2022, the year that Europe burned

21/12/2022

Everyone in Europe felt the heat this summer, but its forests suffered too, with 2022 a record year for fierce forest fires and carbon emissions.

Between January and November, more than 785,000 hectares of European land burned. This was more than double the average amount recorded between 2006 and 2021 – 317,00 hectares – according to a report co-published by the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) and the Copernicus observation programme, previously known as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, in December.

These fires across Europe caused record carbon emissions too: nine megatonnes compared to an average of 6.75 megatonnes between 2003 and 2021.

The peak period of fires, between 1st June and 31st August, caused an estimated 6.4 megatonnes of carbon emissions. It was the most damaging summer since 2007.

The most dangerous fires took place in southwestern France and Spain, and overall, France noted 61,000 hectares of damage within its borders. It was a figure not reached since official forest fire records began in 2006.

In the south of France, more than 500 separate forest fires were recorded during the summer. While the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region wasn’t spared from heat, the area destroyed by fires was less than in 2021, at 6,831 hectares this year compared to 7,356 the previous summer.

Photo source: Malachi Brooks for Unsplash

Nice Airport rolls out Restos du Cœur donation scheme

by: Elsa Carpenter

21/12/2022

How often have you reached airport security only to have to throw away perfectly good items? A scheme at Nice Airport removes this unnecessary waste and instead donates the goods to Restos du Cœur.

The initiative allows travellers to donate goods and products prohibited in aircraft cabins to the charity rather than simply chucking them in the trash.

It was launched back in March 2022 as a trial at some Terminal 2 lines, and in the eight months following the initial introduction of the scheme, more than 20,000 items were collected up and shared with Restos du Cœur. Given the clear success of the project and its willing uptake among passengers, the partnership between Nice Airport and the Restos du Cœur charity has now been rolled out across all terminals and screening areas.

“This partnership is a great opportunity,” says François Chantrait, the head of communications at Restos du Cœur 06. “The recovered products are a welcome addition to the weekly box we offer to people in need: delicatessen, hygiene and cosmetic products, various desserts… It’s a little “bonus” that is appreciated when day-to-day life is difficult for those most vulnerable. It is also a virtuous partnership in terms of sustainable waste management. In other words, this good deed is also a positive action for the planet.”

There have also been a few unforeseen benefits, namely that “cabin baggage inspections take place in a calm atmosphere as travellers are much more willing to see their confiscated products donated than destroyed”, according to a spokesperson for airport.

“Although we had to overcome certain obstacles, particularly logistical ones, we can only be proud of this partnership with Restos du Cœur,” says Franck Goldnadel, the chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “Every year, we have to collect of hundreds of thousands of objects and consumer products and dispose of them so they can be destroyed. At a time when waste is unacceptable and when, unfortunately, a growing number of people must choose between housing and food, we owe it to our region and to the people of the Côte d’Azur to expand our system of recovery and donation.”

Photo source: Nice Côte d’Azur Aéroport/Facebook

Photos: Prince Albert celebrates 40 years of Red Cross presidency

by: Elsa Carpenter

20/12/2022

An emotional evening shared by the Princely Family and volunteers from Monaco’s Red Cross has celebrated four remarkable decades of Prince Albert as the organisation’s dedicated president.

On Saturday 17th December, Prince Albert, accompanied by his wife Princess Charlene, the couple’s two children Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, and his niece Camille Gottlieb, entered the Chapiteau de Fontvieille to a warm and heartfelt welcome from more than 320 Croix Rouge de Monaco volunteers.

The occasion celebrated 40 years to the day since Prince Albert took over the presidency of the well-known organisation, which had arranged for a retrospective exhibition of photographs from over the years to line the hall.

Much has changed in the four decades since Prince Albert took on the role, and the Monaco Red Cross’s Secretary General Frédéric Platini and Treasurer Bettina Ragazzoni-Janin spoke fondly of the developments and changes the Prince had helped bring about in his four decades of tenure, before broadcasting a special video to mark its anniversary.

*Prince Albert and his family pose for a commemorative photograph of the evening, source Croix Rouge de Monaco*

In a touching speech, Prince Albert recalled his personal experiences at the Red Cross and extended sincere thanks to the organisation’s partner and donors, “without whom nothing would be possible”.

He then received a memento of the night from his children, a framed photo of the twins with the 40th anniversary logo and a sweet inscription of “Bravo Papa”. Prince Albert was also gifted an engraved Jaquet Droz watch by the Red Cross’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

The festivities concluded with a gourmet meal and music, complemented by entertainment from comedian Hassan of Monaco and ice sculptor Mario Amegee, who both volunteer locally. Gymnasts from the Femina Sports de Monaco rounded off the exceptional night.

Photo sources: Croix Rouge de Monaco/Facebook/Fitte

Monaco co-sponsor UN food security plan

by: Elsa Carpenter

20/12/2022

The Principality of Monaco has allied itself with 40 other nations to co-sponsor an update to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s mandate in managing the food scarcity crisis borne of the Ukraine-Russia war.

Monaco recently attended the 171st meeting of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) that was held in Rome from 5th to 9th December. The Principality’s participation – represented by Anne Eastwood, Monaco’s Ambassador to Italy, and permanent representatives to the UN, Karine Lemon-Médecin and Christelle Revel – was in the role of observer, as it does not currently sit on the council.

Nevertheless, Monaco played a key role in one of the most important moments to come out of the session: the adoption of a key decision made in response to the far-reaching effects of the war in Ukraine on food, fertiliser and energy supplies.

The Principality was a co-sponsor, alongside 40 other states, of a proposal to increase the FAO’s actions on a multinational level. Among the changes were a request for the FAO to update its member quarterly on the food scarcity situation and for its continued “political and technical support for sustaining the Black Sea Grain Initiative”.

This latest proposal is part of an action plan that was set in motion following an emergency meeting of the FAO back in April 2022. At the time, Monaco and 80 other signatories asked the FAO to present short, medium and long-term plans to address the food security challenges brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Other issues tabled included the challenges faced to the global food market due to the Covid pandemic and affiliated global economic downturn. Members further discussed and acknowledged the importance of managing water resources as a safeguard of food security and climate resilience, with the recommendation to include this issue as an agenda item at the FAO Conference that will be held in July 2023.

The conclusion of the session was marked by the adoption of a report outlining key priorities and recommendations related to food security, which will guide the ongoing work of the FAO.

Photo source: Monaco Communications Department

Bold statement by Prince Albert calls for “courageous decisions”

by: Jessica Tatam

19/12/2022

Monaco’s Prince Albert II has released an impassioned statement expressing his disappointment in the lacklustre results of November’s COP27, along with his fear that COP15 will end the same way.

With COP15 in Montreal drawing to a close, Prince Albert has written an op-ed published in the Spanish press agency EFEverde. In it, he makes strong remarks on the underwhelming results of COP27 on climate, which, amongst other things, made no progress on “the most important purpose in terms of climate protection” – the eradication of fossil fuels.

“It is very likely that COP15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity will also prove to be a disappointment” he writes.

The Prince continued by reminding us that the world is facing “an unprecedented crisis, with the prospect of a sixth wave of species extinction” and lamented the fact that, despite this, “humanity continues to be incapable of mobilising around a problem whose extreme seriousness many people do not perceive”.

The lack of media coverage of COP15 also came as a source of disappointment to Prince Albert, commenting that while COP27 “has made some headlines”, COP15 on biodiversity “unfortunately seems to interest almost no one”, despite the fact that “we know that biodiversity and climate are closely linked and that it is useless to try to preserve one without protecting the other”.

Whilst the disappointment was clear, his message to the people was one of hope and encouragement in the face of adversity. Following a lack of commitment and urgency from the international community, the Prince urged the world to take action in other forms, such as “relying in particular on the dynamism of the private sector, the mobilisation of civil societies and the intelligence of the scientific community”.

It was in this manner, through the combined efforts of “NGOs, scientists, economic players, and a few determined States” that “we succeeded in saving several endangered species over the past few years, such as the monk seal, the Mediterranean bluefin tuna and the Amur tiger”, he explains in the statement.

The Prince strongly emphasised the need “to do whatever it takes, to reach the target fixed by the scientific community: to place 30% of terrestrial and marine areas under protected status by 2030”, arguing that this is “the most effective way of protecting global biodiversity, of combating climate change and of promoting, on a broader level, human development which is no longer synonymous with the irreversible destruction of nature”.

His heartfelt statement ended with a clear message: for everyone to work together and take action, no matter how small.

“We can all help to reach these clear goals. Each one of us can take action, at our own level, with our own resources, so that we are able to find a way together of reconciling humanity with nature,” he concludes. “This is the best way to make up for the disappointment ensuing from recent multilateral conferences, to generate positive pressure so that the next editions finally result in the courageous decisions our world so badly needs.”

Photo source: Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation

Pictures: Christmas Garden in the Hôtel de Paris

by: Cassandra Tanti

19/12/2022

With thousands of sparkling lights, an enchanted forest and a miniature world of chocolate delights, Monaco’s most prestigious hotel invites guests into its Christmas Garden at the heart of Monte-Carlo.

Wander into the courtyard of the famed Hôtel de Paris to discover a forest of green fir trees filled with cheeky elves of all personalities – the dreamer, the mischievous and the prankster.

Indulge in a delicious hot chocolate created by the Alain Ducasse chocolate factory or a glass of champagne before buying some beautiful handmade Christmas decorations or gifts in the glasshouse.

Then dive into the world of sweet delights at the next glasshouse boutique, where Monegasque chefs have prepared beautiful gingerbread houses, cinnamon stars, chocolate trees and festive sweets, unique creations to be enjoyed on the spot or to take away.

The collection has been created by Chef Philippe Joannes, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, with his teams at Monte-Carlo Catering; incredible desserts and chocolates made by chefs Ken Thomas and Cédric Campanella, and pastries made by chef Thomas Subrin, Meilleur Ouvrier de France.

Order on site or by phone at least three days in advance. To see the catalogue, click here.

Click on the gallery below, all photos by Monaco Life…