- Nice has cut PM2.5 fine particle concentrations around schools by 50% between 2019 and 2023, according to a report by the association Respire.
- Across the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) have dropped by 64%, and fine particle (PM2.5) emissions by 46% between 2008 and 2022, according to data from Atmosud, the region’s accredited air quality monitoring body.
- Among French cities with over 200,000 inhabitants, Nice leads in reducing fine particle pollution.
- The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis has implemented a comprehensive strategy to reduce pollution, including initiatives in soft mobility, electrification of public transport, urban greening, and reduction of maritime emissions.
The Respire association recently published a report on air quality near schools in the Sud Region.
This report highlighs notable progress in Nice, where pollution levels have steadily declined.
Between 2019 and 2023, PM₂.₅ concentrations near schools in Nice were halved.
Today, nearly all schools in the city fall below the European regulatory threshold for fine particles.
Almost all school establishments in the city are now below the European regulatory threshold.
The association Respire, which produced this report, is not a recognized organization accredited for air quality monitoring (AASQA). It has been known since its inception for its activist positions, particularly in the Île-de-France region.
The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis and the City of Nice work daily with the accredited body ATMOSUD, which provides objective studies within an official framework.
Across the overall metropolitan area, Atmosud recorded a 64% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions between 2008 and 2022, and a 46% reduction in PM2.5 fine particle emissions over the same period.
Nice is even the leading city in France with over 200,000 inhabitants where the level of fine particles has decreased the most.
Moreover, the Metropolis raises questions about certain methodological choices that may call into question the conclusions presented by the association:
✓ Respire does not consider European regulatory thresholds, but those recommended by the WHO. If one adheres to these very strict WHO thresholds, nearly all citizens in major urbanized cities worldwide are exposed to higher levels, and the same applies to schools in these urban centers. Thus, more than 99% of the population is affected in the Aix-Marseille Provence metropolis alone.
✓ Some elements appear inconsistent in the maps presented. The most striking example concerns Von Derwies School, where the nursery and primary schools, although adjacent, receive different rankings in terms of air pollution. This notable inconsistency raises questions about the accuracy of the theoretical data, which does not appear to have been verified on the ground.
The improvement in pollution levels in Nice demonstrates the effectiveness of the policies undertaken. Nice continues its strategy to improve air quality in order to protect the health of residents, and particularly of children:
- Reducing car traffic, tramway lines 2 and 3, the creation of green corridors and high-level service bus routes,
- Developing soft mobility through the construction of bike paths and pedestrian areas,
- Decarbonizing the entire bus fleet, moving toward electric and biogas,
- Fighting maritime pollution through the implementation of a 0.1% sulfur standard at the Port of Nice since 2020, a 50% reduction in cruise ship traffic, and electrification of docks,
- Demolishing energy-inefficient buildings in favor of large green spaces: the Promenade du Paillon,
- Creating road infrastructure to relieve congestion in the western part of Nice, with the western exit of the Voie Mathis,
- Developing large green spaces in all neighborhoods to reduce soil sealing,
- Increasing green schoolyards: 76 greened schoolyards to date.
Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, President of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis, and Deputy President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Region: “Very early on, I implemented strong measures to preserve the living environment and the health of all residents. While some contest our choices, today the results are clear: our decisions helped reduce fine particles by half around schools between 2019 and 2023! We will continue on this path, and the new Climate Plan we have just launched for the 2026–2032 period will be even more ambitious. Yes, we are winning this battle!”
Source: Ville de Nice press release
