“After the heat wave of 2019 and the floods of autumn, we wanted to assess the perception of these intense manifestations of nature by the French. The result exceeds our expectations. Not only do they know what to do to combat heat islands and floods, but above all, they are now demanding concrete projects at home. ” explains Pierre Georgel, President of ECOVEGETAL(1).
ECOVEGETAL is the leader in the greening of urban spaces with 4 million m² of permeable roofs and parking lots made to date.
For Pierre Georgel “The municipalities will no longer be able to artificialize the soil indefinitely. They will have to put the water cycle back at the heart of urban planning policies. Solution number 1 consists in relying on the phenomenon of evapotranspiration (that of plants in particular) to cool the atmosphere in the event of a heat wave and delay runoff in the event of heavy rain ”.
Many cities have started to popularize this approach. Thus, Paris, adopted a rain plan in March 2018 which plans to make 40% of the surface of the soil permeable or vegetated by 2050. The fact remains that all cities will have to accelerate according to the results of the opinionway / ECOVEGETAL survey:
Measures favored by the French to deal with heat waves and heavy rain
According to the ages, socio-professional categories and places of life of the respondents(2), whether they live in big cities and agglomerations, medium-sized cities or in rural communities, the priorities diverge but a consensus emerges to say that the measures taken by the municipalities to deal with heat waves and heavy rain are insufficient (57% against 42% who consider that the measures taken are sufficient).
Respondents therefore believe that:
- Cities should spend more money replacing 53% of asphalt parking spaces with green parking lots,
- Cities are expected to green the roofs and walls of buildings for 47% of them,
- Expand evacuations to sewers for 45% of them
Depending on age, the respondents' priorities are very different. 63% of people aged 65 and over want to favor investments in green parking lots (compared to 47% of young people aged 18 to 24) while the youngest prefer greening the roofs and walls of buildings (62% of young people aged 18 to 24 against 38% of people aged 65 and over).
Similarly, the inhabitants of the Paris region above all want their city to focus on the greening of roofs and walls (52%) against 40% of the inhabitants of small cities (2.000 to 19.999 inhabitants).
In the region, the inhabitants of the southwest, probably more sensitive than the others to the floods, suggest replacing bitumen parking spaces with green parking for 60% of them against 49% for the inhabitants of Paris and its region.
Heat wave and heavy rain: the perception of the issues differs according to age, gender and place of life
Among the 57% who think that the measures taken by their municipality to deal with heat waves and heavy rain are insufficient, the 25-34 year olds, CSP + and women are the most in demand with 66%, 63% and 59% of unfavorable opinions. Conversely, 55% of people aged 65 and over think that the measures taken are sufficient.
Overall, the inhabitants of rural communities think that the measures taken to combat the heat wave and the heavy rains are rather sufficient for 51% of them against 63% of the inhabitants of Paris / RP who consider them insufficient.
Greening, a leading electoral argument for young people and residents of medium-sized cities
Young people as a whole are among the voters most in favor of revegetating urban spaces with respectively 71% of 18/24 year olds and 74% of 25/34 year olds who will take into account the candidates' proposals to promote revegetation against 63 % of their elders (65 and over) who will take it into account.
Regionally again in the South West stands out with 71% of voters who will take into account the proposals of the candidates against 66% of the inhabitants of the North-West. The issue of revegetation seems more significant in medium-sized towns and agglomerations (20.000 to 99.999 inhabitants) with 80% of the inhabitants who will take it into account against “only” 60% in rural municipalities (<2.000 inhabitants).
Today the damage (very palpable) and public health problems, caused by floods and heat waves, added to significant financial losses, and especially the recurrence of these events, will force future elected officials to act quickly.
(1) ECOVEGETAL, a company created in 2000, employs more than 90 people spread over 7 sites in France. For almost 20 years, ECOVEGETAL has been the natural benchmark for greening roofs and parking lots. Very involved in his profession, ECOVEGETAL has become a major player in plot water management for local authorities and professionals.
(2)Study methodology: see attached document. Several answers possible, total greater than 100%.