To stop biodiversity loss and make the territory more functional for species by maintaining or restoring ecological continuities;
To renature the territory, primarily through “nature and permeable cities”, so that the inhabitants and the territory enjoy the beneficial effects of nature, To bring stakeholders together to
optimise local action;
To improve knowledge by creating a metropolitan atlas of biodiversity based on the national “Municipal biodiversity atlas” approach;
To preserve movement corridors for species and reservoirs of biodiversity as well as species by restoring land
and water corridors (green and blue grid), preventing animal collisions and light pollution in connection with road infrastructure, enhancing Natura 2000 sites, and developing a sea plan and a species preservation strategy (a local ocellated lizard plan in particular);
To prioritise renaturing by greening cities, restoring soils, incorporating nature and biodiversity in all projects and works, promoting ecological management, supporting collective vegetable gardens, and developing a bees and pollinators plan;
To carry out training and awareness raising through participatory sciences,
“Curious by nature” operations and the development of biodiversity expertise.
INCEPTION
© IMAGE SORCE: http://www.nice.fr/fr/ actualites/la-nature-au-coeur-de-nice/ mairie?type=articles&parent=root
To do this, the MNCA has set up a unit comprising six biodiversity experts at the service of
development and infrastructure project leaders, to carry out studies and provide technical expertise and advice on taking biodiversity into account from the design phase to site monitoring.
There are three main actions in the Plan:
Action 1, Planning in favour of biodiversity, for the integration of green and blue infrastructure in urban planning in the metropolitan
area. It takes into account ecological continuities: developing an ecological network and translating it into green and blue infrastructure in the urban plan, expertise and recommendations in development projects, and restoration operations (such as wildlife corridors).
Action 2, Local biodiversity management. This includes a pilot operation for the temporary installation of biodiversity monitoring sensors in the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer to measure the impact on biodiversity of partially switching off public lighting from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Associated pilot operations concern: light pollution and biodiversity (a pilot test of installing amber LEDs favourable to bats, urban monitoring and biodiversity (development of bat sensors to evaluate the solutions implemented in the framework), and concept of a pilot eco-landscaped garden, among others.
Action 3, the project “Nature For City Life”
funded by the European Life programme incorporates NbS. In the search for solutions based on nature to develop, renovate and build (green roofs, wildlife corridors, etc.), “Nature and ecological continuities” working groups are planned, involving a variety of actors on the following themes: protection of valleys, buildings and avifauna, bats and land use planning (e.g. including nest boxes in the design of buildings).
This project also includes combating invasive alien species and promoting local plants (with production of a species guide and recommendations), together with marine biodiversity:
– Ongoing development of a Sea Plan and a Territorial Ecological Restoration Scheme (STERE), involving other aquatic environments:
– Study of aquatic environments and flood risk in the Tinée and Vésubie valleys;
– Natura 2000 inter-site partnerships at sea, development of ecological diving moorings and creation of underwater nurseries.
© IMAGE SORCE: http://www.nice.fr/fr/actualites/la-nature-au-coeur-de-nice/mairie?type=articles&parent=root
A global Nice plan to make the city centre greener.
Six kilometres of green arteries will be born from the disappearance of the bus lanes thanks to the arrival of the tram. A project that should bring nature back to the heart of the streets. Nice is taking out the shovel and the soil this year to plant 10,296 trees. A thousand just to plant the bus lanes which will soon be transformed into paths for walking and cycling.
The project called “Nature in the heart of Nice”
will last for several years. Six kilometres from east to west will be taken up by nature thanks to the arrival of tram line 2 at the port. The tracks will also be covered with grass and 2400 trees will cover the field. The cost of this project for the three axes has been estimated at 20 million euros.
The development has started in 2019 and will go on until 2021.
Densifying the flowering:
Already crowned with four flowers by the label
“villes et villages fleuris”, Nice aims at 60% more flowers. Hundreds of planters and structures will be installed throughout the city. Two parks will also be completely created, one in the Ray district, starting this year. The other along the Var, with the launch of the work at the beginning of 2020 to provide an area of 25 hectares to the west of the city. The Promenade des Anglais has not escaped the green wave, with 265 new trees and palms facing the sea. One can only hope that they will get rid of the weevil.
© IMAGE SORCE: http://www.nice.fr/fr/actualites/la-nature-au-coeur-de-nice/mairie?type=articles&parent=root
1,000 trees on the 3 green frames 2,400 trees planted on Tramway Line 2 385 trees in 28 city gardens
265 trees and palm trees on the Promenade des Anglais
52 fruit trees in 15 schools
150 trees on the banks of the Paillon
44 trees on avenue Borriglione, rue d’Angleterre and place Pierre Gautier
4,500 seedlings for the operation “1 child = 1 tree”.
1,500 saplings on the castle hill Promoting citizen participation :
The people of Nice are at the heart of the approach to nature in the city through participatory flowering and the creation of shared gardens.
Documents
http://www.nice.fr/fr/actualites/la-nature-au-coeur-de-nice/mairie?type=articles&parent=root
Societal challenges
Climate change / Water security / Disaster risk Human health / Economic and social development CRITERIA
1. NbS effectively address societal challenges
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
1.1 The most pressing societal challenges for rights holders and beneficiaries are prioritised
Yes, climate change especially is on the political agenda of the city, which has pioneered a model of sustainable development over the last 10 years that reconciles growth, jobs and respect for our planet. Nature and biodiversity are at the core of such a development model.
1.2 The societal challenges
addressed are clearly understood and documented
Yes, the Plan covers several societal challenges with biodiversity at its core.
1.3 Human well-being outcomes arising from the NbS are identified, benchmarked and periodically assessed
To some extent yes. The MNCA has set up a nature and biodiversity monitoring centre that seeks to address human health and well-being.
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Design at scale
City-wide CRITERIA
2. Design of NbS is informed by scale
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
2.1 Design of NbS recognises and responds to the interactions between the economy, society and ecosystems
Yes, the plan is developed at the metropolitan scale with a strategic view.
2.2 Design of NbS is integrated with other complementary interventions and seeks synergies across sectors
Yes, the plan seeks the complementarity of interventions, from biodiversity enhancement to city permeability so that the inhabitants and the territory can enjoy the beneficial effects of nature, by strengthening its partnerships to increase the synergy of actions and actors.
2.3 Design of NbS incorporates risk identification and risk management beyond the intervention site
Yes, mainly from the perspective of flood risk management.
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Biodiversity net-gain
CRITERIA
3. NbS result in net gain to biodiversity and ecosystem integrity
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
3.1 NbS actions directly respond to evidence-based assessment of the current state of the ecosystem and prevailing drivers of degradation and loss
Yes, biodiversity is at the core of the Plan and the city has set up a nature and biodiversity monitoring centre.
There are some pilot examples such as Pilot operation for the temporary installation of biodiversity monitoring sensors in the town of Cagnes-sur-Mer to measure the impact on biodiversity of partially switching off public lighting (11 p.m. to 5 a.m.).
3.2 Clear and measurable biodiversity conservation outcomes are identified, benchmarked and periodically assessed
Yes, see above.
3.3 Monitoring includes periodic assessments of unintended adverse consequences for nature arising from the NbS
Yes, citizen science and citizen engagement in monitoring schemes-are used, as in “Curious by nature” operations and the development of biodiversity expertise.
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Economic feasibility
CRITERIA
4. NbS are economically viable
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
4.1 The direct and indirect benefits and costs associated with the NbS, who pays and who benefits, are identified and documented
No evidence found.
4.2 A cost-effectiveness study is provided to support the choice of NbS including the likely impact of any relevant regulations and subsidies
No evidence found.
4.3 The effectiveness of the NbS design is justified against available alternative solutions, taking into account any associated externalities
No evidence found.
4.4 NbS design considers a portfolio of resourcing options such as market-based, public sector, voluntary commitments and actions to support regulatory compliance
No evidence found.
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
3.4 Opportunities to enhance ecosystem integrity and connectivity are identified and incorporated into the NbS strategy
Yes:
Stopping biodiversity loss and making the territory more functional for species by maintaining or restoring ecological continuities;
Preserving movement corridors for species and reservoirs of biodiversity, as well as conserving species: restoration of land and water corridors (green and blue grid), preventing animal collisions and light pollution in connection with road infrastructure, enhancing Natura 2000 sites, and developing a sea plan and a species preservation strategy (a local ocellated lizard plan in particular).
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Inclusive governance
CRITERIA
5. NbS are based on inclusive, transparent and empowering governance processes
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
5.1 A defined and fully agreed upon feedback and grievance resolution mechanism is available to all stakeholders before an NbS intervention can be initiated
The MNCA is committed to maintaining and developing environmental education actions within the framework of the Plan to reclaim nature and biodiversity, adopted on 8 November 2018, particularly axis 4, namely, “a communication to optimise the involvement of actors in favor of nature and biodiversity.” In the European Nature for City Life programme and activities of the Natura 2000 sites, the MNCA ‘‘commits to maintaining and developing environmental education actions:
– by raising awareness and training stakeholders, elected officials and residents, through:
• Workshops for elected officials and technicians, the goal of which is to create a common culture around nature in the city and its role in the fight against climate change through work on the introduction and/or protection of urban green spaces in development projects;
•Workshops for residents, users and residents of neighbourhoods affected by a development project to make them aware of the role of nature in the city in the fight against climate change and to collect their expectations regarding the presence of green spaces in development projects;
– by raising awareness among the general public and schools, through:
• Workshops offered by the Maison de l’Environnement de Nice, as part of an environmental education and sustainable development programme;
• Activities offered in the annual programme “Curious by nature”, including organising guided tours and conferences, offered by the Environment Department of the MNCA, etc.);
– by training the staff of the MNCA and the municipalities.
5.2 Participation is based on mutual respect and equality, regardless of gender, age or social status, and upholds the right of Indigenous Peoples to Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
Yes, see above.
5.3 Stakeholders who are directly and indirectly affected by the NbS have been identified and involved in all processes of the NbS intervention
Yes, see above.
5.4 Decision-making processes document and respond to the rights and interests of all participating and affected stakeholders
Yes, by applying for the “Territory committed to nature” approach and by strengthening its partnerships to increase the synergy of actors.
5.5 Where the scale of the NbS extends beyond jurisdictional boundaries, mechanisms are established to enable joint decision making by the stakeholders in those jurisdictions affected by the NbS
No evidence.
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Balance trade-offs
CRITERIA
6. NbS equitably balance trade-offs between achievement of their primary goal(s) and the continued provision of multiple benefits
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
6.1 The potential costs and benefits of associated trade-offs of the NbS intervention are explicitly acknowledged and inform safeguards and any appropriate corrective actions
No evidence.
6.2 The rights to, usage of and access to land and resources, along with the responsibilities of different stakeholders are acknowledged and respected
No evidence.
6.3 Established safeguards are periodically reviewed to ensure that mutually agreed trade-off limits are respected and do not destabilise the entire NbS
No evidence.
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Adaptive management
CRITERIA
7. NbS are managed adaptively, based on evidence
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
7.1 An NbS strategy is established and used as a basis for regular monitoring and evaluation of the intervention
Yes, a monitoring strategy covers various environmental and socio-economic aspects.
The monitoring scheme includes installation of sensors. An example developed by the University of Aix–Marseille is the installation of six air quality / temperature / hygrometric sensors by Atmosud in 2019.
7.2 A monitoring and evaluation plan is developed and implemented throughout the intervention lifecycle
The MNCA has set up a unit comprising six biodiversity experts at the service of development and infrastructure project leaders, to carry out studies and provide technical expertise and advice on taking biodiversity into account from the design phase to site monitoring.
7.3 A framework for iterative learning that enables adaptive management is applied throughout the intervention lifecycle
No evidence found.
ISSUES ADDRESSED
Mainstreaming
CRITERIA
8. NbS are sustainable and mainstreamed within an appropriate jurisdictional context
INDICATORS DESCRIPTION
8.1 NbS design, implementation and lessons learnt are shared to trigger transformative change
Yes, incorporation of green and blue infrastructure into urban planning.
8.2 NbS inform and enhance facilitating policy and regulation frameworks to support their uptake and mainstreaming
Yes, improvement of knowledge by creating a metropolitan atlas of biodiversity based in particular on the national “Municipal biodiversity atlas approach.
Input to the Parc Naturel Regional des Préalpes d’Azur and Parc national du Mercantour.
8.3 Where relevant, NbS contribute to national and global targets for human well-being, climate change, biodiversity and human rights, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)
Yes, NbS seem to contribute to local targets for climate change, biodiversity, and human well-being, but there is no detailed information on this subject, except for the intentions set out by Christian Estrosi (Mayor of Nice, President of the MNCA, Deputy President of the Région Sud Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) in the introduction to the document “La Nature au coeur de Nice” [Nature in the heart of Nice].