With an area of just two square kilometers, my country of Monaco is tiny. There is no farmland, and green spaces are scarce. People regularly cross the border just to enjoy nature and rely on France for agricultural products. However, we do have the sea, so many of us enjoy eating freshly caught fish, swimming, diving, and interacting with the ocean.
My dream is to preserve the sea’s beauty, as I experienced it, for future generations. To achieve this, we must all start to take climate change and the ocean’s destruction seriously.
At age 11, I discovered scuba diving and have been fascinated with the ocean ever since. When I was 23, I spent my days and nights studying to get my master’s in marine biology in hopes of becoming a coral reef researcher. Unfortunately, it was not to be, but my passion for the ocean has not waned.
I am now a member of the Monagasque Association for the Protection of Nature, where I work with government agencies, eager to educate local businesses and children. Most children have never even put their heads underwater and do not know much about local marine animals. In regular elementary school visits, we talk about the mysterious world of the ocean and explain its current situation. Children listen earnestly to us, and they are enthusiastic about taking responsibility to protect the marine environment. In fact, when we go out to the beach, they don’t hesitate to tell pedestrians not to litter. They even put up trash cans and plaques that read, “Here begins the sea.”
We focus far too much on the present moment. We need to imagine the world our children, grandchildren, and future generations will live in. I want everyone to start thinking seriously about the issues of climate change and the destruction of our oceans. And I dream of a future where we can discover the little animals hiding in the wild with our children.