
For the past fifteen years, Paris has been breathing a little easier. The capital, long suffocated by road traffic and industrial emissions, has begun a significant transformation of its air quality. While there’s still a long way to go to reach the strict WHO recommendations, the progress made bears witness to a clear determination to make the city healthier and more liveable. So, where does Paris stand?
Air pollution in Paris has been declining for 15 years
A key indicator of air quality, the presence of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant produced by diesel engines, has seen its concentrations fall drastically. In 2019, 250,000 Parisians were still living in areas where regulatory thresholds were exceeded. By 2022, the number had fallen to 10,000. A significant advance, although current levels still fall far short of international health ambitions.
As for fine particles, they now comply with European standards. But their omnipresence still exceeds the thresholds recommended by the WHO, reminding us that these invisible dusts continue to weigh heavily on the health of residents. While some indicators are improving, others are stagnating or giving cause for concern.Ozone, for example, remains a headache, amplified by global warming.
To meet these challenges, Paris is multiplying its initiatives: increased surveillance around schools and nurseries, deployment of micro-sensors to refine pollution mapping… All these actions are part of a wider ambition: to make Paris breathable.