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Prince Albert: “We are not up to the climate challenge”

by: Stephanie Horsman
03/11/2021

Prince Albert II of Monaco has addressed the COP26 climate summit, saying that the lack of urgency on climate control issues has been a major disappointment. It comes as world leaders pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030.  
Originally delayed due to the pandemic, the COP26 Climate Change Conference is currently underway in Glasgow. On Tuesday, Monaco’s head of state addressed around 120 assembled world leaders, saying that he regretted the fact that countries have not lived up to the commitments set forth by the Paris Agreement in 2015 and that climate change issues are not being progressed fast enough.
“Having the privilege of being one of the oldest participants in these meetings, and consequently of having the memory of many previous COPs, I remember the observations that we shared there, the promises that we made there, hopes that we raised there,” said the Prince. “However, I see today that we are not living up to these promises and these hopes. We are not up to the commitments made in 2015 in Paris during the COP21. We are not up to the climate challenge.”
Prince Albert added that he had hope in the collective ability to make meaningful change, saying, “Thankfully, there is still time to act. There is still time to limit global warming to 1.5°C, a threshold that the IPCC has shown us is a limit. There is still time to develop another energy model, which is the only way to guarantee our common future.”
Prince Albert used the Monegasque model as an example of how small changes can make big differences, highlighting some of the policies and actions the Principality has enacted including the total electrification of the urban public transport network by 2025, ocean energy heating systems, and solar panel installations. “Monaco is fulfilling its share of this communal fight,” he said.

Prince Albert attending the COP26 summit in Galsgow, photo by Photos Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace

The European Union and the United States were joined by more than 80 countries in pledging to cut methane emissions, the most potent greenhouse gas, by 30% by 2030.
It is the most significant achievement made thus far at the summit and will have a powerful short-term effect on global warming.
Until recently, the focus has been on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, but methane (CH4), which has received little attention until recently, is over 80 times stronger than CO2. Sources of methane emissions come from livestock and open pit coal mines.
The United Nations last month said that methane emissions around the planet could be cut by 20% with little to no cost using practices and technologies already available, and another report from earlier this year stated that “available targeted methane measures” could see methane levels lessened by 45% by 2023.
This alone could cut 0.3º C off projected global warming temperatures, reduce air pollution deaths by 250,000 and increase the world’s crop yield by 26 million tonnes, the UN Environment Programme said.
According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the methane cut would “immediately slow down climate change”, while US President Joe Biden called it a “game-changing commitment.”
Photo by Ivars Utināns

Additionally, over 100 nations have agreed to end deforestation practices by the end of the decade as well. Details on how this will eventuate are few, and environmentalist groups are sceptical about how it will be effectively implemented, but the determination seems sincere with the collective countries making a multi-billion-dollar pledge towards the goal.
A similar vow was made in 2014 in New York, but seven years on, little has been done to stop the progressive destruction of forests. Nearly half the world’s forests have been cut down, and the decimation of the Brazilian Amazon basin continues at an alarming pace under President Jair Bolsonaro.
Despite the challenges, there is hope that this renewed pledge will be different in that it secures the rights of indigenous people and recognises their role as guardians of the forests.
The COP26 summit, which runs from 31st October to 12th November, has brought parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
While world leaders have now left the summit, high-ranking officials are staying on to discuss and debate more detailed actions and commitments to curb climate change.
 
 
Top photo by Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace
 
 

Monaco start-up secures €3.7 million in funding

by: Stephanie Horsman
02/11/2021

Monaco start-up YouStock has reached a major milestone with three major new investors, giving them the capital to expand not only in France, but also internationally.

Founded in 2015, YouStock, the Monaco company that packs, moves and stores household goods and furniture at a reasonable price, has had a meteoric rise. Just two years into operations, the start-up attracted the attention of business incubator MonacoTech, and now they have secured funds from three new investors which will allow them to grow ever faster.

Amavi Capital, a fund specialising in European PropTech, the la Région Sud Investissement and business angel Jean-Luc Haddad, founder and president of Grospiron International, have joined forces with YouStock, investing €3.7 million in the company.

This injection of capital will allow YouStock, which has operations in Nice and Paris as well as the Principality, to continue their national expansion plans to Lyon by the end of 2022, with another to-be-determined European capital set to be established in early 2023.

“Ever since its launch, we’ve been impressed by the digital platform developed by the

YouStock team, as well as the growth they’ve generated,” said Frederic Van den Weghe, Managing Partner at Amavi Capital. “Supporting YouStock in their

ambitions to grow in France and in Europe is perfectly in line with the PropTech focus of our investment strategy. YouStock revolutionises the way you can manage your belongings on demand, short or longer term, and at a very competitive rate. All on an intuitive digital platform.”

YouStock Co-Founders Alexis Bouresche and Pierre Charvet found a hole in the self-storage market and went about plugging it. The logistics and costs of storing furniture and household items were often prohibitive for people, and the idea stemmed from these constraints.

You Stock’s guiding principles offer solutions by giving customers reasonable pricing, up to 40% less than other self-storage facilities, and customised service that allows clients to directly manage the organisation of their storage online with a QR coded inventory system. This feature means that select items can be delivered back to customer’s homes within a 48-hour time period at the click of a button.  

The company has seen phenomenal growth, boasting a clientele of 1,200, a 90% rise since 2020, and they even managed to thrive during lockdown.

YouStock has also chosen its locations wisely, with the Paris opening being a massive success due to rising rent prices forcing people into smaller flats. This has led to the need for cost-effective solutions for off-site safeguarding of personal belongings.

“Our success in Paris, Monaco and Nice confirms the relevance of a service like YouStock in big cities,” said CEO Alexis Bouresche. “By offering city dwellers the fairest, simplest, and most affordable model, we aspire to quickly become a key player. This raising of capital offers a real opportunity for us to gain a foothold throughout France over the next few months.”

YouStock’s goal is now to go beyond France’s borders and cover the whole of Europe.

 
 
 

“Sport has a unique power to highlight climate change”

by: Luke Entwistle
02/11/2021

Nico Rosberg, owner of E-sports team Rosberg X Racing, has waded in on COP26. A prominent figure within the environmental sub-section of the sporting world, Rosberg took to Twitter to advocate for the implementation of environmental policies, whilst also confirming his attendance at the conference this week.
Since his retirement from Formula 1 following his championship-winning season in 2016, Rosberg has dedicated himself to the environmental cause, culminating in the creation of his own E-rally team Rosberg X Racing, which recently earned him the European Culture Award for the Environment.
In a video and subsequent thread posted on Twitter, Rosberg on Monday called for urgency in the face of the climate crisis. In particular, he highlighted the Paris Agreement commitment to limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees by 2030 stating that, “Decisions made now affect the pace of transition to reach that zero carbon emission goal.”


In order to reach that target, Rosberg has advocated for three important changes to be immediately implemented. Firstly, he called for a shift from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources. Secondly, for the protection of rainforests and biodiversity, primarily through stopping deforestation. Finally, to build circular economies for every industry, in order to stop the use of single-use plastics.
Rosberg’s advocacy for sustainability uses the medium of sport to convey the environmental message as, in his own words, “Sport has a unique power to highlight climate change.” His engagement in the novel Extreme-e rally series has already raised the profile of climate change within a sporting context, with other racing series, including Formula 1, now starting to consider and address their environmental impact.
Rosberg will be hoping that his in-person attendance at COP26 will further raise the profile of sustainable sport, and hopefully elicit tangible, positive change at this critical juncture for the survival of the planet.
 
SEE ALSO:

Rosberg X Racing lose out in thrilling Arctic X Prix

Rosberg’s team claims 2nd straight Extreme E win

Rosberg X Racing makes history as first Extreme E winner

 
Photo: Screenshot of Nico Rosberg during Twitter video
 
 

"The COP has turned blue"

by: Cassandra Tanti
01/11/2021

Prince Albert was there for the opening day of COP26, launching the third declaration of ‘Because the Ocean’, an initiative he activated in 2015 that calls for oceans to be part of the solution to tackling climate change.
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco was joined on 31st October by Chile’s Minister of the Environment and President of COP25 Carolina Schmidt, Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Henry Puna, and a number of ministers and ambassadors for the launch of the third ‘Because the Ocean’ statement at a special event at the University of Edinburgh.
The 2021 declaration, described as “a plurilateral initiative for a multilateral ocean outcome at COP26”, calls for the adoption of a COP26 decision that encourages all Parties to the UN Convention on climate to better take into account the interaction between ocean, climate and biodiversity in their implementation plans for the Paris Agreement, and to recognise the need for greater ambition at all levels to fight climate change and protect the ocean.
The signatories of the Declaration affirm that they commit to:

  • Work to accelerate efforts to phase out greenhouse gas emissions associated with international maritime transport;
  • Promote the development of clean renewable energy sources at sea, taking into account the possible impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems;
  • Advocate for the strengthening of public and private sources of support for climate adaptation and mitigation of its effects on the ocean, particularly with multilateral development banks, climate funds, public aid to the development and other international financial institutions; and
  • Collaborate with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to achieve these goals and foster the exchange of knowledge and good practices.

In his address, Prince Albert underlined the essential role the ocean plays in regulating the climate by absorbing more than 25% of CO2 emissions and 90% of excess heat due to global warming. He also discussed the impact of warming ocean waters, changes in ocean currents and ocean acidification on marine life, as well as the effects of sea level rise on coastal environments and the increasing number of extreme weather events related to oceans.
“We must fully explore the role of the ocean and strive to better understand it, develop conservation tools, strengthen the means implemented to promote it, improve its governance and take better account of ocean issues in all United Nations negotiations,” said Monaco’s head of state.
Despite the crucial link that exists between the ocean and the climate, it was not until the COP25 in 2019 that the ocean was really taken into account in the work of the United Nations Climate Change Convention. Of the 120 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted prior to COP26 in accordance with the Paris Agreement, 80 refer to action in favour of the ocean. After handing over the presidency of the COP to the United Kingdom, COP25 President Carolina Schmidt said that “the COP has turned blue and all subsequent COPs will be also.”
The launch of the 3rd ‘Because the Ocean’ declaration is just the beginning: more countries are expected to join the initiative before the conclusion of COP26.

Prince spearheads ocean protection at COP
The ‘Because the Ocean’ (BTO) initiative was launched under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco during the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris in November 2015, calling for better consideration of the interaction between the ocean and climate change within the mechanisms of the convention.
23 countries signed the first BTO declaration, calling for 1) a special IPCC report on the ocean and cryosphere in the context of climate change, as proposed by Monaco; 2) the convening of a conference by the United Nations on the ocean to promote the implementation of SDG14, the sustainable development goal for the ocean; and 3) the adoption of an ocean action program under the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Due to the growing interest in the convention, a second BTO declaration was launched at COP22 in Marrakech in 2016. In this declaration, the 33 signatory countries “encourage the parties to the UNFCCC to consider Submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that promote, where appropriate, ambitious climate action to minimise the adverse effects of climate change on the ocean and contribute to its protection and conservation”.
Over the past five years, through awareness-raising and visibility actions, international and national workshops and political advocacy, the ‘Because the Ocean’ initiative has encouraged the integration of the ocean into the debate around climate change policy, commonly referred to as the ‘ocean – climate nexus’, emphasizing that the ocean must be part of the solution to tackling climate change if greater ambition is to be achieved.
 
 
Photos by Gaetan Luci, Prince’s Palace
 
 
 

Roca team stride to victory against struggling Paris side

by: Luke Entwistle
01/11/2021

AS Monaco Basket rounded off a perfect week, securing their fourth victory in seven days with a comfortable victory against Betclic Élite strugglers Paris. The win takes the Roca team joint top of the domestic league, behind Boulogne and Lyon only on points difference.
Paris got off to a strong start in the first quarter, but Mitrovic’s men quickly fought back thanks to two hoops from Alpha Diallo. By the end of the first quarter, AS Monaco had eked out a narrow 23-22 lead. The Roca side built on their lead in an impressive second quarter that ultimately put the game out of reach.
Paris Lee set the tone for the half for Monaco, two three pointers from the American went unreplied and a lead started to grow. That was followed up by Ibrahima Fall Faye who scored an impressive dunk on the counter attack to score the 8th point without reply. A dominant Roca side continued to extend their lead, and by the half-time mark it had been extended to a comfortable 15 points.
Not content with simply consolidating their advantage, AS Monaco continued to attack in the third quarter. Their lead was extended further thanks to the playmaking efforts of Mike James, whose passes and attacking incision created numerous point-scoring opportunities, which were duly converted by a clinical Roca team.
Going into the final quarter, AS Monaco had an unassailable 24-point lead. Despite a closer fourth quarter, ASM continued to impose themselves. Ibrahima Fall Faye cleverly intercepted a loose Paris pass to score an impressive solo dunk on the break. Alpha Diallo and Rudy Demahis piled on the misery for Paris late on to secure a 100-75 victory for Mitrovic’s men. Diallo finished the match as Monaco’s leading point scorer with 15 points.
Mitrovic was unequivocal in his praise for his side post-match, highlighting in particular the squad depth at his disposal. “Only positives, all is good… the players that I called upon all responded… This season will be a long one and I’m going to need everybody. The next match will be against strong opposition against one of the strongest sides in the Euroleague. We need to be ready.”
Mitrovic will be hoping that his side can continue their winning streak away at Olympiacos on Friday.
 
Photo by Michael Alessi, Communication Department
 
 

This year's Planetary Health Awards winners are…

by: Cassandra Tanti
01/11/2021

A 17-year-old activist from Canada has become the youngest recipient of Monaco’s Planetary Health Awards. She was one of three to be recognised for her efforts to preserve the planet in a ceremony Friday night hosted by the Prince and his Foundation.
It was the 14h annual Planetary Health Awards ceremony at the Grimaldi Forum on 29th October, paying tribute to leading figures and organisations for their deep commitment to preserving our planet in the areas of water, biodiversity and climate change.
In his opening speech, Prince Albert II of Monaco acknowledged the actions undertaken by his Foundation since its creation in 2006.
“It is emotional to think that behind the 700 projects we have conducted or supported over those years, thanks to the €90 million we have spent, we have been able to protect dozens of species more effectively, we have helped to safeguard hundreds of ecosystems and we have helped thousands of our contemporaries,” said the Prince.
“I have crossed people from many countries and of every age, people in extremely different social settings (…) What I have felt over these 15 years is the extent to which all these people are dependent on a common destiny, one which is called Planet Earth. It is for them that we take action, it is thanks to them that we progress and it is with them that we will succeed. Because environmental protection is always about men and women.”

Prince Albert II of Monaco Awards 2021 © Axel Bastello, Palais Princier

The Water Award was presented to Chief Water Commissioner for the Anishinabek Nation and youth activist Autumn Peltier, in recognition of her work to promote access to clean water in Canada. The 17-year-old has been a guest speaker at United Nations World Water Day and the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, repeatedly raising awareness about the sacredness of water and the need to protect it. Autumn also advocates for the human rights of indigenous children, inspiring many young people around the world.
During a press conference held ahead of the awards ceremony, Autumn revealed that she has been an activist since the age of eight because “Some first nation communities in Canada have no water rights, which means they can’t drink their water. They have to boil it before using it, or they have to use bottled water for simple things like washing, bathing their children, and brushing their teeth. Canada is a first world country, but first nation people are neglected and treated as if we live in a third world country. That is why I do what I do.”
When questioned by Monaco Life about what the Planetary Health Award means to her and her activitism, she responded: “This award shows me that people are listening and hearing what I have to say. One of the main reasons why I speak up about indigenous issues specifically is because they were not talked about, there is no media coverage. A lot of people living here don’t know that first nation people are facing challenges like these. So, this award shows me that my voice is being heard internationally.”
 
Autumn Peltier, Prince Albert, Dr. Anne Larigauderie and Bren Smith at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Awards 2021 © Axel Bastello, Palais Princier

The Biodiversity Award was given to IPBES, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, in recognition of its valuable work on the state of knowledge about the world’s biodiversity, ecosystems and the contributions they make to people, as well as the tools and methods to protect and sustainably use these vital natural assets.
The award was accepted by Dr. Anne Larigauderie, IPBES Executive Secretary, who said during the press conference that IPBES does for biodiversity what the IPCC does for climate change.
“Climate change is often considered the preeminent environmental challenge of our time – but the biodiversity crisis is too important to be an afterthought,” said Dr. Larigauderie. “Nature’s contributions to people are more degraded now than at any point in human history, but science tells us we can still reverse course if we act urgently, driving transformative change for people and the planet.”
IPBES was established as an independent body by governments in 2012 and now has 137 member states. It brings together expertise from all scientific disciplines and knowledge communities, including indigenous and local knowledge, to provide policy-relevant information for policies at all levels of government, the private sector and civil society.
The Climate Change Award went to GreenWave, a non-profit co-created by Bren Smith in 2014 to replicate and scale the ecological and economic benefits of regenerative ocean farming throughout North America. The organisation’s 10-year goal is to provide training, tools and support to 10,000 farmers to catalyse the planting of one million acres of regenerative ocean crops and yield meaningful economic and climate impacts.
“There is no denying that the impacts of climate change are accelerating. Our backs are against the wall, but we have a choice. We can give up, flee, and just let the planet die slowly, or our communities can work with the ocean to innovate a better future, one where we can all make a living on a living planet.”
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation grant for IPCC recipients, © JC Vinaj FPA2

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Grant for IPCC
Another highlight of the evening was the awarding of grants to young researchers under the ‘Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation grant for IPCC’ programme, supported by the Foundation since 2011. The grants, attributed every two years, are a springboard for young researchers from developing countries, giving them the chance to continue their studies and post-doctoral research on climate change, for a three-year period.
Mr Abdallah Mokssit, Secretary of IPCC underlined that the programme was not only a success but a real advance because supporting over the years these young researchers is not only giving them access to science but it is also positively impacting their communities and region by increasing the scientific knowledge on local climate change issues. It is an important step in the fight against climate change enabling the implementation of innovative and efficient solutions.
The 2021 cohort integrates 27 students honoured for the quality of their work in the field of climate change and living soils. 10 students are sponsored by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, 10 by Moët Hennessy and 7 by the Cuomo Foundation, a longtime partner of the Foundation.
12 of the students attended the ceremony and received their diplomas on stage from HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, alongside Mr Abdallah Mokssit, Secretary of the IPCC, Maria Elena Cuomo, President and Founder of the Cuomo Foundation, and Philippe Schaus, CEO of Moët Hennessy.
Opening the door on Art and Environment
The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation also presented the world premiere of ‘The Way of the Rain – Hope for Earth’ created and directed by Sibylle Szaggars Redford, in collaboration with composer Tim Janis and video film artist and editor Thomas McBee. The environmental performance is an ode to nature’s powerful beauty while calling attention to the Earth’s vulnerability brought on by climate change, a message which echoes the work conducted by the Foundation.
“We congratulate HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation on its 15th anniversary. It is truly an honor to be invited to participate in this important occasion with the presentation of The Way of the Rain— Hope for Earth,” said Sibylle Szaggars Redford and her husband Robert Redford. “Now, more than ever, as the impacts of climate change continue to escalate and adversely affect our global communities, the dedication and efforts of HSH Prince Albert II and his Foundation shine brightly, leading the way for others to follow.”
The multidisciplinary show imagined as a film-concert welcomed on stage the ZhangomusiQ Orchestra and choirs from the Monte-Carlo Opera and Soprano Norah Amsellem. Robert Redford delivered words accompanied by young Monegasque pianist Stella Almondo.
 
 
Top photo left to right: Bren Smith, Dr. Anne Larigauderie, Prince Albert, Autumn Peltier ©Axel Bastello Prince’s Palace