On December 8th, TSH Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene of Monaco honoured the official launch of the Polaris Climate Change Observatory (PCCO), a project of the International Polar Foundation, with their presence and support. The project was presented at the Clock Tower in Cape Town (South Africa) by Michel de Wouters, Secretary General of IPF South Africa; Nighat Amin, Vice-President of the IPF; and Prof. Uwe Brückner, creator of the scenography for the PCCO project.
During His speech (see below), HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco stressed the importance of the PCCO as a project that offers a proactive first step in answering the question of how to get the public at large and decision makers to share our current concerns for the planet’s climate and environment while they are confronted with other urgencies. The Prince also highlighted the importance of the private sector as an essential partner, and mentioned the synergies with His own foundation.
The Prince concluded His speech on an optimistic note with a meaningful quote from the late Dr. Wangari Maathai: “You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them”
The PCCO project is strongly supported by the City of Cape Town and the developers of the V&A Waterfront. Scheduled to open its doors to the public in 2014, the Polaris Climate Change Observatory will be a benchmark in design and technology in a city recently chosen to be the “World Design Capital” for 2014.
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