Paris' Transformation on Display at the Olympics
WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
Helping cities make big ideas happen. Project of World Resources Institute. Producer of TheCityFix.com
The 2024 Olympics have been remarkable, not only for being the first to welcome back spectators after the COVID-19 pandemic but also as a showcase for Paris. The city’s Seine riverfront, in particular, has been a main character of sorts, providing the backdrop to the opening ceremonies, multiple competitions and much of the new infrastructure built for the games.
Paris’ transformation into a “15-minute city” over the last decade – which made it a WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities finalist in the 2021-2022 cycle – has significantly shaped its current form. The Seine was once flanked by highways on both banks, for example, instead of the pedestrian walkways and parks seen today. Changes to transport infrastructure, land use and more have helped reduce air pollution, build climate resilience and expand opportunity for residents. Paris claims to be the first Olympic games of the modern era 100% accessible by bicycle.
Cities around the world are facing imminent climate risks, simultaneously tasked with living with extremes while trying to reduce the emissions that got us here. This month saw the hottest three-day stretch on record (prompting a global call to action from UN Secretary-General António Guterres) and typhoon-triggered floods in Asia.
Cities need to focus on how to create climate-ready communities. This month, we profiled two of the five finalists for the 2023-2024 Prize, projects from Oslo, Norway, and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India. Each takes a very different approach to addressing the magnitude of challenges caused by a changing climate. Like Paris, their transformative impacts show us clear examples of how it can be done.
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Director at the International Cargo Bike Festival
3moParis is also helping businesses getting ready for the Games! https://www.paris.fr/en/pages/bicycle-deliveries-an-exciting-eco-friendly-alternative-27058