Each year, the Albert I Grand Medals ceremony honors individuals committed to the study and protection of the oceans. The 2019 edition of this prestigious award took place at the heart of the Oceanographic Museum on November 7. Prince Albert II presented these distinctions to former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Professor Lisa Ann Levin. In an effort to highlight the new generation, the Oceanographic Institute also rewarded Dr. Violaine Pellichero’s thesis titled « Study of the Dynamics of the Surface Layer and Surface/Ocean Interactions in the Southern Ocean under Sea Ice. »
Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, in the mediation section
Former UN Secretary-General, initiator of Sustainable Development Goal No. 14 on the Ocean.
Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2007 to 2016, he made environmental protection one of the priorities of international actions, notably with the implementation of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, which includes the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Today, he participates through his Foundation in the development of civic projects worldwide.
« Global partnerships, including the active participation of governments, NGOs, the private sector, civil society groups, and other key stakeholders, are necessary to achieve the United Nations’ development and climate change goals. Particularly to ensure the sustainability of our oceans. » said Ban Ki-Moon in his acceptance speech. « The actions we take now and in the years to come will have an immense impact on our oceans for centuries to come. This window of opportunity allowing us to guide our oceans and our planet onto a viable and sustainable path is closing, which is why we must not give up our partnership efforts. »Pr. Lisa Ann Levin, in the science section
Oceanographer, author, and co-founder of the Deep-Ocean Stewardship Initiative (DOSI).Biological Oceanographer, she studies the impact of climate change on benthic communities in deep and shallow water environments. Through significant research, she seeks to highlight the necessity for the political, technological, and economic sectors to work jointly with scientists to further consider the impacts of human activity on marine environments.
« When I started studying low-oxygen natural ecosystems in the deep sea over 30 years ago, I never thought this knowledge would underpin our understanding of the consequences of climate change and ocean deoxygenation in the coming decades. » said Lisa Ann Levin.« In my lifetime, the deep sea (what I like to call the deep half of the planet) has gone from a distant and largely ignored world to a major force on the planet. They are both a repository of remarkable biodiversity and an essential domain for climate change mitigation. Once considered homogeneous deserts, we continually discover new ecosystems, habitats, and strange species, some of which may have significance for humans. It is indeed extremely important to explore, understand, and protect these ecosystems before embarking on activities that might risk damaging them. »