It's official: the air in Paris isn't the same as it was ten years ago. According to Airparif, the levels of nitrogen dioxide (the infamous NO₂, released by engines) have dropped by nearly 45% since 2012, and fine particles (PM2.5) by 35%. As a bonus, CO₂ from road traffic has decreased by 35%. This unprecedented improvement is due to the modernization of the vehicle fleet, the rise of soft mobility, and, let's be honest, a few political moves: low emission zones, pedestrian streets, tons of bike lanes...
Paris Still Far from the Big Blue
The city hall celebrates this, but Airparif reminds us: yes, we breathe better than before, but we’re still far from the levels recommended by the WHO. Specifically, nearly 70% of Parisians are still breathing air that’s too polluted to meet the 2030 goals. The good news is that the progress is already saving lives: between 2010 and 2019, pollution-related deaths dropped by 43%.
g>, that means almost a year of life expectancy gained for the residents of the region.![]()
Still Work to Do
Fewer cars, more bikes, pedestrianized quays and electric buses… the capital has transformed, and it's paying off! But to reach international standards, we need to keep pushing the envelope (or rather, remove it). In the meantime, good news for our lungs: taking a stroll in Paris today is already a bit more breathable than yesterday.
