Paris’ new climate plan outlines measures to help the city prepare for extreme heat and reduce car dependency. These include lowering speed limits, repurposing traffic lanes, removing 60,000 parking spaces and replacing them with trees. 

Paris has gained significant attention for its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, particularly over the past decade under Mayor Anne Hidalgo. This new plan aims to create a city that is greener, more resilient to extreme heat and more pedestrian-friendly with fewer cars on the road. 

To reach this ambitious goal, Paris plans to create 300 hectares of new green space by 2030, with 10 per cent expected by 2026. Removing parking spaces will play a key role, as many kerbside parking can easily be replaced by tree-lined beds that also help with stormwater absorption.   

The city will also create ‘oasis squares’ in each of its 20 arrondissements (administrative districts), providing more green spaces where trees and shade structures offer residents a break from the sun and help cool surrounding temperatures.  

Recent heatwaves have made Paris more vulnerable to rising summer temperatures. The city generates a strong urban heat island effect, causing many of its homes and businesses to suffer from a lack of air conditioning. The climate adaptation plan promises more neighbourhood cooling centres, proposes adjustments to daily schedules for outdoor workers to reduce heat stress and commits to installing insulated or reflective 'cool roofs' on 1,000 public buildings. 

Pedestrianisation efforts will continue as the city works toward creating a car-free core in each arrondissement. Paris also plans to dedicate a traffic lane on the Boulevard Périphérique, the city's inner beltway, exclusively for public transit and carpool vehicles. In areas where lanes remain open to all, speed limits will be lowered to 50 kilometres per hour. 

While the plan is pending approval from the Council of Paris, the city’s approach serves as a great model for other overheated cities around the world to follow. By prioritising green spaces and reducing car dependency, the French capital is laying the foundation for a future where cities can thrive amidst climate chaos. 

Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.