An international initiative brings together local officials from communities threatened by rising waters during the United Nations Ocean Conference, held from June 9 to 13 in Nice. This is a way to counteract the sometimes stagnant response seen at the level of national governments by taking action locally.
There are still Americans involved in environmental diplomacy. While no representative of Donald Trump will attend the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) from June 9 to 13, local officials have made the trip to Nice. The mayors of New Orleans, Los Angeles, and Miami are participating on Saturday, June 7, in the summit of the Coalition of Coastal Cities and Regions. “At a time when Trump wants to drill into the ocean floor, this is a very positive signal,” said the coalition president, Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice (Horizons), referring to the former U.S. president’s intention to exploit deep-sea resources. “We need to launch a momentum in response to the inertia of some states that are disengaging from these crucial issues.”
Coastal cities are the first to be affected by climate change. They must prepare for a sea level rise estimated between 0.44 and 1 meter by the end of the 21st century, according to various greenhouse gas emission scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). This long-term evolution still involves many uncertainties (such as the response of Antarctica), but it will expose coastal populations to multiple risks, including flooding, more deadly cyclones, and soil salinization.
Source: Le monde
