INVESTIGATION
Differentiated traffic was introduced on Thursday in the capital. Only vehicles with a Class 0, 1 and 2 Crit'Air sticker are authorized to circulate in the Paris conurbation. This decision was taken by the police prefecture because of the ozone pollution forecast, a consequence of the hot weather in recent days. And it is not a surprise because since the beginning of the deconfinement, pollution has skyrocketed in the capital.
The most spectacular rise in Europe
A Finnish study even concluded that Paris was the European capital experiencing the most spectacular increase in air pollution. The level of nitrogen dioxide, a very toxic gas, doubled compared to the period of confinement: + 118% in Paris, against 88% in Brussels or 73% in Milan.
Reluctance to take public transport
To explain this phenomenon, Olivier Blond, president of the Respire association, points to another French particularity: our love for diesel engines. "People are still hesitant to take public transport and therefore take back the car more than one would have expected. In addition to that, in France, we have more than 70% of cars that run on diesel engines. These engines are the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions, and that is why this rebound is particularly strong, "he analyzes.
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This rebound also has another explanation. Indeed, Paris was one of the capitals to have most reduced its level of nitrogen dioxide during confinement. The evidence, according to the study, that measures that impact road traffic are the most effective in reducing the concentrations of pollutants in the air.