The Metropolis of Nice Côte d'Azur has become for two days a leading eco-engaged city in the debate on climate change. The first edition of Nice Climate Summit, held on the 28th and the 29h September 2023 at the Palais de la Méditerranée, gave space to a series of skilled speakers who tackled crucial topics which must be taken into account by policy makers in urban planning. MONACŒCOART® collected the most relevant ones to offer an objective overview of this first appointment, strongly desired by Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, together with Région Sud, Ville de Nice and La Tribune, event media company. The various keynote speeches and round tables brought inspiration from three key natural elements: Sky, Sea and Land.
Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.
🗣️ « A catastrophic meteorological event affecting the Mediterranean had been considered highly possible for a longtime. Alex Storm, then, made us experience it in Nice in October 2020. What has just happened in Libya reminds us that the threat is still there. We have entered the era of the extremes that are already on the agenda. This trend is accelerating in the four continents and no longer located in a single geographical area. Urgent solutions are needed. Playing the role of political representative in this context means adopting a "humble" approach. Thus, sharing moments like this is essential for decision makers to meet entrepreneurs, industrials and scientists. We are talking about an area of knowledge where we cannot rely on absolute certainties. Ecology must put itself at the service of the economy and vice versa. I do believe that the ecology is able to solve geopolitical problems, starting from the issue of climate refugees ».
Bettina Laville, Honorary State Councillor and Founding President of Comité 21.
🗣️ «In the natural world, finding important meteorological and geophysical phenomena affecting human communities has always happened. Today, they always occur naturally but Nature has been forged, or better over-processed, through human action, dating back to industrialisation to the present day, which contributed to the concentration of carbon dioxide. According to the latest IPCC (= Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report, global temperatures increase at a speed much greater than that estimated by scientists. This trend causes a greater frequency of catastrophic phenomena. (...) The attenuation of extreme weather is certainly a form of prevention and adaptation. We are the actors involved, increasingly anxious, and not just the spectators».
Olivier Poivre D'Arvor, Ambassador for the Poles and Maritime Issues at the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affair.
🗣️ « Setting the first 'COP of the oceans' here in Nice in two years is particularly symbolic. High expectations and responsibilities are linked to this event. Each major issues needs to be discussed with the right actors. Carbon dioxide concentration, for example, must be debated with energy experts. The presence of all stakeholders is pivotal. Natural disasters are already having a major impact on the economies of individual countries. France spent 10 millions euro in 2022 ».
Stéphane Mazevet, Director, Côte d’Azur Observatory.
🗣️ « There are two clear facts about climate change in the scientific world. First of all, there is no doubt that the phenomenon exists. Secondly, it is also clear that human influence and carbon dioxide concentration is the main cause of the phenomenon. Understanding how climate change will influence our lifestyle is the key question to be answered ».
Antoine Pellion, General Secretary for Ecological Planning (French Government).
🗣️ « Climate change is not the only issue on the table. Climate adaptation is equally crucial but also the erosion of biodiversity. Last but not least, natural resources. Notably, water, forests, biomass, oceans. Solutions can only be found if there is adequate cooperation, investments, technology and trained actors working together including local communities. Land management, joint transport mode, collective commitment to waste reduction are some of the pillars of the action plan that can bypass the generalised anxiety resulting from what we are experiencing. Acting rather than remaining motionless is the way out ».
François de Rochette, Climate technology analyst (Mines Paris – PSL / Zenon Research).
🗣️ « When we talk about carbon dioxide removal (cdr) we refer to human activities that aim to reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere provided that there is a relation of proportionality between the rise of carbon dioxide and global average temperatures. To achieve this goal there are a number of solutions, notably ecosystem restoration, biochar production, Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and the Direct Air Capture (DAC). To achieve the best results it is necessary to apply several solutions at the same time case by case, whereas there are pros and cons for each of them ».
Dr Nathalie Hilmi, Head of the Environmental Economics Section – Monaco Scientific Centre and lead author of the IPCC reports.
🗣️ « I do believe that we can always act to mitigate the effects of climate change which is a serious problem closely linked to biodiversity. I often make the metaphor of our Planet as a large bathtub completely full of CO2. We must then close the tap. I am convinced that the role of Nature can be decisive. If we therefore preserve our biodiversity, Nature can be our ally in combating climate change. I refer to the blue carbon, as an example, coming from mangrove or seagrass ecosystems able to capture carbon dioxide and sediment it. We have achieved finance mechanism to integrate both the Natural Capital and the negative externalities, like pollution, even if they are not yet officially recognised as a calculation element of global wealth by the International Monetary Fund. Things are changing and the decisions taken at the COP27 represent an important stage. IPCC report is largely focused on tackling Climate justice and the most Report, of which I am co-author, introduces a new paradigm of economic growth that integrates the effects of climate change. The Climate Resilient Development Pathway. We can no longer accept that the countries of the North continue to pollute while the countries of the South remain underdeveloped ».
Professor Andrea Rinaldo – Professor of hydrology at EPFL (Switzerland), President of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze and winner of the Stockholm Water Prize 2023.
🗣️ « We have two possible ways to follow. Mitigation or Adaptation. The first one goes straight to the cause, the pur et dur, to achieve the desired solution. However, I am utterly pessimistic since mitigation is a global problem and we should need to find a way forward capable to bring closer the interests of both the North and the South of the world. As a matter of fact, greenhouse gases are the core problem we have to face. Adaptation is necessity. Finding practical solutions to fight against droughts, floods and fair distribution of water. Nowadays, we have the knowledge to reduce inequalities on a large scale ». ***
To know more about the first edition of the Nice Climate Summit please visit: NICE CLIMATE SUMMIT
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By Maurice Abbati
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