Since ascending the throne in 2005, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco has established himself as one of the world’s most committed heads of state in the defence of the marine environment. Heir to a strong maritime tradition deeply rooted in the history of the Principality, the Prince has spent nearly two decades spearheading determined action to protect the seas and oceans, combining environmental diplomacy, scientific support and the funding of concrete initiatives on a global scale.
A Foundation with a global mission
Founded in 2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) is the cornerstone of this commitment. It supports innovative projects around the world, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean, the polar regions and the least developed countries.
In April 2006, Prince Albert II undertook a significant expedition to the North Pole, becoming the first reigning head of state to reach this remote location. Traversing nearly 100 kilometres over four days by dog sled from the Russian base of Barneo, he aimed to observe firsthand the impacts of climate change on the Arctic environment. This journey was also a homage to his great-great-grandfather, Prince Albert I, a pioneer in oceanography who had conducted exploratory campaigns around Spitsbergen a century earlier.
The stark realities witnessed during this expedition, melting ice caps, disrupted ecosystems, and visible pollution, galvanised Prince Albert II to take decisive action. Recognising the urgent need for environmental stewardship, he established the FPA2 to address the planet’s pressing ecological challenges.
Prince Albert II’s commitment to the Arctic extends beyond his initial expedition. In January 2015, he attended the Ninth Arctic Frontiers Conference in Tromsø, Norway, emphasising the global significance of Arctic protection due to its pivotal role in climate regulation. During this visit, he engaged with various stakeholders, including indigenous communities and scientific organisations, to discuss sustainable practices and the development of marine protected areas in the region.
Geographically, the Foundation concentrates its efforts on the Mediterranean Basin, the Polar Regions, and the world’s least developed countries, recognising these areas as critical fronts in the fight against environmental degradation.
Monaco Blue Initiative
The Monaco Blue Initiative (MBI) is a think tank launched in 2010 by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, in collaboration with the Oceanographic Institute of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. This initiative aims to bring together key stakeholders in ocean conservation and governance to discuss current and future challenges related to sustainable ocean management.
Each year, the MBI organises workshops bringing together representatives from governments, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, the scientific community, and the media. These meetings aim to promote synergies between marine environmental protection and the development of a sustainable blue economy. The results and recommendations of the MBI are then presented at high-level international discussions, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, negotiations on marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and the International Congress on Marine Protected Areas.
Thus, the MBI has played a central role in integrating ocean-related issues into international environmental negotiations. It has notably helped raise awareness among policymakers on marine governance issues, the need to protect at least 30 % of the oceans by 2030, and the importance of supporting marine protected areas.
OACIS: Science at the service of the ocean
Believing that knowledge is the primary tool of protection, on the initiative of the Prince several far-reaching scientific programmes have been launched. Among them is OACIS (Ocean Acidification and other Ocean Changes — Impacts and Solutions), run in partnership with the IAEA and the Monaco Scientific Centre. It is a Monegasque association created in 2013 at the initiative of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to study the impact of climate change on the ocean, such as acidification, as well as potential solutions to mitigate its impacts. It focuses on tackling ocean acidification by supporting research, training and scientific cooperation.
Recognising the urgency of this issue, Prince Albert II initiated the Monaco Declaration on Ocean Acidification in 2009. Signed by more than 150 scientists from 26 countries, the declaration aimed to alert the international community to a phenomenon that was then still little known.
In 2024, a new partnership agreement was signed between the Foundation and the IAEA to strengthen their collaboration on ocean acidification and ocean-based climate solutions. This includes joint training programs, expert meetings, and public awareness events at major gatherings such as Monaco Ocean Week and the UN Ocean Conference in June 2025 that was held in Nice.
From Monaco to the United Nations: Prince Albert’s Ocean Legacy in Action
This year, on the 7th and 8th of June, Monaco hosted the Blue Economy & Finance Forum (BEFF). This key event served as a prelude to the 2025 UN Ocean Conference, held in Nice from June 9 to 13. These events could not go without the dedicated attention of the Prince of Monaco, whose heart is deeply committed to the protection of our oceans.
Hosted by Prince Albert II of Monaco, the forum welcomed Prince William of Wales, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, underscoring the event’s legitimacy and high-level reach.
During the event in Monaco Prince Albert II noted that viable blue-economy models already exist—from biotech to fisheries—and urged readiness for widespread implementation. On the occasion of World Ocean Day, and ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and France’s President Emmanuel Macron issued a historic joint declaration reaffirming their countries’ shared and unwavering commitment to ocean protection. Adopted in Monaco on June 8, 2025, the Franco-Monegasque Declaration on the Ocean emphasizes the strategic role of the ocean in climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. France and Monaco pledged to advance marine science, support ambitious international agreements including the BBNJ treaty, promote a precautionary approach to deep-sea mining, and champion sustainable blue finance and maritime decarbonization. The declaration calls for urgent, collective international action to address threats such as plastic pollution, illegal fishing, and climate-driven ocean changes—placing the Ocean at the heart of global environmental and development agendas.
At the end of the Monaco Forum, Prince Albert II noted that “positive momentum does occur” — and with Monaco’s platform, key building blocks are now aligned. The global financial momentum underway includes the BEFF highlighting over $25 billion in already identified investments in concrete ocean transition projects across diverse sectors. New financial commitments announced include an additional €8.7 billion by 2030.
Leaders left Monaco to advance these discussions at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice. Speaking at the opening, Prince Albert II warned that the ocean is “a treasure in peril” and called for urgent, science-based action. He emphasized that “all mineral exploitation of the deep seabed should take place within a regulatory framework based on reliable scientific data, under the auspices of the International Seabed Authority.” Finally, he reaffirmed Monaco’s support for the precautionary principle and the creation of an International Platform for Ocean Sustainability, echoing the themes of responsible ocean stewardship discussed days earlier at the Blue Economy & Finance Forum in Monaco.
Mr. Goodfish: Sustainable fishing as a lever for change
Since 2013, the the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has backed the Mr. Goodfish programme, which promotes sustainable fishing. By encouraging consumers and professionals to favour seasonal species in line with responsible fishing quotas, the initiative helps combat overfishing — a major threat to marine biodiversity.
Launched in March 2010 by three European aquariums —Nausicaá (France), Acquario di Genova (Italy), and Aquarium Finisterrae (Spain) — under the aegis of the World Ocean Network, the Mr. Goodfish initiative aims to promote the sustainable consumption of seafood. Its principal objective is to encourage consumers to choose abundant and seasonal marine species, thereby reducing pressure on overexploited stocks.
Since 2013, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has served as the South-East regional coordinator for the Mr. Goodfish campaign. In collaboration with partners such as the Mare Nostrum and the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, the Foundation raises awareness among professionals — from fishermen to restaurateurs — about the importance of offering and clearly labelling seafood recommended for sustainable consumption.
In 2023, the programme included 204 restaurateurs and caterers, 123 fish wholesalers, 62 educational institutions, 14 fishmongers, 4 processors, 7 fishing vessels, 2 distributors, and 19 producers committed to the initiative. Renowned establishments such as the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel, Maona, Café de Paris, Le Deck, Fairmont Monte-Carlo, L’Hirondelle, Elsa, Hôtel Metropole, and many other Monegasque restaurants and venues have incorporated Mr. Goodfish recommendations into their menus, offering sustainably sourced species to their guests.
BeMed: Tackling plastic pollution in the Mediterranean
Prince Albert II has also made the fight against plastic pollution in the Mediterranean a priority. Launched in 2015 under the impetus of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the Tara Ocean Foundation, Surfrider Foundation Europe, the MAVA Foundation, and the IUCN, the Beyond Plastic Med (BeMed) initiative aims to tackle plastic pollution in the Mediterranean, the most polluted sea in the world, with over 3 trillion microplastic particles. The initiative focuses on prevention, education, waste reduction, and the promotion of sustainable solutions.
Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development: Active involvement in global alliances
The Principality of Monaco, under the leadership of H.S.H. Prince Albert II, is actively engaged in international alliances for ocean conservation, particularly through the Ocean Decade for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) launched by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. In November 2021, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation formalised a partnership with the IOC-UNESCO, thus reinforcing its role as a founding member of the Ocean Decade Alliance. This agreement aims to support the mobilisation of resources and foster partnerships to achieve the Decade’s vision.
In parallel, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation collaborates with UNESCO and the IUCN to identify and protect exceptional marine sites through the Marine World Heritage network. This initiative seeks to identify sites of outstanding universal value, particularly in sensitive areas such as the Arctic, with the goal of inscribing them on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
MedFund: Financing conservation in the Mediterranean
To ensure sustainable funding for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation invested €1 million in the MedFund, an environmental trust fund dedicated to marine conservation. This partnership was formalised during the Monaco Ocean Week in March 2019, in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II.
Since its creation, MedFund has allocated more than €15 million, with €9 million in capitalisation, to support 9,588 km² of MPAs, including 232 km² under strict protection. The goal is to reach a capital of €30 million in the medium term to sustainably finance around 20 MPAs.
The Pelagos Initiative: A Model of International Cooperation for Marine Conservation
In 2021, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, WWF, IUCN, and the Mediterranean Protected Areas Network (MedPAN) launched the Pelagos Initiative. This collaboration aims to strengthen the protection of the Pelagos sanctuary by supporting conservation projects, raising public awareness, and coordinating actions between the different marine protected areas within the sanctuary.
To fund these initiatives, fundraising events are regularly organised. For example, in September 2023, a philanthropic evening in Monaco raised 864,000 euros, thanks to the participation of 60 philanthropists, with part of the funds being matched by the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and the UBS Optimus Foundation.
Thus, the Pelagos Sanctuary represents a model of international cooperation for the preservation of marine biodiversity in the Mediterranean, actively supported by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and its partners.
“Man and the Ocean”: A Call for Balance Between Humanity and the Sea
In 2022, on the occasion of World Oceans Day, H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco published his book titled “Man and the Ocean”, a work that reflects his personal commitment and deep respect for the oceans. This book highlights the major challenges the oceans face, such as climate change, plastic pollution, and the loss of marine biodiversity.
In “Man and the Ocean”, Prince Albert II explores the vital and close relationship between humanity and the ocean, emphasizing the need for a sustainable balance to ensure a harmonious future for both. Through personal testimonies and contributions from scientists and experts in the marine field, the Prince offers concrete solutions to preserve the oceans while underscoring their essential role in maintaining the ecological balance of the planet.
Saving endangered marine species
Some of the Prince’s efforts are directly aimed at the survival of iconic species. This is the case with the Mediterranean monk seal, which is critically endangered. The Foundation has supported its protection for over a decade, notably through the creation of marine protected areas such as the one around the Greek island of Gyaros. In 2019, the Foundation spearheaded the creation of the Monk Seal Alliance (MSA), which brings together five donor organizations (the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, the MAVA Foundation, the Fondation Segré, the Sancta Devota Foundation and the Thalassa Foundation).
Another landmark initiative was launched in 2008, when Prince Albert II made Monaco the first country to ban bluefin tuna consumption. This pioneering move aimed to raise awareness about the species’ alarming overfishing in the Mediterranean.
A commitment that inspires
Through his consistent actions, Prince Albert II of Monaco demonstrates that protecting the oceans is not just an ideal, but a concrete, scientific, diplomatic and civic commitment. By combining ecological vision with on-the-ground diplomacy, he has placed the Principality at the heart of major international environmental efforts.
Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface — and in Prince Albert II, they have found a tireless advocate. His actions serve as a model for both nations and individuals around the world.
