H.S.H. Prince Albert II Monaco's Speech

Ladies and Gentlemen, It has been a great pleasure to welcome this conference to Monaco once again; building on the important work you started last year. At a time when we are faced each day with a deepening sense of gloom at the global economic crisis, the fact that you are here is testament to your commitment to developing next generation technologies.

For too long we have failed to look beyond the horizon of today; polluting our air, land and water and mercilessly plundering the fossil fuels we have come to rely on to power our increasingly greedy economies. Last week in Copenhagen, at the International Scientific Conference on Climate Change the message could not have been starker: ‘the worst case IPCC scenario trajectories are being realised. For many key parameters the climate system is already moving beyond the patterns of natural variability within which our society and economy have developed and thrived .

And yet, I am here today, optimistic. Together we can overcome the greatest challenge that faces our generation.

As you heard from the CDE yesterday, Monaco is committed to doing what we can to protect the environment; and this is a long-standing commitment. A century ago, my namesake and great-great grandfather Prince Albert 1 created the Oceanographic Museum and that of Prehistoric Anthropology. My father Prince Rainer perpetuated the Principality’s commitment to marine biology by creating an underwater reserve.

I have long believed that my role is to testify and to act. In order to bear witness I have travelled to both North and South poles, meeting scientists and researchers and drawing attention to the evident effects of climate change. By way of action, in 2006 I created the foundation that bears my name. The mission of the foundation is to identify, support and develop projects and initiatives dedicated to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable development. Through my foundation I am committed to meeting three of the great challenges we face today: universal access to clean water, threats to biodiversity issues regarding climate change. It is now universally accepted that as human beings we live on a small, fragile planet with finite resources, and we must all act together to stop the damage being done, and repair our delicate global system.

And we are acting.

In the same week as we confronted the reality that we have for too long underestimated the impact our actions are having on the planet, the President of the Maldives announced that he was committed to making his country carbon neutral within the next decade . A bold and important commitment which we can all commend. We must also hope that the new American Administration turns enthusiasm and ‘green-speak’ into effective action.

And you are acting.

As scientists and technicians you are developing the technologies that will clean up the environment, and be at the forefront of what Mr Rifkin so passionately describes as the Third Industrial Revolution. As members of the construction industry you are developing the markets, proving the technology works. As bankers and financiers you are an essential part of bringing these technologies to the market. Members of the media and political elite we look to you to get the message out, and create the legislative frameworks and incentives needed to implement these new technologies.

Over the past two days there has been a productive and important interchange of ideas; seeds have been sown and relationships forged that will sustain the important project that we are all engaged upon. As Aimé Césaire said: ‘a civilization that is unable to resolve the problems it has itself created is a decadent one.’ You ladies and gentlemen are engaged in the work that will resolve the problems our civilization has created; and in that, you have my whole-hearted support.

Thank You