Nature in cities: governance for climate change adaptation of coastal metropolises in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (NATURE 4 CITY LIFE)

The Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur is globally recognised as a "hotspot" for biodiversity. However, it is also characterised by strong urbanisation pressures and increasing vulnerability to climate change, as shown by regular heat island effects and heatwaves. These issues are particularly prevalent in the coastal cities of Aix-Marseille-Provence, Nice-Côte d'Azur and Toulon and their suburbs where there is high population density. Reducing cities’ vulnerability to climate change and increasing their adaptive capacity is a fundamental challenge of climate policy. The development, strengthening and promotion of green and blue infrastructure as well as the multifunctional services provided by green and blue infrastructure in urban areas are a response to this challenge.

The NATURE 4 CITY LIFE project aims to develop and strengthen the integration of Green and Blue Infrastructures in urban planning projects, based on integrated climate governance to develop urban resilience to climate change, through two operational targets:

• By raising awareness of multifunctional green and blue infrastructure through demonstration sites in three metropolitan areas;
• By developing integrated climate governance tools to strengthen the integration of Green and Blue Infrastructures in urban planning projects. These include tools for monitoring air quality, heat island effect and humidity and an information system to outline the socio-economic and climate change benefits or green and blue infrastructure in urban areas.