Prince William has issued a stark warning about the state of the world’s oceans, describing the crisis as unlike any challenge humanity has faced before.
Speaking at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum in Monaco, the Prince of Wales highlighted the urgent need for action, saying marine life is “diminishing before our eyes.” He urged ambitious efforts at every level — global, national, and local — to protect our oceans.
“Our oceans are vital. They generate half of the world’s oxygen, regulate the climate, and feed over three billion people,” William told an audience of environmentalists, scientists, and investors at the Grimaldi Forum.
The forum, held just before the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, focuses on the oceans’ critical role in trade, food security, and sustainable energy. Rising temperatures, pollution, and overfishing are wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems, with devastating consequences for communities that depend on them.
William, who founded the Earthshot Prize to fund innovative environmental solutions, acknowledged that ocean conservation can seem distant from everyday life — but stressed its importance.
“We must unlock the potential of the blue economy — not just for our ecosystems, but for our economies and communities,” he said.
The event brought together key global figures, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, and Monaco’s Prince Albert II. Several Earthshot Prize winners and finalists were also in attendance.
Among them was Enric Sala of the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas project, a 2021 finalist who helped produce Sir David Attenborough’s new film Oceans. William praised the film as “the most compelling argument for immediate action I have ever seen.”
“Watching vibrant sea forests reduced to underwater deserts is heartbreaking,” he said. “It’s a wake-up call — and we can no longer treat the oceans as ‘out of sight, out of mind.’”
He ended his speech with a powerful quote from Attenborough: “If we save the sea, we save our world.”
Kensington Palace called the speech a “landmark intervention,” aimed at mobilizing investment and attention toward scaling up ocean protection efforts. During his visit, Prince William also met with key leaders and attended a private session with ocean experts and financiers. Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikimedia commons.