Stony Brook Hosts Prince Albert II of Monaco For Tour of Future New York Climate Exchange Site on Governors Island

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Justin Fincher, vice president for advancement and executive director of the Stony Brook Foundation, embark on a tour of the future site of The New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island in New York City.

A member of royalty was on Governors Island when Prince Albert II of Monaco, a world-recognized environmentalist, toured the future site of The New York Climate Exchange.

While touring the first-of-its-kind international hub for developing and deploying dynamic solutions to the global climate crisis, Prince Albert II met with leaders from Stony Brook University, the anchor institution for The Exchange, located in New York City.

One of the goals of The Exchange is to bring together a far-reaching representation of voices so that solutions to the climate crisis are not just academic or theoretical, but social and practical.

Prince Albert II is no stranger to Stony Brook. He was honored at the 23rd Annual Stars of Stony Brook Gala in 2022 and has expressed continued confidence in Stony Brook's leadership in climate science and his shared mission with the university.

"His Serene Highness is a world leader in ocean conservation, both through his foundation and in his work as the Sovereign Prince of the Principality of Monaco," said Justin Fincher, Stony Brook University's vice president of Advancement, executive director of the Stony Brook Foundation, and member of The New York Climate Exchange Board of Trustees.

"His visionary leadership in the global fight against climate change aligns perfectly with the work we will be doing through The Exchange. We are honored and grateful for his engagement and interest in our shared aspirations."

Kevin Reed, associate dean for research and associate professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, joined the tour and explained that the initiative will address not only current needs but also emerging environmental challenges.

"Students in the labs on Governors Island will have access to this coastline for hands-on research in ecology and coastal resilience and will be able to help build future energy sources on the island," Reed said. "We have an opportunity to put research already happening at Stony Brook on display and learn from it as we adapt technology through The Exchange."

After a trip with his father to the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Prince Albert II, the son of Prince Rainier III and American actress Grace Kelly, resolved to address global environmental problems. In 2006, he launched the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation to limit the effects of climate change, promote renewable energy, preserve biodiversity, and improve universal access to clean water. As Head of State for Monaco, he guides sustainable policies for the Principality to be carbon neutral by 2050. His foundation has awarded over $1 billion in support for environmental organizations.

The Simons Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies, two of the country's leading philanthropic organizations, each announced transformational gifts to support the development of The New York Climate Exchange and related research and teaching already underway at Stony Brook. The Simons Foundation, together with Simons Foundation International, have pledged a total of $100 million as matching gift support for The Exchange.

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