On October 12, 2024, a cooperation agreement for the Polar regions was signed between the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (FPA2) and the Italian Hydrographic Institute, marking a significant step in climate change research and protection efforts in the Arctic and Antarctic.

An Agreement to Protect the Polar Regions

The meeting, organized by the Blue & Sport Alliance Monaco, highlighted the importance of polar missions and the cooperation between the FPA2 and the Italian Hydrographic Institute. The Italian Ambassador to Monaco, Manuela Ruosi, introduced the event, which culminated in the signing of a cooperation memorandum between Admiral Massimiliano Nannini of the Italian Hydrographic Institute and Olivier Wenden, Vice-President of the FPA2.

The initiative was spearheaded by Isidoro Miele, president of the Blue & Sport Alliance Monaco, who emphasized the critical role the Arctic and Antarctic play in global climate change. Miele explained that the association, founded last year, focuses on raising awareness about climate change in the world’s oceans, particularly in the Polar regions.

Bridging Business, Research, and Shipping

The agreement brings together experts from the fields of research, shipping, and business. Marcello Pica, president of Mama Shipping, which manages Italy’s only icebreaker, Laura Bassi, noted that the partnership marks a milestone in uniting commercial interests and scientific research in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. He highlighted the successful operations of the Laura Bassi, which recently set a world record for the furthest southern voyage by an icebreaker in the Bay of Whales, Antarctica, reaching a latitude of 78° 44.280’ S.

Mapping and Research in the Polar Regions

Admiral Nannini elaborated on the Italian Hydrographic Institute’s role in both Arctic and Antarctic missions. In Antarctica, the Institute has been involved in national research projects for years, with a responsibility to map parts of the Ross Sea. Every year, the team updates navigation charts and supports the broader scientific mission.

In the Arctic, the Institute’s mission includes collaboration with other research centers and organizations, including FPA2, with a focus on climate change. Nannini emphasized the rapid pace of environmental change in the Polar regions, where temperatures and sea levels are rising at four times the rate of the rest of the world.

Fostering Youth Engagement in Polar Research

After the signing, Olivier Wenden, Vice-President of the FPA2, expressed the foundation’s commitment to raising awareness about the environmental challenges facing the Polar regions. Wenden stressed the importance of involving young experts in Arctic and Antarctic missions, where they can directly observe the alarming realities of biodiversity loss and climate change.

To strengthen this initiative, the FPA2, in collaboration with the Italian Navy, will select two young researchers from various countries each year to participate in missions to the Polar regions. Wenden emphasized that the Polar regions are critical to maintaining the planet’s climatic balance, and educating future leaders is essential for driving future decisions.

The Icebreaker Laura Bassi in Action

The Italian icebreaker Laura Bassi plays a vital role in supporting scientific missions in Antarctica. Managed by OGS (National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics), the vessel provides essential logistical support, including transporting scientists, technical materials, fuel, and supplies to the Italian Mario Zucchelli station in Antarctica.

Typically, the ship departs from New Zealand in early December, navigating through ice to the Ross Sea, where it unloads the necessary materials near the Italian research base. Admiral Nannini highlighted that the vessel is crucial for the Italian Hydrographic Institute’s scientific work in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions.