MONACO — Monaco is punching well above its weight in international affairs as it moves forward with a bold effort to safeguard the Ocean. During his address to the United Nations General Assembly Prince Albert II laid out his vision of the future. “Respect for the environment and wild species on land and at sea and supporting science were fundamental priorities for the Princes of Monaco through the centuries,” said His Serene Highness. “Today what was a relentless commitment has become a duty for our survival”.
A lot is at stake in our approach to the world’s Ocean which is home to 80% of the world’s biodiversity. With the Ocean taking up 70% of the surface of the plant it is not surprising that 80% of the world’s population lives on the coast – with an even higher figure living close to major rivers which feed into the seas. The Ocean produces at least 50% of the oxygen on the planet and roughly 30% of the world’s population gets its daily protein from the Ocean.
