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Commitment to the preservation of the Mediterranean and blue innovation at the heart of the Foundation's presence at the next COP27 in Egypt

Monaco

Events

As COP 27 will open its doors in Sharm El Sheikh from 6 to 18 November, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation will focus its presence on major issues linked to its priority missions: strengthening conservation in the Mediterranean basin, accelerating the development of the blue economy and finally making the voice of the polar regions heard.

 

The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is very pleased to be associated with the Union for the Mediterranean on the Mediterranean Pavilion which, for the first time at a UNFCCC COP, will be dedicated to the specific issues and solutions of the Mediterranean region. The Foundation will therefore be organising a collaborative event on 10 November 2022 from 4pm to 5.30pm, which will be an opportunity to highlight the commitment of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Monegasque institutions and its partners.

 

The event entitled Swimming the talk: Scaling-up action to tackle climate change in the Mediterranean region - Monaco's engagement will focus on accelerating the implementation of ocean and coastal-based mitigation and adaptation solutions and on building ecosystem resilience, while improving scientific knowledge.

The Mediterranean region is indeed at the crossroads of all the challenges facing the planet today, with climate change exacerbating existing fragilities. The Mediterranean Sea, which is at the heart of the region's economies, its cultural identity and the links between its populations, is also a formidable regulator of the regional climate system. In parallel with increased efforts to reduce emissions, actions to protect the sea and its coasts should be intensified, based on sound science.

 

An allocution of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco will open the discussions which will take the form of three panels:

Panel 1: What does science tell us?

This first panel is dedicated to highlighting some of the main drivers of change as a result of a changing climate - e.g. acidification, sea level rise, temperature increase, rainfall - shows that the Mediterranean region is warming 20% more than the global average and is more affected by climate change.

Speakers:

  • Prof. Jean Pierre Gattuso, Research Professor at the CNRS and associate researcher at IDDRI.
  • Dr. Nathalie Hilmi, Head of Environmental Economics at the Centre Scientifique de Monaco
  • Dr Antoine Petit, President and CEO of the CNRS.

 

Panel 2: Resilience instruments

This session will address the potential for reducing the impacts of climate change through improved conservation and reducing other impacts, collectively and in partnerships. Emphasizing collaboration and networks, governance and institutional arrangements.

Speakers:

  • Dr. M. Purificació Canals, President of MedPan
  • HE Bernard Fautrier, Minister Plenipotentiary, Special Adviser to HSH the Sovereign Prince on Environmental Issues
  • Jean Jalbert, Director General of the Tour du Valat

 

Panel 3: A sea of solutions

Discussions will highlight the multiple solutions involving land-sea interactions and the need for integrated approaches to enhance adaptation to climate change impacts.

Speakers:

  • Théophile Bongarts Lebbe, Project Manager, Climate Change and Coastal Adaptation and Coordinator of the Sea'ties/Ocean & Climate Platform programme
  • Dr. Sally Yozell, Director of the Environmental Security Program at the Stimson Center
  • Sylvain Petit, Executive Secretary, SMILO

HE Nasser Kamel, Secretary General, Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean will deliver a closing speech.

 

COP27 is also an opportunity to pave the way for future ambitions to address the global challenge of climate change more effectively.

On this occasion, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation will host the 3rd edition of the Ocean Innovators Platform, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and investment for a sustainable blue economy.

The private event, to be held on 9 November at 5pm at the Four Seasons Hotel, will highlight how innovation and impact investing can significantly contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

 

Mr Olivier Wenden, Vice-President and CEO of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation will open the event with introductory remarks, as a preamble to the two discussion sessions.

Session 1 - Financing the sustainable blue economy: opportunities and challenges

Despite the increasing threats on the global ocean, SDG 14 remains the least invested of all the sustainable development goals. Yet, outstanding investment opportunities lie within the magnitude of the challenges relating to the development of a sustainable blue economy. Panel experts will share their experience in this industry and showcase how finance can contribute to the protection of the ocean and to the fight against climate change.

Speakers:

  • Christian Lim, CEO, SWEN Blue Ocean
  • Craig Cogut, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Pegasus Capital Advisors L.P.
  • Antonia Sariyska, Sustainable & Impact Investing Strategist, UBS Global Wealth Management
  • Markus Mueller, Chief Investment Officer ESG & Global Head Chief Investment Officer Private Bank, Deutsche Bank

Session 2 - Progressing blue innovation to advance climate action

The ocean is a source of solutions in the face of climate mitigation and climate adaptation. To address today's challenges, new ocean innovations and technologies are essential and it is crucial to support their emergence and growth. This session will go over the state of innovation in the blue economy and highlight the means to accelerate it further.

Speakers:

  • Bertrand Piccard, Founder and Chairman, Solar Impulse Foundation
  • Daniela Fernandez, Founder, Sustainable Ocean Alliance
  • Michal Nachmany, Founder of Climate Policy Rada
  • Alexis Grosskopf, Co-Founder and CEO, OceanHub Africa

 

Finally, as part of its Polar Initiative and following on from the campaign dedicated to raise awareness on environmental challenges in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation is also a partner of the Cryosphere Pavilion, which will give greater visibility to conservation issues in the Poles.