Paris, focusing on the convenience for people instead of cars, has significantly improved air quality by transforming business districts. The city has eliminated parking spaces, enhanced public transport quality, especially in the suburbs, and invested in pedestrian zones and bike lanes, making the streets safer and more vibrant.
Research published in the Washington Post shows that such policies can significantly improve the health of urban residents. Air pollution, often referred to as a silent killer, is linked to serious illnesses such as heart attacks, lung cancer, bronchitis, and asthma, due to exposure to PM 2.5 and nitrogen dioxide.
On pollution heat maps created 20 years ago, red zones indicating exceedances of the limits set by the European Union for nitrogen dioxide, resulting from fossil fuel combustion, could be observed. However, by 2023, these zones have significantly reduced, leaving only thin lines that mark the busiest roads and highways.
These changes highlight how decisive measures can lead to improved health in large cities. Air pollution, according to medical experts, poses a serious threat, as PM 2.5 and nitrogen dioxide cause numerous diseases.
Since 2014, the mayor of Paris has been Anne Hidalgo, a representative of the Socialist Party, who actively promotes environmental initiatives and dreams of a "Paris that breathes and is pleasant to live in."
However, her ideas face opposition from right-wing politicians and motorists' associations, who argue that their lives are made more difficult by car restrictions.
Recently, Parisians approved a referendum to transfer another 500 streets to pedestrians. Last year, the city also significantly increased parking fees for SUVs, forcing drivers to pay three times more than for small cars. Additionally, the Seine riverbank was transformed from a crowded transport artery into a pedestrian zone, and car traffic on the bustling Rivoli Boulevard was almost completely banned.
Carlos Moreno, a professor at the University of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne I and a former city councilor, noted that the capital of France has developed an "urban policy based on well-being."
