By Roger Munns - More used to
Grand Prix cars than dog sleighs,
Monaco’s Prince Albert’s forthcoming trek to the North Pole has been greeted with surprise by many. But the Prince is fairly accustomed to the cold, in contrast to the Mediterranean warmth of
Monaco where he became ruler last July following the passing of his father Prince Rainier, who had ruled for over 50 years.
Albert represented
Monaco at the last five Winter Olympic Games on their bobsled team. And he is going to face some cold and hostile conditions on his seven day trip to bring to the attention of fellow world leaders the environmental damage to the arctic regions that global warming is having. Speaking at a recent news conference, Albert explained his thinking behind the trip to assembled journalists:
"If in our modest way, by this action we are able to bring environmental problems to the forefront and force some leaders to take stronger actions, this expedition will have achieved its objectives."
Environmentalists have welcomed Albert’s expedition, and his image in the world’s media is changing from that of a playboy millionaire to a responsible leader. One of the first actions he took after succeeding to the throne was to sign the Kyoto Protocol, taking Monaco outside of the small group of countries that had failed to ratify the treaty, designed to reduce the world’s emissions of greenhouse gases.
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