The Prince's Government joins Space4Ocean to develop space technologies for the oceans.
- M Abti
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
The Principality of Monaco is once again a pioneer starter in the protection of marine ecosystems. The Space4Ocean Alliance was launched in 2023 by the French National Center for Space Studies (CNES), and then developed in December 2024 in Paris, in March 2025 in Monaco, and finally within the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), held in Nice from the 9th to the 13th June 2025. This collaborative and operational initiative, supported as a founding member by the Prince’s Government via the Department of External Relations and Cooperation and the Office for Space Affairs, is animated by a pool of highly-trained professionals with different backgrounds: space agencies, multilateral bodies, scientific and maritime actors.
Not by chance, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï, Government Advisor - Minister of External Relations and Cooperation, accompanied by Olivier Minazzoli, Administrator of the Monaco Space Affairs Office, took part in two major events dedicated to the Alliance during the UNOC3 week.
The Alliance is strongly committed to bridge the gap between space technologies and ocean science, aiming at offering concrete solutions to foster a more sustainable management of marine ecosystems towards nature preservation, conservation and protection. For these reasons it is perfectly in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the so-called Agenda 2030, notably SDG 14, as well as with the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UNESCO Decade of Ocean Science.
Isabelle Berro-Amadeï , Government Advisor - Minister of External Relations and Cooperation, highlighted: « I would like to thank all the founding partners (...) whose commitment has made possible the achievement of this ambitious initiative, driven by a main goal, that is putting the power of space technologies at the service of ocean preservation. Far from being an abstract concept, this commitment responds to very concrete challenges which the most vulnerable countries face every day: rising sea levels, coastline erosion, or even the scarcity of fish stocks.
To deal with it, we currently have powerful tools such as satellite imagery, in situ data and digital models to observe ocean dynamics, understand the pressures exerted on marine ecosystems, and anticipate the effects of climate change, provided that these devices are shared fairly. The Alliance that we are launching today has precisely the purpose: to make data available, share knowledge, and build lasting cooperations. The ocean cannot be protected without a detailed understanding of its evolutions, and this interpretation assumes the convergence of knowledge, willingness, and means ».
Olivier Minazzoli, Administrator of the Monaco Space Affairs Office, concluded: « The involvement of the Monaco Space Affairs Office in this initiative is based on a clear and pragmatic vision: using space technologies at the service of the Planet – and in particular, for the protection of the Oceans.
Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Office of Space Affairs does not deal with space exploration, but focuses in particular on enhancing existing space services to provide concrete solutions to environmental and societal challenges. Faithful to the commitment of His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, we are convinced that space is part of the solution: to better monitor marine ecosystems, but also to support sustainable ocean governance in the face of increasing pressures ».
The presentation of the Alliance developed within UNOC3 through a series of key events. On the 13th June 2025, the declarations of interest, signed by the first 27 members of the Alliance, were officially presented to Peter Thomson, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Ocean, formalising the creation of the body while marking its international engagement. On the 9th June 2025, Isabelle Berro-Amadeï signed the declaration of interest as part of a targeted rendez-vous which brought together nearly 200 participants, including distinguished figures from the scientific, institutional and space world. Notably, Philippe Baptiste, Minister of Higher Education and Research (France), Elisabeth Norgård Gabrielsen, Director General of the Department of Fisheries (Norway), Lionel Suchet, CNES Deputy CEO, Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice and President of the Métropole Nice-Côte d'Azur, Thomas Pesquet, Astronaut, Pilot and Engineer from the European Space Agency, and Gaëlle Giesen, Physicist, Space Engineer and World Record holder for deep-water diving.
In view of the the next governance step that will held on the occasion of its first steering committee planned in Oslo in the third quarter of 2025, the Space4Ocean Alliance is addressed to play the role of a strategic platform to strengthen cross-border cooperation and governance among ocean and coastal communities, to improve knowledge and capacity building with special focus on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), to build-up reliable indicators about the state and health of the marine environment, to protect marine biodiversity, to support Blue Economy and marine transport decarbonisation, as well as to put in force a more comprehensive regulatory framework in view of guaranteeing maritime security and combating illegal fishing.***
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" by Springer International Publishing.
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