On the occasion of World Water Day 2025, the city of Nice hosted “Les Rencontres Azuréennes de l’Eau”, a high-level event dedicated to water resilience and innovation in the face of climate change. This year’s theme, “Glacier Preservation,” served as a powerful reminder of how changing water cycles are already impacting coastal territories and urban environments.

As part of this collective reflection, Dr. Isabelle La Jeunesse, Coordinator of the Chair “Water in the Territories of the Maritime Alps” at IMREDD – Université Côte d’Azur, and Work Package 2 leader of the EU H2020 Green Deal project ARSINOE, brought her expertise to a compelling roundtable on the concept of the permeable city and its role in coastal adaptation.

A Day for Solutions and Synergy
The morning sessions sparked engaging discussions on the foundations of permeable urban design — a nature-based approach to urban water management that mitigates flooding, improves groundwater recharge, and enhances urban resilience. Speakers explored practical strategies to transform cities into living systems that can better adapt to extreme rainfall, droughts, and rising sea levels — all of which are exacerbated by glacial melt and the broader disruptions of climate change.

Dr. La Jeunesse contributed to the dialogue by highlighting how the ARSINOE project is integrating systemic, cross-sectoral solutions for climate-resilient regions, particularly in water-stressed and coastal areas. Her insights linked urban permeability with ARSINOE’s broader mission: to co-create adaptation pathways that support local communities in navigating environmental and social risks.

“The glacial melt we’re witnessing today impacts far more than mountain ecosystems — it reshapes entire regional water systems. That’s why urban adaptation must go hand-in-hand with broader territorial resilience,” said Dr. La Jeunesse during the panel.

A Win for ARSINOE at IEEE VR 2025
In parallel to these in-person exchanges, the ARSINOE project team at Athena Research Center celebrated a major international recognition — winning First Place in the ‘Best 3DUI Demo’ category at the 32nd IEEE International Conference on Virtual Reality (IEEE VR 2025). This award highlights the cutting-edge interactive tools developed within ARSINOE to simulate and support decision-making in complex climate and water scenarios. The demo showcased how immersive environments can enhance stakeholder engagement and understanding of systemic risks in real time.

A Platform for Collaboration
Organised by Éa Éco-Entreprises and the Métropole Nice Côte d’Azur, with the support of regional and national institutions including Ville de Nice, Agence de l’eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse, Cerema, and the Région Sud, the event brought together a wide array of stakeholders: researchers, urban planners, utility managers, entrepreneurs, and public authorities.