Addressing Climate Change by Eliminating Pollutants in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France

11/18/20232 min read

The major climate pollutants are broadly air pollutants and greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, black carbon, methane, hydrofluorocarbons, and fine air pollution particles (also known as aerosols or fine particulate matter), most of which derive from fossil fuel combustion (World Bank 2022).

In 2019, the representatives of Nouvelle-Aquitaine adopted Néo Terra, a 2030 roadmap toward energy and ecological transition (Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine 2020) setting out its goals relating to natural resources, solidarity, agriculture and food, economy, mobility and habitats, and health (Néo Terra 1).

Generally, the Region seeks to reduce passenger and freight emissions by prioritizing affordable public transport and infrastructure, greening of the rail and bus services, facilitating the use of alternative fuels, and promoting practices such as car-pooling and car-sharing (Néo Terra 2). Notably, since 2019, approximately 8,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions have been avoided in the freight transport industry (Néo Terra 2).

Specifically, by 2030, the Région plans to have phased out diesel Transport Express Régional (“TER”) trains in favour of biodiesel, hydrogen, rechargeable batteries, and hybrid formats across the entire 3,410km network (Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine 1).

A remarkable citizen initiative has also been launched in Soustons in the Landes department by Adour Landes Océanes (“Aloé”), a cooperative company based on the premise of subsidized common legal ownership, which oversees and enables local installations of renewable electricity production units (Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine 2).

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Dune du Pilat. (Image: Sud Ouest)