Environmental debate in Monaco

The world will be watching Monaco this week, when environment ministers from over 100 countries meet for the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) 10th Special Session [1] of the Governing Council/Global Ministerial Environment Forum. The theme of the session is "mobilizing finance for the climate challenge."

Ever since Prince Albert II ascended the throne of the Principality, he's made it clear that environmental concerns are on the agenda. During his investiture speech [2] in July 2005, he praised the conservationist actions of his ancestors, and assured Monegasque nationals, residents and workers that the "will to preserve the environment must be one of the contributions of our country to the international community." Albert's words are certainly not empty rhetoric. In the 2.5 years since making that speech, he led an expedition to the North Pole to draw attention to the consequences of global warming, signed the Kyoto Protocol, and won a United Nations 2008 Champions of the Earth [3] award for these and many other actions.