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The first session, moderated by Philippe Mondielli, Geoffroy Chatelard, Marketing Director of UBS, and
Scientific Director of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Olivier Wenden, Vice-President, and CEO of the
Foundation, reflected on the history and objectives Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, have an-
behind the creation of the Pelagos Sanctuary, a ge- nounced new financial opportunities and launched
nuine "precursor of policies and measures linked to a call for proposals to strengthen this commitment
maritime spatial planning", according to Marco Lam- (see box).
bertini, long-time Director of WWF International. How
can we transform the cross-border geography and The forum then focused on three key issues, with pa-
the complex management of the area into an asset? nellists presenting the perspectives of local experts.
How can we manage the issues arising from the Invited to find solutions, the cross-border stakehol-
overlap between cetacean habitats and biodiversity ders provided with concrete proposals, stemming
hotspots on one hand, and areas with high levels of from collaborative working groups throughout the
development and economic activities on the other day.
hand? Purificació Canals, President of MedPAN, the
network of managers of marine protected areas in ■ 87 500 km²,
the Mediterranean, spoke of the major challenges IN ■ 27 national marine protected areas
and highlighted one of the specific characteristics FIGURES are included in the zone,
of this area, which encompasses a wide range of ■ 84 Natura 2000 sites.
sites subject to different levels of protection and ju-
risdiction. In the face of these challenges, "dialogue
and the collective effort of a broad community of With its deep submarine canyons,
stakeholders are proving to be important assets", fed by the North Mediterranean
says Mercedes Munoz Canas of the IUCN Centre THE current, this biotope harbours a
for Mediterranean Cooperation, a view echoed by CONTEXT high level of biological productivity
Costanza Favilli of the Pelagos Agreement secreta- favourable to the equilibrium of
riat. The French ambassador to Monaco, HE Laurent around ten species of large marine
Stefanini, highlighted the importance of the sanctua- mammals. This area sees the highest
ry for the conservation of cetaceans, as well as inter- density of human activity in the
national efforts to protect the area. Mediterranean.