Paris in transition: The 4th Climate Plan

Paris is resolutely committed to the fight against climate change with the recent unveiling of its fourth climate plan. Under the leadership of Mayor Anne Hidalgo, the City of Lights has set itself the ambitious goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 80% by 2050. This plan, rich in innovative measures, announces a fundamental transformation in the way in which Paris approaches its greenhouse gas emissions and rethinks the sustainability of its infrastructure.

Towards a Zero Emission City

At the heart of this initiative is the bold promise to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050. The trajectory also sets an 80% reduction in the city’s total carbon footprint, taking into account indirect emissions, compared to 2004. This shift towards a zero-emission city is intended to be a major milestone in Paris’ climate transition.

Intermediate Objectives

To realize these ambitions, Parisian climate planning establishes a first milestone for 2030, with the objective of halving direct emissions and reducing the carbon footprint by 40% compared to 2004. These intermediate objectives demonstrate the city’s resolute commitment to act quickly and effectively.

Current Performance and Progress

Looking at data from 2021, the latest year available, the town hall reports a significant 35% reduction in carbon footprint compared to 2004, reaching 18.4 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Direct emissions also decreased by 36.5% compared to 2004, totaling 4.7 million tonnes in 2021. These results, although marked by restrictions linked to health measures, illustrate notable progress towards the sustainability objectives set by the municipality.