The Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation’s
Planetary Health Awards
Friday 29th October 2021
Grimaldi Forum Monaco
« I created these awards to show my
support for
exceptional men and women who are
committed to saving our planet.”
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco
On Friday 29th October,
the
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
held its 14th annual Planetary Health
Awards ceremony in the Salle des Princes of the
Grimaldi Forum Monaco.
Since 2008, these awards in the
sectors of Water, Biodiversity and Climate Change
have paid tribute to leading figures and
organizations for their deep commitment to
preserving our planet.
The ceremony was followed by the
attribution of grants to IPCC students in
support of their research on climate change and
living soils. In honor of the 15th
Anniversary of The Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation, the night closed with the exclusive
environmental-themed performance of “The Way of the
Rain – Hope for Earth” created by
Mrs
Sibylle Szaggars Redford
and with special appearance of Mr Robert Redford.
In his opening speech, HSH Prince
Albert II of Monaco reviewed the actions
undertaken by his Foundation since its creation in
2006 with the aim to preserve the environment and
promote sustainable development.
“It is emotional to think that behind
the seven hundred projects we have conducted or
supported over those years, thanks to the 90 million
Euros we have spent, we have been able to protect
dozens of species more effectively, we have helped
to safeguard hundreds of ecosystems and we have
helped thousands of our contemporaries” said HSH
Prince Albert II of Monaco before addressing his
sincere thanks to the Foundation’s teams, donors and
partners who accompanied us along these fifteen
years.
“I have crossed people from many
countries and of every age, people in extremely
different social settings (…) What I have felt over
these fifteen years, is the extent to which all
these people are dependent on a common destiny, one
which is called Planet Earth. It is for them that we
take action, it is thanks to them that we progress
and it is with them that we will succeed. Because
environmental protection is always about men and
women.”
The Sovereign Prince then attributed
the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s
Planetary Health Awards in each of his Foundation's
three priority areas of action:
the fight against climate change, the
preservation of biodiversity and the management of
water resources.
The Water Award was
presented to Chief Water Commissioner for the
Anishinabek Nation and youth activist
Autumn Peltier,
in recognition of her work to promote access to
clean water in Canada. Her commitment to access to
clean water for Canada's indigenous peoples is
internationally recognized.
Autumn has been a guest speaker at
United Nations World Water Day and the World
Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, repeatedly
raising awareness about the sacredness of water and
the need to protect it. Autumn also advocates for
the human rights of indigenous children inspiring
many young people around the world.
“One day I will be an ancestor and I
want my grandchildren to know that I used my voice
to help the Indigenous children in Canada to have
access to clean drinking water, no child should ever
go without clean water for any period of time”
declared Ms Peltier.
The Biodiversity Award was
given to
IPBES,
the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, in recognition
of its valuable work on the state of knowledge about
the world's biodiversity, ecosystems and the
contributions they make to people, as well as the
tools and methods to protect and sustainably use
these vital natural assets.
IPBES was established as an
independent body by governments in 2012 and now has
137 member states. Based in Bonn, Germany, its
secretariat is hosted by the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP). IPBES brings together
expertise from all scientific disciplines and
knowledge communities, including indigenous and
local knowledge, to provide policy-relevant
knowledge and catalyze the implementation of
knowledge-based policies at all levels of
government, the private sector and civil society.
Dr. Anne Larigauderie,
IPBES Executive Secretary, assessed, "Climate change
is often considered the preeminent environmental
challenge of our time - but the biodiversity crisis
is too important to be an afterthought. Nature’s
contributions to people are more degraded now than
at any point in human history, but science tells us
we can still reverse course if we act urgently,
driving transformative change for people and the
planet.
We are honoured to accept this
prestigious award from His Highness, Prince Albert
II of Monaco, and his Foundation, on behalf of all
the scientists, experts and knowledge-holders who
work with IPBES. Now it’s time to act on the
science."
The Climate Change Award went
to
GreenWave
a nonprofit co-created by Bren
Smith in 2014 to replicate and scale the
ecological and economic benefits of regenerative
ocean farming. Today, GreenWave trains and supports
regenerative ocean farmers in the era of climate
change and builds viable market opportunities to
ensure their long-term success.
They work with coastal communities
throughout North America to create a blue-green
economy—built and led by regenerative ocean
farmers—that ensures we all make a living on a
living planet. The organization’s 10-year goal is to
provide training, tools, and support to 10,000
farmers to catalyze the planting of 1 million acres
of regenerative ocean crops and yield meaningful
economic and climate impacts.
Regenerative ocean farming offers a
powerful solution to the climate crisis and the
opportunity to address rising social and economic
inequalities facing diverse coastal communities.
“We are deeply grateful to His Serene
Highness and the Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation for their recognition of GreenWave. We
are honored to be counted among the incredible
leaders and organizations forging pathways to a
healthier planet. There is no denying that the
impacts of climate change are accelerating. Our
backs are against the wall, but we have a choice. We
can give up, flee, and just let the planet die
slowly, or our communities can work with the ocean
to innovate a better future--one where we can all
make a living on a living planet,” said Bren Smith.
The Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation Grant for IPCC
Another momentum of the evening was
the awarding of diplomas to young researchers under
the "Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation grant for
IPCC" programme, supported by the Foundation since
2011. The grants, attributed every two years, are a
springboard for
young researchers from developing
countries, giving them the chance to continue their
studies and post-doctoral research on climate
change, for a three-year period.
Mr Abdallah Mokssit,
Secretary of IPCC underlined that the programme was
not only a success but a real advance because
supporting over the years these young researchers is
not only giving them access to science but it is
also positively impacting their communities and
region by increasing the scientific knowledge on
local climate change issues. It is an important step
in the fight against climate change enabling the
implementation of innovative and efficient
solutions.
The Foundation is proud to join
forces with Moët Hennessy in the framework of
the IPCC grants program, enabling us to open the
scope of research to the important topic of living
soils; a new conception of agricultural and wine
production based on the natural dynamics of soils,
their typicity and respectful of their functional
biodiversity.
“We are delighted to partner with the
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation on the IPCC
Grant Program. At Moët Hennessy, we have developed
an ambitious sustainability enhancement program
called “Living Soils - Living Together” and we count
on strong research programs and disruptive
innovations to meet our environmental challenges and
goals. Young IPCC students have a very important
mission in the near and long-term future to help us
all accelerate our progress, especially on topics
related to the quality of soils, its capacity of
carbon sequestration, the promotion of biodiversity,
the water management and the general adaption of
agricultural activities to a changing climate,” said
Mr Philippe Schaus, CEO of Moët Hennessy.
The 2021cohort integrates 27
students honored for the quality of their work
in the field of climate change and living soils. 10
students are sponsored by the Prince Albert II of
Monaco Foundation, 10 by Moët Hennessy and seven by
the
Cuomo Foundation,
a longtime partner of the Foundation.
12 of the students attended the
ceremony and received their diplomas on stage from
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, alongside Mr
Abdallah Mokssit, Secretary of the IPCC,
Mrs
Maria Elena Cuomo,
President and Founder of the Cuomo Foundation and
Mr
Philippe Schaus,
CEO of Moët Hennessy.
It is with great pride for the Prince
Albert II Foundation, the IPCC, the Cuomo Foundation
and Moët Hennessy to participate in the emergence of
a new generation dedicated to the health of our
planet.
Opening the door on Art and
Environment
The Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation was proud to present the world premiere
of “The Way of the Rain – Hope for Earth”
created and directed by Mrs Sibylle Szaggars
Redford, in collaboration with composer Tim
Janis and video film artist and editor Thomas
McBee. The environmental performance is an ode
to nature’s powerful beauty while calling attention
to the Earth’s vulnerability brought on by climate
change, a message which so well echoes the work
conducted by the Foundation.
“We congratulate HSH Prince Albert II
of Monaco and the Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation on its 15th anniversary. It is truly an
honor to be invited to participate in this important
occasion with the presentation of The Way of the
Rain— Hope for Earth. Now, more than ever, as the
impacts of climate change continue to escalate and
adversely affect our global communities, the
dedication and efforts of HSH Prince Albert II and
his Foundation shine brightly, leading the way for
others to follow" declared jointly Sibylle Szaggars
Redford and Robert Redford.
The multidisciplinary show imagined
as a film-concert welcomed on stage the
ZhangomusiQ Orchestra and choirs from the
Monte-Carlo Opera and Soprano Norah Amsellem.
Mr Robert Redford delivered words accompanied
by the young Monegasque pianist Stella Almondo.
The guests were transported in a journey from the
chaos of the creation of the Universe to the Hope
that together we can effectively save our Mother
Earth.
The Prince Albert II of Monaco
Foundation,
15 years of leading action for environmental
protection.
HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco very
early on promoted the ideal of a new relationship
with nature and the various species with which we
share our Earth. Aware that we were disrupting all
the major planetary balances instead of safeguarding
them, thus endangering the future of humanity, the
Sovereign decided to become personally involved
through His Foundation in order to amplify His
action in favour of the environment. Launched in
2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has
become a leading NGO for the preservation and
education of sustainable development on a global
scale. For fifteen years, the Foundation has
significantly contributed to almost 700 projects
focused on three main areas – climate change,
biodiversity and water.