Depaving and renaturing cities: from ambition to reality

The term "renaturation" refers to the general idea of "returning to a natural or semi-natural state ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged or destroyed by human activities". . Historically associated with the restoration of degraded natural areas, this concept has been gaining ground in urban environments since 2018, with the introduction of the "zero net artificialization" (ZAN) objective. Despite its rise to prominence in political discourse and objectives, it is still subject to different interpretations depending on the players involved (ecologists, developers, urban planners, landscapers, etc.). First and foremost, renaturation should not be understood solely in terms of ZAN's accounts, as a simple strategy for compensating for artificialisation. It can also be deployed voluntarily to curb the erosion of biodiversity in urban environments, or as part of a strategy for adapting to climate change. What's more, renaturalizing the city isn't just about going green! It's a commitment to a new relationship with the world around us, radically different from the one that has prevailed until now. Of course, renaturing means restoring soil, replanting, recreating habitats, welcoming species... but it also means reinforcing green and blue webs, re-establishing ecosystems and recovering ecological functions.