leadership on environmental issues is internationally recognized.

It was at the initiative of the Sovereign Prince that His Foundation and His Government referred the matter to the IPCC in February 2015, at its 41st session, for the production of a Special Report on the Ocean. For more than a year, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Government of Monaco have continued their efforts to convince the public of the importance of such a publication.

Ahead of the COP21 in Paris, the Foundation joined forces with the « Ocean and Climate Platform », which brings together nearly 70 international actors from the scientific world, civil society and the economic sector to launch the « Ocean Call for Climate », ratified by more than 30,000 signatures, in order to commit the signatory States to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to placing the Ocean at the heart of climate change issues.

The strong mobilization of States for ocean/climate issues was confirmed at the COP 21 by the signature by 22 countries of the « Because the Ocean » Declaration, initiated by Monaco and justify, and personally signed by HSH The Sovereign Prince. This declaration, which has since been signed by 39 countries, called on the IPCC to produce a Special Report on the Ocean because of the worrying consequences of global warming and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions on the Ocean.

The integration in this report of the issues related to the melting of the cryosphere – the world of ice and poles – another major subject of interest for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, will provide extremely useful elements to answer the questions raised by sea level rise, which the latest studies have shown could be much more important than expected.

The decision, announced in April 2016 by the IPCC, to produce, as part of its 6th assessment round, a Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere is thus an extremely strong signal, encouraging the international community to continue its efforts both for the good governance and preservation of the Ocean, but also to fully integrate them into national and international climate policies. This decision, obtained as a result of the Principality’s sustained efforts, is a major milestone for the planet ocean.

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