In 2005, I stood in front of the Lilliehook Glacier in Svalbard Bay, in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean; the same location my great-great-grandfather explored 100 years prior. The integrity of glaciers and ice caps I observed, compared to his photographs, presented the reality that a climate crisis was coming sooner than most believed and inspired my decision that the polar regions would become a priority for the foundation I founded in 2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
While my expedition to the South Pole in 2009 emphasized the need to accelerate global action, my latest visit to the Arctic in June confirmed that the world community has not been paying enough attention to these remote areas and is not fully cognizant of the changes they are experiencing that will impact all nations worldwide.
What happens in the polar regions doesn’t stay in the polar regions. It strikes the entire planet, knocking down our doors with dire consequences: rising sea levels; increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events; catastrophic droughts and floods; accelerating ocean acidification; disruption of ecosystems; and loss of biodiversity.
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Prince Albert II, The Boston Globe, 12 October 2022. Full article.
