The Principality of Monaco today officially launched the Space4Ocean Alliance (S4O) during the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference, held in neighboring Nice, France, and co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. This is another milestone in the Principality’s growing engagement in space exploration as well as its commitment to sustainability, scientific innovation, and environmental stewardship under the leadership of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II.
This new international alliance aims to bring together space agencies, marine researchers, industry leaders and policymakers to leverage satellite technology and Earth monitoring tools to fill gaps in ocean observation and provide operational services in support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14: the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources. In other words, it aims to leverage the rapid growth and advances in space technology to provide a better understanding of the oceans and enable novel sustainability solutions.
“Monaco’s tradition of scientific leadership dates back to Prince Albert I, a pioneer of oceanography and international cooperation,” said Maguy Maccario Doyle, Monaco’s Ambassador to the United States. “We strongly believe that advances in space exploration can serve the urgent mission of ocean preservation, and we are proud to join the Space4Ocean Alliance. Through this alliance, we are reaffirming our commitment to building a more resilient and sustainable future for humanity and the planet we call home.”
The Space4Ocean Alliance, initiated by France’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales), is designed to foster connections and global partnerships that link space technologies with ocean stakeholders, including those in marine science, climate monitoring, maritime policy and sustainable fisheries.
Through satellite data, predictive models, and advanced observation tools, the Space4Ocean Alliance will work to close critical gaps in ocean observation and monitoring; support countries most vulnerable to ocean and climate change impacts; promote open access to data and tools that inform decision-making and policy; build capacity through training and technology-sharing initiatives; and advance shared science to protect ocean health at both local and global scales. Members will participate in the signing of a joint declaration of interest at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice and contribute expertise through a global steering committee that will provide annual progress reports.
HSH Prince Albert II established the Office of Space Affairs in 2021, and through a strategic partnership between Astrolab and Monaco’s Venturi Group, the Principality is currently home to the development and production of cutting-edge batteries that are part of the FLEX lunar rover and its deformable wheels are designed and produced by Venturi Lab in Switzerland. The Embassy of Monaco hosted a high-level forum featuring astronauts and scientists called “Monaco’s Leap to the Stars: Integrating High-Tech Innovations, Astronaut Perspectives, and Lunar Exploration,” on March 29, moderated by former NASA associate administrator and retired astronaut Robert “Bob” Cabana, part of the EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
