Tribune. The Métropole du Grand Paris (MGP) is currently working on a territorial coherence plan (SCoT) which, on the climate issue, will have to draw sufficiently clear and strong lines to make up for the delay and limit the risks as much as possible. The future of the metropolis depends on it.
In the first place, it is necessary to protect and develop agricultural and forest lands. These lands represent a major asset for ensuring our resilience, refreshing our territory and improving food and quality of life. However, they melt like snow in the sun. Between 1982 and 2017, the Metropolis lost more than half of its agricultural land.
Each municipality, taken separately, agrees to preserve them but always has a good reason for making exceptions. Thus, from half-plot to half-plot, our territory is gradually amputating its vital organs. It must be ended, without exception.
Responsibility of communities
Then, the soil of the metropolis must be massively de-artificialized so that the water can flow, avoid flooding. The presence of nature must be developed and sanctified in the city. To meet the imperative needs for social housing, it is necessary to reinvest the plots that are fallow or already built, either by transforming the existing buildings or by proposing lighter forms of construction which preserve the open land.
This is why, in the city, we offer a minimum of 30% of open land per district and compensation of 2m² of open land for 1m² artificialized on the scale of the territory. Finally, the populations must imperatively be protected from floods. Also, in areas prone to flooding, by overflow or rising water table, new constructions must be absolutely avoided and these areas preserved.
These floods will be more and more frequent, intense and violent over time. It is up to the Metropolis, which has the competence, to ensure the safety of the populations. Climate jurisprudence is strengthening, as is the responsibility of communities and their elected representatives.
High density with urban heat islands
Which metropolis do we want? If we continue with the development and town planning of the last decades, we will hit the wall. There is no need to describe the climatic situation at length. This year it was obvious: the mega-fires that ravaged California, Siberia or Greece; the 50 ° C heat dome that hit Canada; the floods which engulfed entire lands in Belgium and Germany and those at the end of summer in Marseille.
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