Excessive wealth, extreme emissions – and ecocide: what I learned at Europe’s big superyacht show
A journalist visits the Monaco Yacht Show to explore the world of superyachts and the extreme wealth associated with them. The piece touches on the environmental impact of these vessels and the insular nature of the super-rich community.
Why it matters
Highlights the growing tension between extreme luxury consumption and global environmental concerns.
Socks away … Sam Wollaston at the Monaco Yacht Show with the 102-metre long Nixie superyacht behind him. Socks away … Sam Wollaston at the Monaco Yacht Show with the 102-metre long Nixie superyacht behind him. The super-rich Excessive wealth, extreme emissions – and ecocide: what I learned at Europe’s big superyacht show These yachts are highly popular with the ‘super-bourgeoisie’ – and getting bigger. Can anything be done to stop them destroying our seas?
Sam Wollaston Tue 20 Oct 2026 10.00 BST Share Prefer the Guardian on Google W ho knew? Apparently everyone did, apart from me: you don’t wear shoes on a superyacht. Now, about to step on to my first teak deck at the Monaco Yacht Show, I’ve got to take my trainers off, and I’m having a sock panic. Have they got holes? Do they even match? Do they smell?
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in