| The harbours of Monaco are used to welcoming the | | | | France paid for a heath to be planted with chesnut |
| world's wealthy, and the world's richest men and | | | | and oak trees to protect water catchments and |
| women will soon be visiting again for the superyacht | | | | provide a recreational area, while in the USA paid for |
| show, a unique annual event in the yachting calendar. | | | | a methane capture system, reducing the amounts |
| While millionaires and billionaires sip champagne and | | | | being emitted by some 95 per cent. Prince Albert of |
| ponder buying a yacht that would be beyond the | | | | Monaco The leadership for the move to a greener |
| reach of mere lottery winners, the organisers have | | | | State has come from Sovereign Prince Albert, who |
| successfully made past events carbon neutral. This | | | | has been successfully campaigning among world |
| year will be no exception as Monaco shows the rich | | | | leaders since his inauguration two years ago to move |
| they can be environmentally friendly. -- Designer | | | | the environment up the political agenda, and it has |
| yachts and its industry has blossomed over the last | | | | brought the issue to the fore at home. Prince Albert |
| ten years, with multi millionaires and billionaires buying | | | | of Monaco signed the country up for the Kyoto |
| yachts in the tens of millions of Euros price range - | | | | Protocol shortly after becoming Sovereign, and a few |
| and when it comes to some billionaires they seem | | | | months later left behind the comfort and glamour of |
| intent on buying a fleet that would put some small | | | | his palace and Casino Square for the wilds of |
| countries navies to shame. Despite being the second | | | | Antartica to see for himself the damage being |
| smallest country in the world Monaco has established | | | | caused to the glaciers because of global warming. |
| herself as the natural European home for many of | | | | Upon his return he set up a foundation with his own |
| the world's wealthiest men and women due to her | | | | money to study the impact of rising sea levels, and |
| tax haven status, with many more visiting on holiday | | | | since then has been active in the attempts to |
| while cruising the Mediterranean for the Monte Carlo | | | | publicise the need to cut CO2 emissions in the |
| casino - and Monaco has managed to stay as a top | | | | industrialised world. In recent months he has met |
| destination by cleverly spotting and exploiting trends | | | | both Prince Charles and President Chirac of France to |
| ahead of her competitiors. The Monaco Yacht Show | | | | discuss global warming. Although he spent some time |
| is part of the attraction for the super-rich, and has | | | | in the US in his early years and speaks English |
| firmly established itself as the leading super yacht | | | | fluently, he hasn't had to learn French and can |
| show in the world over the last fifteen years. For | | | | converse with leaders the world over without the |
| Monaco itself the Yacht Show is second only to the | | | | need for a translator. Close to the Fontvieille harbour |
| Monaco F1 for visitor numbers. Combined with the | | | | where the yacht show takes place, a new island is to |
| Hotel de Paris and other Monaco hotels the | | | | be built, and the bidders have been told that a |
| principality has successfully secured her position as a | | | | successful application must be environmentally |
| natural environment for the wealthy to live or visit. | | | | friendly, and some proposals indicate that the island |
| Monaco is showing that cuts in carbon emissions and | | | | will be a floating one to avoid any disruption or |
| other greenhouse gases are possible in a land of | | | | damage to marine life. With real estate in Monte Carlo |
| plenty, and the Monaco Yacht Show has successfully | | | | the highest priced in Europe, the new apartment |
| achieved carbon neutral status for the 2005 and | | | | buildings will be welcomed by the property sector as |
| 2006 events, with plans to repeat this for 2007, | | | | there is a very real shortage of property for new |
| establishing itself on the Monaco map as an | | | | residents, forcing prices even higher. One bedroom |
| environmentally friendly event. To attain carbon | | | | apartments are currently exchanging owners at over |
| neutral status last year, the organisers sponsored | | | | a million Euros. The environmentally friendly island will |
| various projects in Europe and further afield to offset | | | | also include new Monaco hotels, a university and |
| carbon emissions generated by the show. The show | | | | possibly a museum, with the winning bidder due to be |
| paid for wind turbines In New Zealand, generating | | | | announced towards the end of the year. |
| enough electricity for 45,000 homes and in Brittany | | | | |