In the face of rising sea levels, the summit titled "Ocean Rise & Coastal Resilience" is convening in Nice, France, where coastal mayors and leaders from around the world are meeting to share solutions and establish a new coalition.

Organized by Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, the event emphasizes the urgent need for collective action to address the challenges posed by rising oceans due to climate change.

Scientists have confirmed the inexorable rise of sea levels as a consequence of global warming, driven by human activities that lead to ice melt and coastal erosion.

The summit aims to bring together mayors of coastal regions and islands—encompassing nearly one billion inhabitants—under a unified agenda to combat the detrimental effects of rising waters.

The focus is on developing adaptive strategies to counteract coastal erosion, increased flooding, and forced displacement of populations.

The gathering is notable for its inclusive approach to environmental diplomacy, seeking to transcend traditional state-centric frameworks that have weakened in the face of global conflicts.

Participants include representatives from threatened regions such as Tuvalu, while major urban centers like New York, New Orleans, and Santa Cruz will be present to share their experiences and solutions.

A significant goal of the summit is the adoption of a charter that requests shared resources for modeling and urban planning infrastructure to address sea level rise.

The city of Nice has participated in initiatives with the European Union to advance the development of digital twin technologies that can model ocean conditions including wave height, temperature, currents, and ecological factors.

Such tools are particularly crucial for disadvantaged areas that currently lack access to advanced predictive modeling capabilities.

To ensure the coalition's longevity and effectiveness, it will have a permanent secretariat based in Nice, with Christian Estrosi serving as its president.

This infrastructure will facilitate year-round exchanges among member cities and organize an annual summit, the next of which is slated for Dakhla, Morocco.

During the summit, various innovative solutions such as artificial sandbanks in the Netherlands, floating barriers in Venice, and sponge city designs in China will be discussed.

The Dutch experience, given that a third of their territory lies below sea level, will provide valuable insights into flood management and coastal protection strategies.

The Mediterranean region, particularly the French coastline, faces significant challenges with projections indicating that by 2050, around 2,000 homes could be at risk from flooding.

There are concerns among local policymakers that the urgency to address these issues has not been adequately acknowledged.

Estrosi emphasized that while certain areas may perceive themselves as less vulnerable, similar problems faced by cities like Alexandria in Egypt demonstrate the pressing need for proactive measures.

The summit seeks to raise awareness and demonstrate the collective will of local leaders to implement changes, especially concerning urban planning that responds to the realities of climate change.

Estrosi pointed out the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure, such as the road connecting Antibes and Villeneuve-Loubet, suggesting that the coalition could provide the tools necessary to re-evaluate and adapt these routes.

The discussions will also address the need to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions associated with coastal cities, noting the importance of sustainable transportation policies.

As the conference approaches, there is significant international focus, particularly ahead of another critical conference on oceans set for June, which seeks to address the broader implications of ocean health on global well-being.

The summit in Nice, therefore, marks a crucial step in mobilizing urban leaders to implement strategic initiatives against the backdrop of climate change-induced ocean challenges.