Land consumption: Current situation and challenges

This decrease in ENAF consumption comes in a context of a cyclical decline in housing and business premises construction starts since 2020.

ENAF's consumption data is calculated based on the change in the land's tax classification, which occurs when work begins. There is a time lag of several years between the development decision and the actual construction of housing and businesses, after the land has been prepared for development.

As with each annual update of this summary, the data for the most recent year are provisional and are subject to revision in subsequent years.

In 2026, Cerema strengthened its land consumption measurement methodology to better reflect the realities of different areas and adapt to new land uses. All data from 2011 to 2024 were updated to ensure data consistency.

Soil is an essential resource. It supports human activities, particularly agriculture. It is also a habitat rich in living species and a foundation of biodiversity. It plays a major role in water management—filtration and flood control—and acts as a carbon sink, contributing to the fight against climate change. The recent awareness of the roles of soils led to the adoption of the "Climate and Resilience" law (August 2021), which enshrined the national objective of "zero net land take" (ZAN).

Cerema produces annually, on behalf of the State (DGALN), an annual measurement of soil consumption and analyses of current land dynamics.

In 2026, Cerema strengthened its land consumption measurement methodology to better reflect the realities of different areas and adapt to new land uses. All data from 2011 to 2024 were updated to ensure data consistency.

This development also aims to provide data at the sub-municipal level, a strong demand from local authorities, particularly for their urban planning documents (SCoT and PLU(i)).

In practical terms, the method is now based on:

• the cancellation of the consideration of land consumption of the plots:
  • whose oldest premises were built before 2011
  • still declared to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2025
  • containing ground-mounted or agrivoltaic installations exempt from counting (Decree No. 20231408 of December 29, 2023 - perimeters of photovoltaic installations eligible for exemption based on IGN data and declared by project promoters on "Digital Procedures"),
  • whose consumption is less than 50m².
• the reallocation of land consumption of certain plots according to the year of construction of the oldest building and the date of release of the PAC declaration.
• the addition of manual control by photo-interpretation of land consumption on plots of more than 5 ha compared to 10 ha previously.

To remember :

The annual land consumption in France in 2024 is 15.119 hectares. The year 2024 represents the lowest calculated level ever recorded since 2011 and falls below the 16.000 ha threshold for the first time.

Some key figures :

• More than 299.300 hectares were consumed between 2011 and 2024 inclusive, equivalent to the surface area of ​​the island of Réunion.
• An average of 21.400 hectares of Natural, Agricultural and Forest Areas (ENAF) have been consumed since 2011, equivalent to the area of ​​the city of Marseille.
• +30% efficiency in ten years for construction: 1 ha consumed allows for the construction of 2.291 m2 of buildings in 2023, compared to 2.058 m2 in 2011, (Sitadel data)
• More than 7.700 municipalities are losing households while consuming space over the period 2011-2022 (latest INSEE census).

Nota Bene

In May 2026, INSEE published a report on artificial surfaces in France for the year 2021. This analysis complements the measurement of ENAF consumption by Cerema since 2011.

• https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/8985542
• https://artificialisation.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/comprendre-et-sensibiliser/consommation-despaces-et-artificialisation-definitions

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.