Paris, France

Paris is a city where urban nature thrives within its dense urban fabric. The city boasts 531 parks and gardens, two extensive forests (Bois de Vincennes and Bois de Boulogne) and over 100,000 street trees. By 2026, Paris has committed to planting an additional 170,000 trees and adding 100 hectares of public green spaces. In particular, the city inaugurated a new urban forest on the Place de Catalogne and a 3-hectare park named after Aretha Franklin in the east of Paris. Paris is also committed to creating 100 "school streets" - green, traffic-free zones dedicated to school children and community activities - by 2026.

In addition to these initiatives, Paris has implemented a pioneering chemical-free pesticide policy that has made a significant contribution to urban biodiversity. This policy has led to the return of several wild species to the city, including regular sightings of foxes in the Père Lachaise cemetery. This initiative is part of a wider effort to improve the natural environment and quality of life for residents. Watch this video to find out more about the initiative.

Paris faces significant challenges in its quest to integrate more green space. As an ultra-dense and fully built city, finding and creating space for nature, mobility and affordable housing requires innovative solutions. The city also needs to adapt its flora to climate change and attract workers to the greening of the city. Changing residents' perceptions to see spontaneous urban flora as a positive rather than a 'dirty' element is also a key focus.

Paris will share best practices and lessons learned in urban nature and biodiversity integration.

Paris has several key plans and initiatives to strengthen its urban character:

• Bioclimatic Urban Master Plan: To be adopted by the end of 2024, this plan will enforce strict rules to promote urban nature, targeting both public and private land.
• Biodiversity Plan: Currently under revision, this plan, to be adopted in early 2025, will guide the city's biodiversity efforts until 2030.
• Paris Rain Plan: Focuses on soil decompaction and rainwater harvesting.
• Tree Plan: Aims to plant 170,000 trees by 2026.
• Expansion of public green spaces: Aims to increase by 100 hectares by 2026.
• Climate Plan 2024-2030: Paris is intensifying its fight against climate change and accelerating its transformations to adapt. Faster, more local, more equitable – these are the guiding principles that have shaped the development of its new Climate Plan. The will be adopted by the City Council by the end of 2024.

For a visual explanation of the results of the previous Biodiversity Plan, watch this video.

Paris offers many opportunities for residents and organisations to get involved in urban greening:

• Take part in free outdoor activities with family and friends. Find out more here.
• Visit the House of Gardening for advice and tools, or the House of Parisian Nature for citizen science activities. You can also lend a hand at the Farm of Paris.
• Join a community garden or get a greening permit to plant a tree pit near your home.
• Join Climate Academy workshops to explore the links between climate change, biodiversity and urban challenges.

For more information and ways to get involved, visit Paris Environment Action and local NGOs.