A few days after the current president of the Metropolis of Lyon, Bruno Bernard, announced his intention to make the Lyon metros operate 24/7 on weekends, it's now Jean-Michel Aulas who is revealing what he claims to be the ecological cornerstone of his campaign. The candidate supported by the right and the center has unveiled his "freshness plan" for Lyon, with a powerful promise: to transform the city into a shield against future heatwaves. The goal is to create a vast urban forest along the Rhône and Saône rivers, designed as a true “climatic facility” and not merely a green symbol on an election poster.
A sprawling urban forest of several hundred hectares
The heart of the project lies in a continuous forest corridor, spread out towards 2040-2050. The idea: to massively plant along the riverbanks and gradually aggregate different...Green spaces designed to create a green continuity on a metropolitan scale. Swimming in rivers, increasing the number of drinking water fountains, tackling heat islands… Aulas embraces a comprehensive vision and promises an “ecology of results,” while critiquing the actions of the ecologists in power since 2020.
L’écologie, ce n’est ni l’incantation ni l’empilement de rustines dogmatiques.
— Jean-Michel AULAS (@JM_Aulas) December 16, 2025
C’est une stratégie structurée pour protéger les habitants, aujourd’hui et demain.
À Lyon, la chaleur est devenue un risque sanitaire, social et territorial. Pourtant, aucune politique globale de… https://t.co/LQ0srX45jI
Problem: planting trees is primarily the responsibility of the Metropolis, not the City. And that's exactly where it gets tricky. When contacted by Lyon Capitale, environmental institutions remind us that since 2020, 11,000 trees have been planted in Lyon, covering nearly 35 hectares of green space, including both public and private projects. This number is credited by Aulas' camp to the Metropolis, mixing up the boundaries and fueling the controversy.
The Metropolis strikes back with data in hand
The community denounces a very selective – even opportunistic – interpretation of the data. According to its services, 180,000 trees have already been planted!te; since 2020 in the metropolitan area, with a goal of 250,000 by next March. In addition, 400 hectares have been de-paved during the mandate. “It’s surprising to accuse us of inaction,” says the Metropolis, which emphasizes the survival of trees in the face of future heatwaves.
Behind the dream canopy, the countryside is clearly stepping into the ecological debate. Between spectacular promises and a battle of numbers, urban forestry is becoming a formidable electoral argument. The big question remains whether, beyond the announcements, Lyon will really see this urban jungle grow… or just some well-watered slogans.
Source : Le Progrès and Lyon Capitale