shutterstock-1725460972

It's proven, Parisian trees save lives!

undefined undefined 28 février 2026 undefined 07h30

The Editor

© Art-is-Power / Shutterstock

If some have deemed it right to criticize the massive greening efforts implemented by Anne Hidalgo in recent years, they should be regretting it now. And for good reason, a new study has just revealed an obvious link between the number of trees in the capital and the number of heat-related deaths.

In September last year, Paris became the deadliest city in Europe during a heatwave. This dramatic position prompted some experts to ask a simple question: how to limit deaths during a heatwave in the capital? And according to an international study just published by the scientific journal npj Urban Sustainability, the answer is simple: we need to plant trees.


Urgent Solutions

For the past few years, climate change requires, the French capital, like many major metropolises around the world, has been experiencing unprecedented heatwaves. And unfortunately, this trend is expected to continue.

circ;ter, since many experts are predicting

Summer periods with over 50°C are expected for the City of Light in the coming years. However, this increase in temperatures sadly comes with a rise in the number of deaths.

To tackle this situation, researchers from the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), along with scientists from London and Barcelona, gathered to propose concrete solutions to minimize this issue in the capital. And the results are clear: right now, the most effective approach is to greenify Paris.


An undeniable causality

To establish this finding, the various...Specialist researchers have gathered over 10 years of data in Paris, organized by district, to establish the conditions favorable to heat-related deaths. They discovered an astonishing factor: the 13th district, the greenest in Paris, records the fewest deaths during extreme heat, while the 2nd, the most concrete-filled, sees the highest number.

A simple causal link that explains quite easily: not only does vegetation create cool spots, which helps to lower temperatures, but it also provides better air quality. In conclusion, the study shows that if a fifth of each district were vegetated, the death rate could drop by a third. A new argument in the race for the mayor's office heating up?