Faced with the consequences of climate and biodiversity crises which have very concrete repercussions on the Essonne territory, the department is mobilizing. As part of the Île-de-France departmental COP, the Essonne department invited local stakeholders to think together about concrete means to implement a real ecological transition policy.
The first departmental COP in Île-de-France took place in July 2024 in Essonne. Presiding this COP91, Alain Castanier, prefect responsible for equal opportunities for Essonne and Nicolas Méary, vice-president in charge of biodiversity and ecological transition of the Essonne department. More than 150 local stakeholders, whose role is essential to the success of the ecological transition (communities, energy unions, state agencies, energy companies, companies, associations, etc.) participated in COP91.
The strategic role of the department in the ecological transition
“As a leader in human and territorial solidarity policies, the department is a legitimate actor in carrying out the ecological transition,” recalled Nicolas Méary, during the vote on a new ecological transition strategy for the period 2023-2030 . Continuing the proactive action of the department in this area, Essonne has opted for an ambitious ecological transition strategy for the next decade, the Eco-Ambition 91 Plan, “to move faster and stronger on these subjects” . The challenge is “gigantic and the objectives extremely ambitious”, concludes the vice-president in charge of biodiversity and ecological transition of the department of Essonne. Remember that in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, the Essonne territory generates more than 5,800 ktCO2i.e. greenhouse gas emissions of around 4.5 t CO2 per capita. Carbon sequestration is, for its part, of the order of 9185 tCO2/year. This represents 15% of the overall assessment of the territory according to the 2023 Sustainable Development Report, published by the department.
An ambitious roadmap
By 2030, the department has set a certain number of objectives:
• 40% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990, in accordance with the national low carbon strategy
• 40% less energy consumed at the department level compared to a reference year between 2010 and 2020
• Contribute to bringing the Essonne territory into the protected areas strategy to achieve the COP 15 objectives of 30% protected areas
• 50% less space consumed in order to achieve Zero Net Artificialization (ZAN) in 2050, in accordance with the objectives of the Climate and resilience law.
The ecological transition strategy is based on 6 axes:
• reducing the carbon footprint of Essonne,
• the preservation of the biodiversity of the territory,
• the adaptation of departmental public policies,
• the exemplary nature of the department,
• support for local stakeholders in the face of climate change,
• the mobilization of Essonniens.
15 key actions have been identified, including a 75% increase in Sensitive Natural Spaces (ENS), the fight against energy sieves, a massive commitment to the production of renewable energy, raising awareness among Essonne students about the challenges of change. climate and biodiversity, the adoption of a “green budget” each year or the opening of four bathing sites in the Seine and four other sites in the other rivers of the department.
An emergency context
The latest IPCC report serves as a reminder that greenhouse gas emissions due to human activities are warming the climate at an unprecedented rate. The temperature of the Earth’s surface has increased by 1.1 degrees compared to the pre-industrial period. Whatever the scenarios selected, for the IPCC global warming will reach 1.5°C from the start of the 2030s. Limiting this warming to 1.5°C and 2°C is only possible by accelerating and by deepening the reduction of emissions now in order to reduce net global CO emissions2 to zero and significantly reduce other greenhouse gas emissions. The latest IPCC report also highlights the increase in risks: heat waves, extreme precipitation, droughts, melting of the cryosphere, change in the behavior of many species for the same level of warming compared to its previous conclusions. Climate and non-climate risks will worsen and multiply, making their management more complex and difficult.
The convergence of several wills
In this context of climate emergency, COP 91 corresponds both to the need to respond to the requirements of the State and the Île-de-France Region, and to the timetable set to achieve the objectives on which France is working. is committed: reducing GHG emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990, aiming for the objective of carbon neutrality and those of the main players in the department, mayors, local elected officials, associations, businesses, partners. The latter have the levers for the transition and many of them are leading ambitious projects in the Essonne region and have the desire to change things. What levers for the energy improvement of buildings, to decarbonize mobility? How to accelerate the production of renewable energies in Essonne? What levers can be used to preserve the biodiversity and resources of the department? So many operational and concrete questions for the Essonne territory which the various members of COP91 were invited to think about. From July to October 2024, debates continue to identify new actions or consider scaling up actions already undertaken. The final roadmap is expected soon.
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