A new Paris urban forest plan aims to reduce temperatures, increase flood resilience, and lower carbon emissions.
The city's urban forest plan is forging ahead to transform nearly half the city into a “Paris urban forest” by 2030. This week marked a significant milestone as the city began planting a micro-woodland of 478 trees in the Place de Catalogne, a busy square in southern Paris, signalling a new chapter in urban environmental management.
City officials estimate that by converting 60 percent of the square’s surface to planted areas, summer high temperatures could be reduced by a whopping 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 F).
The Paris urban forest initiative, part of a larger urban greening strategy, aims to reduce summer heat, increase flood resilience, and lower carbon emissions. By 2030, Paris hopes to have 50 percent of its ground area covered by water-permeable surfaces, including green roofs, tree-lined avenues, mini-gardens, and new parks. This target represents a substantial increase from 32 percent in 2020, positioning Paris as a leader in urban forestry among global cities.
Since November 2020, Paris has planted over 63,000 trees and the city’s target is to add 170,000 more trees by 2026, with plans to green 200 additional streets in the coming years. This large-scale planting is complemented by other projects, such as the opening of a 3.5 hectare (8.7 acre) park on Paris’s eastern edge, built along a disused railway line.
Alongside this strategic plan, Paris has been very bold in tackling car use in the city. Over recent years, Paris has implemented an array of measures to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists and transit while bringing car use down significantly.
The economic impact of Paris’s urban forest plan is expected to be significant. While the initial investment is substantial, the long-term benefits could far outweigh the costs. Urban forests have been shown to increase property values, boost tourism, and reduce healthcare expenditures. A study by the U.S. Forest Service found that every dollar invested in urban trees yields two to five dollars in benefits, including energy savings, improved air quality, and stormwater runoff reduction.