Since Wednesday evening, the Incity tower has been displaying the air quality of the next day in Lyon at each sunset.
Le Figaro Lyon
“Light up to breathe better”. In partnership with Atmo Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the Incity tower, the tallest in Lyon, now displays the city’s air quality at its top. Since Wednesday, the tower indicates each evening for 1h30, thanks to LEDs placed on the building, a color of the next day’s Atmo index ranging from blue «bon» au magenta “extremely bad”. This index is defined by ministerial decree to grade the level of ambient air pollution.
It is calculated by aggregating measured or modeled data on several air pollutants for each municipality. The objective of this new display is to encourage residents of the Lyon metropolis to adapt their outdoor activities, their modes of travel and their heating habits according to the expected air quality.
Pollution has been falling for 20 years
According to Atmo’s measurements, levels of fine particles and nitrogen oxides have been falling steadily for 20 years. “Technological improvements, particularly in industrial processes and the vehicle fleet, as well as the development of active mobility, are at the origin of this improvement”specifies the organization.
However, exceedances of thresholds are still regularly observed in the metropolis of Lyon, while the close links between air pollution and the development of cardiovascular diseases and cancers have been established for a long time. According to the World Health Organization, “8 out of 10 city dwellers are exposed to pollution levels exceeding recommended limits.”
In France, air pollution is responsible for nearly 40,000 premature deaths per year, including 960 in Greater Lyon (Santé Publique France). These deaths are mainly due to diseases such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.
