Prince Albert II was joined by F1 star Charles Leclerc in opening a new Latin American branch of his environmental foundation in São Paulo, significantly expanding the organisation’s reach.
The inauguration took place on November 7th at the residence of Arnoldo Wald, Monaco’s Honorary Consul in Brazil, who will lead the new branch. Meanwhile, the evening opened with a surprise appearance from Charles Leclerc, the Monegasque Formula 1 driver, who praised the foundation’s environmental work and welcomed the expansion.
The ceremony hosted around 500 guests, including diplomats, scientists, philanthropists, and civil society representatives.
Based in São Paulo, the new office now becomes the 11th international branch and will cover the entire Latin American continent. Since 2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has already backed 24 environmental projects across 10 countries in the region.
“Brazil has approximately 20% of the world’s biodiversity,” said Wald in his speech. “It has seas, rivers and forests, such as the Amazon, and biomes, such as the Pantanal, which generate the largest carbon credit stocks in the world. It therefore has an unparalleled responsibility in the global environmental agenda.”
However, he stressed that protecting the Amazon, the Pantanal and Brazil’s other natural treasures cannot fall to governments alone. The private sector must step up too.
An urgent mission
Following, Prince Albert thanked the team for making the launch possible and spoke about the broader purpose behind the expansion. “With this new branch, and thanks to your engagement, we will be able to amplify our impact, not only in Brazil but across the entire continent,” he said.
The Prince also delivered a frank assessment of the climate crisis, noting that despite clear scientific warnings about greenhouse gas emissions, deforestations and biodiversity loss, collective action remains frustratingly slow. “The consequences of our inaction are no less grave,” he concluded.
Significantly, the inauguration came directly after the Prince’s participation in the opening of COP30 in Belém.
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Main photo credit: FPA2 – Michael Alesi / Palais Princier – Greg Grigoragi