1990s–2000s: Biodiversity and the coastline at the heart of the mission

The Agreement continues to pursue many of the missions initiated in the 1980s. However, in order to adapt to evolving challenges and changing marine conditions, including increased pressure on coastal areas, climate change, the growth of recreational boating and tourism, and new forms of pollution, the 1976 text was revised in 2003, with a particular focus on prevention, coastal management, and biodiversity protection. RAMOGE thus became the “Agreement concerning the protection of the marine and coastal environment of a zone of the Mediterranean Sea.”

The Agreement identifies areas to be protected, where biodiversity studies are conducted to collect data essential for the development of management plans, such as at Île Verte in 2005, and for the creation of marine protected areas, including the regional natural parks of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto in 2001, and Capo Mortola in 2005, both Natura 2000 sites. At the same time, RAMOGE promotes research and information activities related to monitoring networks, with a particular focus on Posidonia seagrass meadows, the “blue lungs” of the Mediterranean. This work led to the publication of a reference guide in 2006, updated in 2026. It also launched studies aimed at raising public awareness of the issue of invasive alien species, including Caulerpa taxifolia and Ostreopsis ovata, a toxic microalga, and published new guides on topics such as environmental management of marinas and coastal erosion protection, etc.

Finally, RAMOGE carries out initiatives to promote research and raise awareness, notably through the Alain Vatrican Prize († 1987), which rewards school and university work on marine pollution, as well as the organization of conferences, held in Monaco in 1992 and in Lisbon in 1998.

This contributed to RAMOGE’s growing international recognition. It was invited to numerous events and cited as a model of regional cooperation at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 (Earth Summit), marked by a notable speech by Prince Rainier III on the Mediterranean, as well as at the 1995 Conference for the revision of the Barcelona Convention. RAMOGE also helped inspire new regional agreements, such as the LION Plan, signed in 2002 between France and Spain for emergency response operations in the Gulf of Lion.

The 10 Commandments for Boaters, flyer, RAMOGE, 2000. A.P.M., A/655/17/3.

Guide on the environmental management of marinas, RAMOGE, 2001, Annex 2. A.P.M., A/655/17/23.

Guide on Posidonia, an endemic marine plant of the Mediterranean, RAMOGE, 2006, cover. RAMOGE Archives.

The Mediterranean Marine Environment: An Ecosystem to Protect, teacher’s guide and student workbook, 1993. RAMOGE Archives.

Original forewords by Prince Rainier III for the teacher’s guide and the student workbook of the publication The Mediterranean Marine Environment: An Ecosystem to Protect, August 5, 1993. A.N.M., RAMOGE collection, 2025/36.

SOS Pollution game, released in 2003 and based on the first-prize project of the Alain Vatrican competition in 2001, in the 11–15 age category, awarded to students from the BTN 2nd year at the Monaco Technical Hotel School. A.P.M., A/655/17/19, photograph by Loïc Repiquet.

Conference organized by RAMOGE on the ecology and protection of the Mediterranean coastline, Monaco, October 23–24, 1992, Nice-Matin, and Dossier, December 1992. A.N.M., RAMOGE collection, 2025/36. All rights reserved.

RAMOGE conference held on the occasion of the Lisbon World Exposition, with, from left to right, Jean-Michel Manzone, Executive Secretary of the Agreement, Marie-Christine Van Klaveren, Chair of the Technical Committee, Bernard Fautrier, Head of the Monegasque Delegation, Samy Hofmann, President of the RAMOGE Commission, Giuliano Fierro, Head of the Italian Delegation, Bruno de Carmantrand, Head of the French Delegation to the Technical Committee, and Lino Tirelli, Head of the Italian Delegation to the Technical Committee, photograph, September 3, 1998 (United Nations Year of the Oceans). A.N.M., RAMOGE collection, 2025/36.

Visit by H.S.H. Prince Albert II aboard a French hydrographic vessel (support, assistance, and pollution control vessel Ailette, a civilian ship operated by the Abeille Bourbon group and chartered by the French Navy in the Mediterranean to carry out pollution response and emergency assistance missions) in Port Hercule, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of RAMOGE, with Jean-Marie Van Huffel, Maritime Prefect for the Mediterranean, Vice Admiral, on the prince’s right, 2006, photograph by Gaëtan Luci. A.P.M., PH/4219.