In War Against Air Pollution, Paris Provides a Battle Plan

Around the Eiffel Tower, along the Champs-Élysées, and among the columns of Notre Dame, Parisians have been fighting a hidden war for the past 20 years. Their foe? Air pollution. It’s been an uphill battle. But a new report suggests the iconic city is winning.

Airparif is an independent survey group. It tracks toxic particles in the air around Paris, France. It announced this week that two key measures of harmful air in Paris have fallen by at least 50% since 2005. One is levels of fine particulate matter (-55%). The other is nitrogen dioxide levels (-50%). 

“This decline can be explained by the combined impact of (many) policies on mobility, heating, energy and the environment,” Airparif officials said in a written statement. “As a result, the number of (early) deaths (linked) to air pollution decreased by a third between 2010 and 2019.”

Both fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide levels rise with the burning of fossil fuels. And both are harmful. They can cause asthma, lung cancer, and many neurological disorders. To cut these risks, Paris has put in place sweeping laws that restrict car traffic. Many city roads have been switched to pedestrian-only or bike lane access. Over 50,000 parking spaces have been cut. Land has been transformed into parks and other green spaces, too.

Some have critiqued the changes. They've noted that curbing car and truck access has had an economic impact on Paris. But Mayor Anne Hidalgo keeps backing the measures. She told the Washington Post that cutting air pollution has formed a “Paris that breathes, a Paris that is more agreeable to live in.”     

Reflect: What do you think are some ways cities can become healthier places to live?