Monaco Yacht Show Has Zero Carbon Footprint For 2007

Despite being the second smallest country in thesuccessfully campaigning among world leaders since
world Monaco has established herself as the naturalhis inauguration two years ago to move the
European home for many of the world's wealthiestenvironment up the political agenda, and it has
men and women due to her tax haven status, withbrought the issue to the fore at home.
many more visiting on holiday while cruising thePrince Albert of Monaco signed the country up for
Mediterranean for the Monte Carlo casino - andthe Kyoto Protocol shortly after becoming Sovereign,
Monaco has managed to stay as a top destination byand a few months later left behind the comfort and
cleverly spotting and exploiting trends ahead of herglamour of his palace and Casino Square for the wilds
competitiors.of Antartica to see for himself the damage being
And world class yachts and its industry hascaused to the glaciers because of global warming.
blossomed over the last ten years, with multiUpon his return he set up a foundation with his own
millionaires and billionaires buying yachts in the tens ofmoney to study the impact of rising sea levels, and
millions of Euros price range - and when it comes tosince then has been active in the attempts to
some billionaires they seem intent on buying a fleetpublicise the need to cut CO2 emissions in the
that would put some small countries navies to shame.industrialised world.
The Monaco Yacht Show is part of the attraction forIn recent months he has met both Prince Charles and
the super-rich, and has firmly established itself as thePresident Chirac of France to discuss global warming.
leading super yacht show in the world over the lastAlthough he spent some time in the US in his early
fifteen years. For Monaco itself the Yacht Show isyears and speaks English fluently, he hasn't had to
second only to the Monaco Grand Prix for visitorlearn Italian and can converse with leaders the world
numbers. Combined with the Hotel de Paris and otherover without the need for a translator.
Monte Carlo hotels the principality has successfullyClose to the Fontvieille harbour where the yacht
secured her position as a natural environment for theshow takes place, a new island is to be built, and the
wealthy to live or visit.bidders have been told that a successful application
Monaco is showing that cuts in carbon emissions andmust be environmentally friendly, and some proposals
other greenhouse gases are possible in a land ofindicate that the island will be a floating one to avoid
plenty, and the Monaco Yacht Show has successfullyany disruption or damage to marine life.
achieved carbon neutral status for the 2005 andWith Monaco real estate the second highest priced in
2006 events, with plans to repeat this for 2007,Europe after London, the new apartment buildings will
establishing itself on the map of Monaco as anbe welcomed by the property sector as there is a
environmentally friendly event.very real shortage of property for new residents,
To attain carbon neutral status last year, theforcing prices even higher. One bedroom apartments
organisers sponsored various projects in Europe andare currently exchanging owners at over a million
further afield to offset carbon emissions generatedEuros.
by the show.The environmentally friendly island will also include
The show paid for wind turbines In New Zealand,new hotels in Monaco, a university and possibly a
generating enough electricity for 45,000 homes and inmuseum, with the winning bidder due to be
Brittany France paid for a heath to be planted withannounced towards the end of the year in Monte
chesnut and oak trees to protect water catchmentsCarlo.
and provide a recreational area, while in the USA paidA guide for Monte Carlo and Monaco is available at
for a methane capture system, reducing the amountsIncluded in the details are a five day weather
being emitted by some 95 per cent.forecast and the casino in Monte Carlo, competing
The leadership for the move to a greener State haswith online poker as well ase Monte Carlo hotel
come from Sovereign Prince Albert, who has beeninformation.