Latest news with #AnneHidalgo
NDTV
8 hours ago
- NDTV
Viral Map Shows Paris' Pollution Drop As City Trades Cars For Bike Lanes
Air pollution maps depicting the dramatic fall in pollution levels in Paris after the city restricted car traffic has gone viral on social media. The image shows the pollution levels in the French capital, dating back to 2007, when the heat map is made up entirely of a pulsing red. Fast forward to 2024, and the city looks greener and much healthier. Unlike other major metropolitan capitals across the world, Paris has traded automotive routes for bike lanes, adding green spaces and eliminating 50,000 parking spaces, according to a report in The Washington Post. The city has also embraced the idea of a '15-minute' city, meaning the citizens should be able to live a short walk or bike ride from work, school, stores, and other aspects of daily life. The results have been stellar, and the map showing the average nitrogen dioxide concentration in the city is proof of the mass measures put in place. Airparif, an independent group that tracks air quality for France's capital region, stated that the levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) have decreased 55 per cent since 2005, while nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen 50 per cent. It attributed this to "regulations and public policies," including steps to limit traffic and ban the most polluting vehicles. "Estimates show that current policies could make it possible to meet future air quality standards across almost the entire country by 2030," Airparif stated. Social media reacts After the map was posted on various social media platforms, a section of social media users lauded the city's efforts, whilst others questioned if the reality was different. "As someone that lives here I absolutely love it. Less cars, less noise. More room to cycle and walk," said one user while another added: "Isn't it more intertwined? Isn't that caused mainly by hybrid cars, eco friendly buses and modern motors that have better exhaust systems and consume less gasoline?" A third commented: "I know a lot of people hate bicycles, some people are really suicidal on them. Even as a fellow biker, I get it. But know that voting for more bike lanes is also in your interest." Paris pollution after they added bike lanes and restricted cars. Maybe this is the way to go in Delhi also by u/Front_Writer_3403 in delhi Since 2014, Paris has been led by Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who has described her wish for a 'Paris that breathes, a Paris that is more agreeable to live in".
Malay Mail
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Malay Mail
Paris to open Seine for public swimming from July 5 despite pollution fears, year after Olympic debut
PARIS, June 20 — A year on from athletes competing in the River Seine during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, French authorities guarantee the water will be safe for the public to swim in this summer. Parisians and tourists will be able to dive into the river from July 5, weather permitting, according to authorities. The public will be able to access three bathing sites at bras Marie in the heart of the historic centre, the Grenelle district in the west of Paris, as well as Bercy in the east. Last year, water treatment stations, holding tanks and connections to the Parisian boat sanitation system were installed. 'For the Games, we cleaned up three quarters of the Seine. And the water was 100 percent ready for bathing on dry days,' said Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. According to Guillaume, the top state-appointed official for the region, the new bathing zones will be popular. This year, the weather is predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which had led to the cancellation of six of the eleven competitions held the river. 'It was an extraordinary moment (in 2024), but swimming during the Games was not an end in itself,' Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had told reporters in May. 'Making the Seine swimmable is first and foremost a response to the objective of adapting to climate change, but also of quality of life,' she added. 'Bathing plan' Last year, Hidalgo dove into the Seine in front of journalists from around the world before the Games began. The historic swim signalled the end of years of efforts to clean the Seine and the river which flows into it, the Marne. Work had started in the 1990s, with an initial investment of more than nine billion euros (10.4 billion dollars) from the greater Paris sanitation authorities. Following initial efforts, the 'bathing plan' leading up to the 2024 Paris Games was launched in 2016. The French state and local authorities had invested another 1.4 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars). The plan was focused on preventing the city's waste waters from flowing into the Seine. The mid-19th century Parisian sewage system often overflows on rainy days, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. 'Insufficient' testing Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains the sites will likely close on the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. 'We're not tossing a coin, we're relying on scientific data,' he said, adding that no athlete had fallen ill after swimming in the river last summer. The presence of the fecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci in the Seine will be assessed daily using live sensors and samples. According to the association France Nature Environment Ile-de-France, the planned tests are 'insufficient'. There are 'many viruses which cannot be tested for' in the Seine, said honorary president of the association Michel Riottot. Swallowing too much water from the river could lead a person to catch hepatitis, gastroenteritis or skin diseases, former research engineer Riottot told AFP. Chemical pollution will not be measured either, added Riottot. 'If there is occasional pollution upstream, we will be informed, so we will be able to take necessary measures,' said Rabadan. The number of species of fish in the Seine increased from four in 1970 to thirty-six reported in February—a sign that water sanitation has improved over the years. In early June, the Paris City Council gave legal rights and a personhood status to the Seine to protect its fragile ecosystem, as part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature. — AFP
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Paris makes clean water bet for River Seine bathers
A year on from athletes competing in the River Seine during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, French authorities guarantee the water will be safe for the public to swim in this summer. Parisians and tourists will be able to dive into the river from July 5, weather permitting, according to authorities. The public will be able to access three bathing sites at bras Marie in the heart of the historic centre, the Grenelle district in the west of Paris, as well as Bercy in the east. Last year, water treatment stations, holding tanks and connections to the Parisian boat sanitation system were installed. "For the Games, we cleaned up three quarters of the Seine. And the water was 100 percent ready for bathing on dry days," said Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. According to Guillaume, the top state-appointed official for the region, the new bathing zones will be popular. This year, the weather is predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which had led to the cancellation of six of the eleven competitions held the river. "It was an extraordinary moment (in 2024), but swimming during the Games was not an end in itself," Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had told reporters in May. "Making the Seine swimmable is first and foremost a response to the objective of adapting to climate change, but also of quality of life," she added. - "Bathing plan" - Last year, Hidalgo dove into the Seine in front of journalists from around the world before the Games began. The historic swim signalled the end of years of efforts to clean the Seine and the river which flows into it, the Marne. Work had started in the 1990s, with an initial investment of more than nine billion euros (10.4 billion dollars) from the greater Paris sanitation authorities. Following initial efforts, the "bathing plan" leading up to the 2024 Paris Games was launched in 2016. The French state and local authorities had invested another 1.4 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars). The plan was focused on preventing the city's waste waters from flowing into the Seine. The mid-19th century Parisian sewage system often overflows on rainy days, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. - "Insufficient" testing - Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains the sites will likely close on the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. "We're not tossing a coin, we're relying on scientific data," he said, adding that no athlete had fallen ill after swimming in the river last summer. The presence of the fecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci in the Seine will be assessed daily using live sensors and samples. According to the association France Nature Environment Ile-de-France, the planned tests are "insufficient". There are "many viruses which cannot be tested for" in the Seine, said honorary president of the association Michel Riottot. Swallowing too much water from the river could lead a person to catch hepatitis, gastroenteritis or skin diseases, former research engineer Riottot told AFP. Chemical pollution will not be measured either, added Riottot. "If there is occasional pollution upstream, we will be informed, so we will be able to take necessary measures," said Rabadan. The number of species of fish in the Seine increased from four in 1970 to thirty-six reported in February -- a sign that water sanitation has improved over the years. In early June, the Paris City Council gave legal rights and a personhood status to the Seine to protect its fragile ecosystem, as part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature. juc/mat-mct/sjw/pi
News.com.au
20-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Paris makes clean water bet for River Seine bathers
A year on from athletes competing in the River Seine during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, French authorities guarantee the water will be safe for the public to swim in this summer. Parisians and tourists will be able to dive into the river from July 5, weather permitting, according to authorities. The public will be able to access three bathing sites at bras Marie in the heart of the historic centre, the Grenelle district in the west of Paris, as well as Bercy in the east. Last year, water treatment stations, holding tanks and connections to the Parisian boat sanitation system were installed. "For the Games, we cleaned up three quarters of the Seine. And the water was 100 percent ready for bathing on dry days," said Marc Guillaume, the prefect for the Ile-de-France region that includes Paris. According to Guillaume, the top state-appointed official for the region, the new bathing zones will be popular. This year, the weather is predicted to be drier than the record rainfall during the Games, which had led to the cancellation of six of the eleven competitions held the river. "It was an extraordinary moment (in 2024), but swimming during the Games was not an end in itself," Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had told reporters in May. "Making the Seine swimmable is first and foremost a response to the objective of adapting to climate change, but also of quality of life," she added. - "Bathing plan" - Last year, Hidalgo dove into the Seine in front of journalists from around the world before the Games began. The historic swim signalled the end of years of efforts to clean the Seine and the river which flows into it, the Marne. Work had started in the 1990s, with an initial investment of more than nine billion euros (10.4 billion dollars) from the greater Paris sanitation authorities. Following initial efforts, the "bathing plan" leading up to the 2024 Paris Games was launched in 2016. The French state and local authorities had invested another 1.4 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars). The plan was focused on preventing the city's waste waters from flowing into the Seine. The mid-19th century Parisian sewage system often overflows on rainy days, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. - "Insufficient" testing - Flags will inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains the sites will likely close on the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. "We're not tossing a coin, we're relying on scientific data," he said, adding that no athlete had fallen ill after swimming in the river last summer. The presence of the fecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci in the Seine will be assessed daily using live sensors and samples. According to the association France Nature Environment Ile-de-France, the planned tests are "insufficient". There are "many viruses which cannot be tested for" in the Seine, said honorary president of the association Michel Riottot. Swallowing too much water from the river could lead a person to catch hepatitis, gastroenteritis or skin diseases, former research engineer Riottot told AFP. Chemical pollution will not be measured either, added Riottot. "If there is occasional pollution upstream, we will be informed, so we will be able to take necessary measures," said Rabadan. The number of species of fish in the Seine increased from four in 1970 to thirty-six reported in February -- a sign that water sanitation has improved over the years. In early June, the Paris City Council gave legal rights and a personhood status to the Seine to protect its fragile ecosystem, as part of a global movement to grant legal personhood to nature.
Le Figaro
18-06-2025
- Health
- Le Figaro
'Debunking Fake News Requires a Colossal Effort': Doctors on a Crusade Against Fake News on Social Media
Réservé aux abonnés Some medical professionals are mobilizing and becoming content creators themselves on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and X to combat false information circulating there. But given the scale of the phenomenon, they are calling for more support. A wart-eating praying mantis, egg whites for burns, a rosemary serum that cures baldness, raw garlic against pimples or even flaxseed gel to get rid of wrinkles... While false information about health issues has always existed, it has truly exploded since COVID-19. And with the rise of social media, it is gaining more and more visibility. The figures are quite telling. Fake news accounts for up to 51% of posts about vaccines and 60% of content related to pandemics, according to a 2022 WHO study. On YouTube, 20% to 30% of videos on emerging infectious diseases contain similarly inaccurate or misleading information. À lire aussi With 'Paris en Seine,' Mayor Anne Hidalgo Aims to Keep the Olympic Fervor Alive This Summer But in this jungle of fake news, a growing number of doctors are mobilizing and speaking out to sort out fact from fiction. They do this in an educational manner, adapted to the standards of digital platforms and above all by providing reliable, scientifically proven recommendations. According to various sources, nearly a hundred professionals are on the front lines of hunting down…
