The Ramoge Agreement
The RAMOGE Agreement is an intergovernmental cooperation agreement between France, Italy and Monaco for the preservation of the marine environment.
It was created on the initiative of Prince Rainier III and signed in May 1976, with the aim of preserving the common natural heritage of the Mediterranean.
It is a multidisciplinary coordination tool involving local administrations, scientific institutions and sea users to carry out joint actions in its area of competence.
These actions aim at:
Preserving ecosystems and biodiversity;
Raising awareness of virtuous practices among marine environment stakeholders and the general public;
Optimising the fight against marine pollution
The organisational structure of the RAMOGE Agreement consists of a Commission, a Technical Committee, Working Groups and a Permanent Secretariat
The RAMOGE Commission is made up of the delegations of representatives of the three member countries’ governments. The Commission is the decision-making body, establishes the programme of activities for the biennium and allocates the necessary budget for its implementation.
Biodiversity
protection
Mediterranean biodiversity is one of the richest worldwide. It is home to 25-30% of the world’s endemic species and 10% of the world’s marine species, although the Mediterranean Sea accounts for less than 1% of the world’s ocean surface. Most of these species are threatened mainly due to human activities, various forms of pollution and climate change.
In particular, find more information on the protection of Posidonia, and on the monitoring of emblematic species.
Since 2015, the RAMOGE Agreement has been carrying out exploration campaigns in its area of competence at deep-sea sites of ecological or biological interest, such as canyons and seamounts. These ecosystems, which are still largely unknown, are home to remarkable biodiversity. However, they are also subject to considerable anthropogenic pressures, underlining the importance of increasing our knowledge of these environments in order to preserve them more effectively.
Impacts on
the marine environment
The marine environment is threatened by many pressures disrupting its ecosystems, which may be related to human activities directly (waste dumping, impact of shipping and yachting) or indirectly (climate change, Ostreopsis ovata, non-indigenous species).
After the sinking of the oil tanker Haven in 1991, a plan to combat accidental pollution – called RAMOGEPOL plan – was adopted in 1993 under the RAMOGE Agreement. Its aim is to strengthen cooperation in the event of a major pollution incident and to share the available ships and aircraft of the three States.
Citizen
science
To preserve the biodiversity of the Mediterranean, the RAMOGE Agreement encourages the participation of all sea users in the census of emblematic and non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean.
Wednesday 12 June 2024
Conference of presentation of the 2022 RAMOGE Exploration Campaign
Since 2015, the RAMOGE Agreement has conducted exploration campaigns in deep-sea areas of ecological or biological interest, such as canyons and seamounts. The goal is to inventory the ecosystems of these little-known environments and promote appropriate management measures. Three campaigns…
Wednesday 12 June 2024
RAMOGEPOL Exercise off Viareggio 28-30 May 2024: France, Italy, and Monaco Collaborate in Marine Pollution Response
Every year, a RAMOGEPOL anti-pollution exercise mobilizes the resources of the three countries. This year, the exercise was organized by the MASE (Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security) in collaboration with the Coast Guard and took place off…
Tuesday 07 May 2024
THE LONGEST SWIM IN THE WORLD FOR NATURE: A CHALLENGE TO BE TAKEN ON BY NOAM YARON WITH THE SUPPORT OF KEY PARTNERS IN MARINE ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION
This summer, Noam Yaron will embark on an unprecedented challenge by attempting to swim the longest distance in support of nature. The 27-year-old Swiss is preparing to swim from Calvi to Monaco, covering a distance of 180 km through the…
Tuesday 26 March 2024
CONFERENCE ON THE RESTORATION OF POSIDONIA SEAGRASS IN THE RAMOGE AREA, ORGANIZED BY THE RAMOGE AGREEMENT AS PART OF MONACO OCEAN WEEK
On Friday, March 22nd, 2024, as part of Monaco Ocean Week, the RAMOGE Agreement held a conference dedicated to the restoration of Posidonia in the Grand Conference Hall of the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco. The RAMOGE Agreement, a cooperation…
Monday 25 March 2024
SIGNING OF A RAMOGE-PELAGOS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
On Friday, March 22nd, 2024, at the conclusion of the Monaco Ocean Week, the Secretariats of the RAMOGE Agreement and the Pelagos Agreement officially concluded a Memorandum of Understanding. These two cooperation agreements between France, Monaco, and Italy, for the…
