Since 2008, a special aknowledgment has been given to those who stands out in nature conservation actions aimes at fighting against climate change, preserving biodiversity and care for natural resources. The 17th annual Awards Ceremony for Planetary Health held on the 7th November 2025 at the Monte-Carlo Opera House (Salle Garnier) confirmed this tradition , giving centre stage to the Do it Now approach, prainsing a proactive behavious.
H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco highlighted the importance of joint projects to pursue major environmental goals and to face the new challenges of the climate crisis: « Since its creation in 2006, the Foundation has always been built upon the imperative of collective action (...) we therefore need to keep innovating and identifying both the dangers and opportunities ». The Sovereign Prince invited to join forces to tackle increasingly frequent and numerous recurring dangers resulting from natural world imbalances largely of anthropogenic origin. Providing sustainable and long-term solutions based through impact investment and philanthropy is the key for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
« It is the responbsibility of all of us to leave our children a planet in better health, otherwise condemned to destruction or injustice, and to be aware of the dangers (...) clear-eyed and determined », H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
A parade of leading figures at a global level were were invited to come on stage to receive their prizes while sharing their win-win stories to protect natural ecosystems.
The indigenous leader, Juma Xipaia, from Brazil, founder of the Juma Institute, has been committed for many years to safeguard the rights of Amazonian traditional communities, their culture and territorial integrity, with special regard to the Middle Xingu region. She soon became a positive influencer, fostering social inclusion, women empowerment and actions to preserve rainforest biodiversity.
Juma Xipaia outlined: « It takes courage to change the world that we need and what the future generation deserves. (...) there is plenty of treaties and agreements about climate change and we have enough of that. Transforming this knowledge into action is lacking now. I believe it is important for us to assume (...) our actions (...) are creating those changes (...). I come from a far away, but we happen to be in the same sphere, on the same planet, in the same boat ».
The physicist, Professor Lidia Morawska, is an international air quality expert, with a special focus on suspended particles and their impact on health, under the uumbrella of Queensland University of Technology (Australia) and the Laboratory for Air Quality and Health (she leads), in partnership with the World Health Organisation (WHO). Her commitment on studying air transmission of disease made significant strides in preventing infections, thus saving lives.
Professor Morawska highlighted: « I dedicated my life to the study of air and the impact of its quality on human health and the environment. The complexity and interdisciplinary nature of this field of science never ceases to fascinate me and inspire to explore futher. (...) My dream is (...) to fill our indoor spaces with pollution-free air in order to help us thrive ».
Pippa Howard, chief nature strategist from NatureMetrics, leading company founded in 2014 by Dr Kat Bruce, biodiversity scientist, to provide certified data and information on natural environments. The body allows businesses, governments and NGOs to assess the health of ecosystems through the Nature Intelligence Platform reporting supported by pioneering technologies, earth observation, data science and the Artificial Intelligence.
Pippa Howard underlined: « Our planet is in crisis, and biodiversity is in catastrophic decline. (...) Our economies, oue livelihoods, our health and our ability to be resilient in the face of changing climate (...) we need to communicate more simply the state of nature to help us make better decisions, to encourage the flow of action, capacity and financial resources to deliver on the goal of protecting and restoring our ecosystems. We all need to rally to action ».
The Awards Ceremony also offered the chance to celebrate the next generation of sustainable leaders within Re.Generation scholarship initiative promoted by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to train and support under-35 researchers coming from developing Countries. The students, attending post-doctoral courses at IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in the field of climate change and study of soils, were given diplomas in the presence of Ladislaus Changa, Vice-Chairman of IPPC, and Maria Elena Cuomo, President of the Cuomo Foundation. The young actors are the protagonists of a short movie that was projected in the last part of the event where they showed their ability to convey meaningful messages encouraging communities to share joint values and support practical environmentally friendly actions.
Collaborating at multiple levels through a multidisciplinary approach is essential as emphasized by all participants in the final round-table section where three speakers discussed key issues building bridges among science, ancestral knowledge and the reconnecting with nature. ***
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By Maurice Abbati
Journalist; Editor; Communication, Media and Public Relations Specialist
Lecturer and Author in English language of Technical Articles and the Manual: "Communicating the Environment to Save the Planet, a Journey into Eco-Communication"Â by Springer International Publishing.
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