Annual Energy Transition Conference

The Annual Energy Transition Conference was held on Monday 10 May, attended by H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince and Marie-Pierre Gramaglia, Minister of Public Works, the Environment and Urban Development.

Broadcast in a fully digital format for the first time and held under the theme “A Zero-Waste Lifestyle?”, the aim of the conference was to remind people that the topical issue of waste lies at the heart of the challenges we face in the energy transition, since it is responsible for a third of the Principality’s CO₂ emissions.

The Mission for Energy Transition therefore decided to base the event around this issue in order to highlight some national and international initiatives. There are many such initiatives, and though they are sometimes invisible to the general public, they are nonetheless important drivers of action in reducing waste at source.

It was a fast-paced event, including a review of the energy transition in the Principality, a virtual link-up with Blandine Surry-Stefani, CEO of the start-up Loop on “When our waste becomes a resource”, the award of prizes by H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince to the three projects that received the most votes in the competition organised by the Mission for Energy Transition to find the best Monegasque waste reduction initiative.

Closing the virtual event, H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince said: “Is a zero-waste lifestyle possible? Perhaps the right question is, do we have a choice? Can we sustain this waste-generating economy with 7 billion people on the planet? The answer is no. [...] The effort is now underway; the state of the planet and the oceans require no less, consumers are demanding it, industry is taking action, new models are being rolled out as illustrated by the work of the Loop that Ms Blandine Surry has just told us about, and by those who are leading initiatives in Monaco, whose commitment I salute. They have shown us that a different approach is possible. [...] It’s not about dreaming of a future perfect world, we need to find the means to make it possible, and I firmly believe that these means are in our hands.”

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The three winners:

- Dr Laure Bonnet for Princess Grace Hospital (CHPG)

- Sylvie Biancheri for Grimaldi Forum Monaco

Roland Mouflard for the Odyssée salon

Princess Grace Hospital and eco-friendly operating theatres

As part of its sustainable development policy, Princess Grace Hospital is working to reduce waste. Since 2018, a highly unique effort has been underway within the hospital’s operating theatres to limit the environmental impact of this area of activity, which consumes a lot of energy. Two actions have been introduced. First, by cutting its use of certain polluting anaesthesia gases, Princess Grace Hospital has been able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 991,000 kg of CO₂ equivalent and save nearly €30,000 per year... to be allocated to green activities! The second focus has been a return to reusable instruments rather than disposable ones. The hospital now relies on laryngoscope blades which can be reused... up to 1,250 times over a service life of 10 years! This initiative can easily be replicated in any institution which has an operating theatre, provided that it engages in a process of selecting single-use or reusable instruments. Although not widely implemented, it offers both environmental and financial benefits, and helps to open up discussion about sustainable development issues in operating theatres, which are the nerve centre of a hospital.

Eco-friendly exhibitions at the Grimaldi Forum

In 2016, the Grimaldi Forum embarked on an initiative to incorporate eco-design in its exhibitions, focusing initially on the waste produced by the sets developed: reducing the production of its waste at source, reusing set furniture and recycling materials. The aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of its exhibitions while maintaining the aesthetic standard of its sets and respecting the constraints associated with the conservation of works. The Forum is therefore investing in displays that can be dismantled and reused. At the end of the cycle, set materials are donated to third parties or returned to suppliers to enjoy a ‘second life’. Generally speaking, the Grimaldi Forum opts for recyclable or eco-friendly materials wherever possible, such as wooden rather than plasterboard panels. Finally, since the best waste is that which is never produced in the first place, the use of wooden panels has been drastically reduced, restricted solely to the areas where works are hung. Four years ago, just 13% of waste was sorted and recycled – today, that figure has risen to 73%. Based on the 3Rs principle (reduce, reuse, recycle), this initiative can be replicated and applied to any type of public or private event. It shows that the concept of a temporary exhibition can co-exist alongside sustainable development principles.

The Odyssée salon, a Responsible Trader, adopts 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle)

The Odyssée hairdressing salon is taking a highly eco-friendly approach to its work, whether that means choosing responsible suppliers, offering eco-friendly products or seeking out every opportunity to reduce, sort and reuse in order to generate as little waste as possible. The actions put in place by the salon include the maximum possible use of reusable products such as reusable, refillable bottles. In addition, the salon donates cut hair to the charity Coiffures Justes, which uses it to clean up pollution in harbours thanks to the lipophilic properties of hair that allow it to soak up hydrocarbons. This innovative way of “recycling” hair is seen as a new resource. The hair collected can be used as fertiliser, insulation or even as a filter for water and hydrocarbons (1 kilogram of hair can absorb between 6 and 8 litres of hydrocarbons). The traders involved in Coiffeurs Justes are thus part of a circular economy and are significantly reducing their waste. This innovative approach, which is attracting more and more customers who share the same values, can be replicated in any hairdressing salon, and the long-term impact is significant.

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Photos Stéphane Danna / Government Communication Department

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