The city of Nice and its neighbouring municipalities are increasingly concerned with sustainable management of a land which combines a wide variety of habitats, between the Maritime Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. In view of the high natural and tourist interest of the concerned area, the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur has just joined the Plan Bleu (Blue Plan) to develop an integrated system of sustainable tourism services. Fifty-one municipalities, covering a distance of almost 1,480 km2, will share common territorial policies as part of a European programme aimed at raising awareness of Environmental Issues and Sustainable Development in the Mediterranean district. It is the first time that it takes place in France.
On Friday the 24th January 2025, Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d'Azur Métropole, and Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, officially announced this achievement, pointing out: « I wanted Nice Côte d'Azur Métropole to join the Blue Plan, in order to go further and promote Sustainable Tourism, which is the best way to face over-tourism. The Plan Bleu (...) aims to develop sustainable tourism adapted to climate change in the small area of the Mediterranean Basin (we occupy). The Cap Ferrat NATURA 2000 marine protected area will be one of six pilot sites for the project and the only one in France.
By mid-2026, this project will allow us to benefit from concrete recommendations to combine tourist attractiveness and respect for the environment».
The technical report, named "La Méditerranée à l'horizon 2050" (The Mediterranean Region by 2050), recently published by the Plan Bleu, in partnership with the UN Environment Programme, the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, Energy, Climate and Risk Prevention, and the Région Sud Department, reaffirmed that the Mediterranean basin is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The research study offers non only a simple forecast of future but it addresses key biodiversity issues with a forward looking approach, which allows for the examination of what is certain while taking into account uncertain variables.
Hence, the need to implement coordinated actions with all actors involved, including decision-makers, representatives from institutions, international organisations, and international or regional cooperation institutions. However, the action must also be integrated with the territorial dimension, notably: local authorities, entrepreneurs, representatives of administrations/national institutions, national organisations and cooperation, local authorities, associations and/or civil societies.
Based in Marseille, the Plan Bleu has being producing for forty years scenarios for the future to raise awareness of environmental issues and sustainable development in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Its research and development initiatives are developed under the umbrella of the Plan d'Action pour la Méditerranée - MAP (Regional Action Centres of the Mediterranean Action Plan) and the United Nations Environment Programme - UNEP.
The Third United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 that will be held in Nice from the 9th to the 13th June, will be the privileged stage where to discuss the various points of the Plan. This international summit event, in fact, will bring together international decision-makers to discuss marine and coastal issues, including Sustainable Tourism.
Minimising the negative impacts and maximising the positive ones is one of the main goals of eco-tourism. That is fostering wildlife and cultural heritage preservation instead of focusing solely on increasing profits without ensuring a future for the natural biodiversity and local identities of human communities.
Not by chance, UNEP and the Un World Tourism Organisation defines it as a “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities".
The Nice Côte d'Azur Métropole is fully committed to turn mass tourism into a sustainable paradigm through concrete actions of Climate Mitigation, Circular and Blue Economy. The Mayor of Nice has recently informed the public opinion of the intention to ban on larger cruise ships, to reduce their impact on biodiversity and the quality of life of residents. This has also aroused a lot of controversy for the risk of reducing the revenues of some tourist activities operating on the French Riviera. The next months will be decisive to better understand the real feasibility of the Blue Plan, in view of the summer season, the beating heart of the Côte d'Azur tourism.
Will the Mediterranean Protection cause touch the hearts of tourism operators and tourists themselves? ***
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By Maurice Abbati
Journalist; Editor; Communication, Media and Public Relations Specialist
Lecturer and Author in English language of Technical Articles and the Manual: "Communicating the Environment to Save the Planet, a Journey into Eco-Communication"Â by Springer International Publishing.
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