UNESCO celebrates marine cartography and highlights the pioneering role of Prince Albert I

S.E. Mme Anne-Marie BOISBOUVIER, Ambassadeur, Délégué permanent de Monaco auprès de l’UNESCO ©DR

Celebrations to mark the 120th anniversary of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) project were held alongside the 32nd session of the Assembly of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO in Paris. This project, the purpose of which is to map the entire global sea floor, is implemented by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). IOC Executive Secretary Mr Vladimir Ryabinin and IHO Director Luigi Sinapi stressed the crucial importance of such mapping for the development of new fundamental and applied knowledge in the context of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

In her speech, H.E. Ms Anne-Marie Boisbouvier, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Principality of Monaco to UNESCO, recalled the pioneering role of Prince Albert I in this endeavour. His commitment to the study of the oceans has contributed to knowledge of underwater topography and the mapping of the sea floor, thus laying the groundwork for further research such as the GEBCO project. The Ambassador also highlighted Monaco’s international efforts to increase ocean-related scientific data. She applauded the funding provided by the Nippon Foundation for this global mapping project until 2030 and highlighted the hope represented in the 20% of the world’s sea floor now mapped, compared to just 6% in 2017.

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) identified this global mapping project —Seabed 2030— as a flagship effort. The goal is to map 100% of all sea floors by 2030.

The Principality of Monaco was invited as a guest of honour because of its many commitments, foremost of which is the hosting of the IHO in the Principality and the foundations of this Organisation in the International Hydrographic Bureau since 1921. The Prince’s Government contributes to the IOC by supporting its tsunami warning programme —the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS)— and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), of which SeaBed 2030 is a flagship project.

For more information:

https://www.gebco.net/  
https://oceandecade.org/fr/  
https://seabed2030.org/