CP - Cannes awarded the "Sustainable Innovative Destination" label
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At the General Meeting of France Congrès et Evénements held today in Paris, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès was awarded the "Sustainable Innovative Destination" label. This recognition is awarded to tourist destinations that stand out for their commitment to sustainable development and their ability to innovate. The label highlights destinations' efforts to reconcile economic growth, environmental preservation and social responsibility. To obtain this label, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès and the City of Cannes have joined forces with several partners (Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic Cannes, Hôtel Barrière Le Gray d'Albion Cannes and Lenôtre Traiteur).
The town of Cannes has made the environment a priority. For several years now, the town council has been taking a number of steps to meet the environmental and energy challenge:
• Greening the city;
• Developing agricultural areas and gardens;
• Decarbonising public transport with electric and green hydrogen;
• The "Mobility Decarbonisation Charter", which commits all coach operators serving Cannes to green practices in order to continue the fight against global warming;
• The photovoltaic plan for the roofs of municipal buildings;
• The installation of a thalassothermal network on the Croisette to recover heat energy from the sea and cover the heating needs of buildings;
• Using raw water to wash roads and water green spaces;
• A "zero plastic" plan for all users of Cannes' public areas;
• The posidonia protection plan;
• The "Cruise Charter" from summer 2019, under which cruise companies undertake to use fuel with 0.1% sulphur content and to avoid Posidonia meadows when manoeuvring and anchoring. 100% of cruise lines mooring in Cannes have signed the agreement.
• The creation of an underwater eco-museum in January 2021 to protect underwater flora and fauna.
The economic lynchpin of the city and a leading convention centre in Europe, the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès is also pursuing its commitment to sustainable development.
After obtaining ISO 20121 certification, the international standard for the sustainable management of events, last December it became the first major convention centre to become a société à mission, thus confirming its social and environmental commitment by enshrining in its statutes its raison d'être "to welcome the world sustainably". Among the actions undertaken by the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès:
• The eco-design and responsible and sustainable operation of new trade shows;
• Sustainable waste management,
• Reducing energy consumption, in particular by using 100% green electricity from 2023,
• Training all staff in QSE - SD (quality, safety, environment and sustainable development).
• Support for associations and other local players in favour of the environment, including the Fondation Cannes and the PRIME project (*)
(*) The PRIME (Posidonia Restoration Initiative for a resilient Mediterranean Ecosystem) project, supported by the Cannes Endowment Fund and the Cannes Foundation, is a joint project between NaturDive and BlueLeaf Conservation. It involves setting up environmental awareness and education initiatives, as well as deploying a monitoring tool to protect the seabed and restore Posidonia meadows.
