Day: 8 July 2019

France’s third largest airport, Nice Côte d’Azur, has signed an historic commitment to reach a goal of zero CO2 emissions by the year 2050 without compensation.

The announcement came during the 29th Annual Congress of ACI Europe in Cyprus, an annual meeting gathering the leaders of European airports. The collective commitment, underwritten by 194 airports and operated by 40 companies in 24 countries, marks an important turning point in the fight against climate change by the airport sector.

“The Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur are proud to sign this resolution and unequivocally affirm their commitment,” said Dominique Thillaud, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur. “We have already invested heavily in environmental management for years, working since 2004 to reduce our carbon emissions.”

The Nice Côte d’Azur Airport has been certified Level 3+ Carbon Neutral by the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program since 2016, but Mr. Thillaud has acknowledged the need to go even further in their efforts, adding, “The recent IPCC report and the changing perception of air transport by the general public require more ambition on the part of the government, companies, and players in the transport industry, and we want to respond to that.

“NetZero2050 is not a promise we take lightly and we are confident that through research and investment, knowledge exchange and partnerships, we will be able to identify the best solutions for the decarbonisation of our airport operations.”

Michael Kerkloh, President of ACI Europe and CEO of Munich Airport, added: “European airports have taken action against climate change with annual reductions announced each year over the last decade. 43 of them have become carbon neutral, as part of the global Airport Carbon Accreditation standard. However, today’s commitment brings a new dimension: no compensation. Crucially, with its NetZero2050 commitment, the airport industry is aligning itself with the Paris Agreement and the new ‘climate goal’ adopted recently by the EU.”

The 2050 deadline aligns with the latest elements reported by the IPCC and the decarbonisation strategy presented by the European Commission and adopted by the Council of the European Union.

Three European airports have already reached the zero emission level, Lulea, Ronneby and Visby, all operated by Swedavia.

“The IPCC special report of last October clearly indicates the need to achieve the goal of zero emissions by 2050, and all sectors of activity must work in this direction,” said Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). “So it is encouraging to see a leading sector such as the airport industry voluntarily commit to raising its ambitions and we look forward to working with it.”

The resolution remains open for signature by other operators.

Some of the world’s most exceptional tiaras, adorned by queens, princesses and empresses over the past 240 years, will be on show at the Grimaldi Forum Monaco for only six weeks. Luxury Parisian jeweller Chaumet is presenting the unique exhibition to celebrate the opening of its first boutique in Monaco.

‘Chaumet in Majesty – Jewels of Sovereigns since 1780’ will be held from 12th July to 28th August, providing the public with an incredible opportunity to discover exceptional pieces and to appreciate the evolution of this majestic form of jewellery throughout the centuries.

Orchestrated by Stéphane Bern and Christophe Vachaudez, the exhibition will focus on no less than 250 pieces from 15 museums and some 40 private lenders. For the first time in history, the public will be able to see rare pieces, historical creations, exceptional jewellery and jewels under the theme of the tiara, the flagship creation of Chaumet.

The diadem began as a symbol of power, especially under Napoleon, then refined by the Empress Josephine, and changed over time to become a must-have feminine accessory, now crowning the heads of future brides. It is this evolution that will be highlighted during the exhibition.

Read also: Chaumet opens in Monaco

Monaco’s innovative new autonomous electric shuttle bus is now in service throughout the Rock for residents and tourists.

The initiative is another step in Monaco’s implementation of its ‘Smart Principality’ concept developed by the #ExtendedMonaco program.

The new experimental form of transport was officially launched at a press conference on Thursday 4^th July at the Ministry of State, attended by a host of dignitaries including Minister of Equipment, Environment and Urbanism Marie-Pierre Gramaglia and Frédéric Genta, Inter-ministerial Delegate for Digital Transition.

“The aim of this experiment is ultimately to reduce the use of personal cars, to develop public transport and to promote smooth travel,” said Marie-Pierre Gramaglia. “We are entering a period of learning about this mobility of the future.

“If the experiment proves conclusive, we will aim to implement the development of this mode of transport which could be a solution to mitigate the reduced number of night buses because of the induced costs or to serve areas where we can not run city buses.”

Frédéric Genta added that it is inevitable that the future of transport is in autonomy, saying they are also the safest form of mobility. “Shuttles do not drink, they do not exceed the speed limits and they don’t break the road rules! But they are also beneficial in saving space in terms of parking and reduced costs to serve new lines,” he added. “This shuttle around the Rock is not a revolution today, it is nevertheless part of an essential development in the future of transport.”

Monegasque passengers will be among the first in the world to experience autonomous buses. The service will operate on a loop of about one kilometre every 15 minutes and will include four stops: Place du Palais Princier, the Cathedral, the Oceanographic Museum and Place de la Visitation.