Hosted at the initiative of Nantes Métropole, this first edition of Climate Chance will be held at La Cité, the Nantes Events Center, located in the heart of a region where sustainable development is a major guiding principle.

2013 European Green Capital, presidency of Eurocities, a network of Europe's 130 major cities, and climate representative of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) network, Nantes is a high-profile city in the area of ecological and environmental transition.

La Cité plays an active and engaged role in promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (particularly in relation to climate change) in Nantes. It has made CSR a key part of its strategy and, between 2010 and 2015, it reduced its greenhouse-gas emissions by 10%. It uses the global performance calculator provided by the French union for event-management professions (Union Française des Métiers de l’Evénement – UNIMEV) to measure the environmental, economic, fiscal, social, scientific and media-related impacts of the summit.

In addition to a prime location for public transport (city centre, opposite the TGV train station) and its teams' green approach, La Cité's commitment to the environment is demonstrated by:

optimised management of its infrastructure (Bilan Carbone® carbon accounting);

significant sustainable development actions (waste sorting, energy reduction, green electricity, sustainable development clauses in procurement agreements, responsible purchasing, daytime cleaning, etc.)

creation of a range of eco-responsible services for events;

ISO 9001 certification, ISO 26000 level 3, the France Congrès et Evénements Quality & Sustainable Development Charter and gold AIPC Quality Standards certification. La Cité is also a member of the UN Global Compact

As part of their production, Nantes Métropole and La Cité, the Nantes Events Center, are committed to implementing an organisation that takes into account societal and environmental concerns, and to mobilising the event's various stakeholders, including Nantes' civil society. This commitment will also extend to communicating the summit's eco-responsibility to its various audiences.  This involves working alongside experts in six major areas:

• Management of the summit's carbon footprint and carbon compensation for the event;
• Accessibility for all to the event;
• "Zero waste" catering;
• Resource management with a circular-economy approach;
• Responsible communication;
• Mobilisation of civil society, including training, around the summit (for youth in particular).

Download the summit's eco-responsibility charter

Climate Chance also plans to mobilise and involve local civil society through volunteer actions. This approach is coordinated and supported by the local initiative "Réseau éco-évènement" (eco-event network) and the related non-profit organisation Planét’ évènement.

Who better to welcome, guide and help you appreciate our local area than the citizens of Nantes?

These local ambassadors will add a personal touch to make your visit to Climate Chance a unique experience.  They will be easy to spot as you make your way from the train station or airport to the summit venue!

Their missions:

• Promote eco-responsibility;
• Welcome speakers;
• Provide concierge services;
• Serve as mediators for artistic and scientific exhibitions;
• Minute-taking for summit proceedings;
• Visual display construction citizen workshops;
• Extra-event activity suggestions: ambassadors also play the role of greeters!

Climate Chance volunteers are coordinated by "le Réseau éco-évènement", our partner on  eco-design directive of the event.

The various and diverse Climate Chance participants should be provided with an enriching and consistent overall experience. With this aim in mind, we asked Studio Katra to provide support for visual displays. Our challenge: To create a setting that encourages participants and stakeholders to mingle, while promoting discussion and commitment at Climate Chance 

For visual displays, Studio Katra is exploring a vision that includes five main areas:

1. A global experience

Climate Chance is an international event that must deliver a unique and comprehensive experience for all participants. Like other major international events, participants must be immersed in a specific atmosphere. The accumulation of positive experiences at each key stage of participants' event journey will ensure consistency between their experience both inside and outside La Cité.

2. Embodying change

Closely linked with climate, the connected or underlying topic of the event is that of change.  This includes a paradigm shift in relation to our environment, the search for new climate solutions and a change in how we think about and do things. The design of visual displays must embody the creative and disruptive frame of mind that accompanies the search for new models. Transformation and reuse of materials in surprising ways, as well as unexpected installations, should reflect the perception of a changing world.

3. Joint-creation

The creation of visual displays is a superb tool for mediation and experimentation related to the topic of climate. Bringing together skills, cooperation and collaborative working are all part of Nantes' DNA: this should be promoted by the visual display team and visible during the event.   Raising awareness among the general public, the mobilisation of local partners, and support from non-profit organisations and economic stakeholders can all contribute to fighting against the all-pervasive effects of climate change.

4. Bringing together stakeholders

Acting as a bridge between the two COPs, Climate Chance is also an opportunity for local and international civil society stakeholders to meet. Visual displays will have a role to play in bringing together these audiences, enhancing informal meetings and providing a pleasant setting for work meetings. By positioning Climate Chance as an event that brings together various stakeholders, visual displays will help meet the challenges of sharing experience and promoting innovation.

5. Eco-design

The link between climate and sustainable development confirmed at COP21 demonstrates the need to introduce practical local actions that help fight climate change. For Climate Chance, the challenge is therefore to embody this link and provide visual displays that are consistent with development principles. In terms of creating visual displays, the first step is to move away from conventional design and production methods, toward the sourcing of local partners, which are involved in the design stage.

Partners involved in creating visual displays:
La Nizanerie (citizen collective), Martial Nouhaud (interior space designer), Collectif Fil (architects), Grrr (creative firm), Stations Services (salvaged material resources), Le Point du Jour (recycling centre)