Green Turns: How Barcelona and Paris Are Reclaiming the City

Two urban visions reshaping Europe's streets and rewriting the future of liveability.

With their historical and cultural heritage Barcelona and Paris, once choked by the car, are now leading the way for a sustainable future. Teresa Tur de Zarandieta provides an analytical focus in her research article, diving deep into the bold ways in which these two iconic cities are reshaping their urban spaces. Teresa cuts right through the debates surrounding the green urban transition, analysing available data to offer a reasoned assessment of these cities' visions. Her research offers a glimpse on how European cities might manage the challenge of a green transition in ways that offer benefits to their citizens. - The Editors

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Teresa Tur de Zarandieta

Editors: Mathilde Turner & Peder Schaefer

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Close your eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. You’re in a big city, and the air feels fresh. Around you, voices. Hardly any cars. You can even hear birds and bees buzzing around the trees in your surroundings. This is what we envision when talking about sustainable green cities. It's not just about the environment — it’s about a liveable metropolitan area. A place where culture, people, nature, and urbanism intertwine. And this is what Anne Hidalgo and Ada Colau envisioned for Paris and Barcelona. These were cities that, a few years ago, seemed to be set in their complicated, polluted ways, but today have innovative plans in place aligned with initiatives such as the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.[1] What does it take to transform messy, polluting cities into the 15-minute version? And what can we learn from Barcelona and Paris’s remarkable successes?

Ville du quart d’heure

Most people have heard of the ville du quart d’heure, or 15-minute city. Coined by professor and urbanist Carlos Moreno, this initiative aims to ensure that all essential services are within a 15-minute walkable or cyclable radius, including schools, hospitals, work, and, if possible, leisure spots.[2] The result: a multicentric city with reduced pollution emissions. In the words of Moreno, “The 15-minute city seeks better livability, more economic and social balance, mixed social categories, cities for better living.”[3]

The concept has been heavily criticised, mostly by right-wing populist groups, who argue that this model is intended to control populations and restrict movement — often linking it to conspiracy theories about “climate lockdowns.” However, as the creator of The 15-Minute City blog Ban Luscher emphasises, “it is about mobility, not lockdown.”[4] Others suggest that it is too ambitious for historically dense and socially fragmented urban environments like Paris; that there is a need for too much change in infrastructure. Some even argue that, if not addressed properly, the new infrastructure, its location and its quality, can lead to inequalities within the city.[5]

Nonetheless, Paris’ mayor Anne Hidalgo has been a strong believer in this proposal since her first term in office. Her 2020 re-election campaign had the ville du quart d’heure as a priority — leading to her regaining the office. Following her pledge, she ensured administrative reforms and urban redesign that have resulted in a significant reduction of emissions.[6] Under her leadership, Paris has undergone a dramatic shift, including entire roadways being reclaimed for pedestrian use and cycling. Even iconic areas like the Champs-Élysées are being redesigned to prioritise green space and public life over vehicle use. Furthermore, school zones have been transformed into rues aux écoles (school streets), and car traffic through the city centre has been reduced.[7] In other words, Moreno’s 15-minute city was also quickly tied with making Paris a city for pedestrians. Despite criticism flowing from associations of car owners or Parisians living in the periphery of the city, the latest referendum in Paris about transforming 500 car-streets into pedestrian ones won significantly, showcasing an increasing commitment to a sustainable Paris from its citizens.[6][8]

Hidalgo and Moreno’s efforts are not isolated — there is a strong EU framework to support initiatives such as these, which works within the goals of the European Green Deal and the EU Mission for the 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030.[1] Paris is one of the Mission Cities, which entails technical support and EU funding, most significantly through the Horizon Europe programme, consisting of 360 million euros allocated by the Commission for the 112 Mission Cities.[1] Moreover, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has provided roughly 5 million euros for the OASIS programme, which aims to combat urban heat islands in school areas by making them greener spaces.[9]

When it comes to results, Paris is raking them in. A recent infographic by Airparif has shown how emissions have been reduced by around 50% in the last 18 years, meaning a cleaner Paris centre. An article by the Washington Post also links less contamination to fewer health issues in the Parisian population – two birds with one stone![6]

Source: Airparif via Washington Post[6]

As expected, the strong success of the 15-minute city and the commitments of Hidalgo and Moreno did not go unnoticed, and cities all over the world have begun taking notes—cities such as Melbourne, Ottawa, and even Shanghai.[10] It goes to show, good ideas will persevere even if they are surrounded by objecting voices. Now, transportation in Paris by bicycle has overtaken that by car, and other green initiatives in the city have space to thrive, seen with the PLUb initiative, the first bioclimatic local urban planning programme.[11][12]

Superilles

While the efforts of Paris to transform its urban environment are often centred in the press, Barcelona, only a few hundred kilometres away, is also having impressive success. Barcelona has several neighbourhoods, elaborated during the expansion of the city in the late 19th and early 20th century, that look like a symmetrical grid of blocks. These are called islands—illes in Catalan. Working within these areas, and adapting the urbanist plan of the great civil engineer Ildefons Cerdà, in the 1980s Salvador Rueda came up with the idea of superilla, or super island, where several blocks would be grouped together to avoid car transition, opening up the roads to cultural and community activities. This would potentially increase greenery and, ultimately, reduce noise and car pollution.[13] Rueda’s idea only gained momentum with the election of mayor Ada Colau, committed to the green transition of the city. With this goal in mind, she pursued the initiative of the superilles, and has been pursued by subsequent administrations.[14]

This idea, too, received strong criticisms. Critics argued that it would disrupt car mobility, increase transit in other areas of Barcelona and, therefore, there would not be any type of reduction of emissions throughout the broader metro area.[15] Proponents of the changes argued that while motor vehicles occupy 60% of public space, they are the transport method of only around 27%.[13] In other words, the polluting city that existed before the superilles were in place benefited less than one-third of the population of Barcelona. Another argument against the changes was that green redesigns could pose a target for gentrification — areas that were not necessarily the most attractive for foreign investors might see their worth increase due to sustainability projects, increasing prices for the local population.[16]

Despite these criticisms, the implementation progressed with a goal of 21 superilles. So far, about a dozen are already finished. If the ambitious plan succeeds, there would be an additional creation of six hectares of green areas within the centre of Barcelona, where currently around 350,000 cars drive by on a daily basis.[13] Nitrogen dioxide levels have already fallen by at least 25% in diverse areas of the city, suspended particles PM10 have been reduced by 17%, and noise levels have decreased by nearly 50% in areas where the superilles have been put in place.[17] An unexpected success for such a young initiative, rolling back decades of urban pollution in Barcelona — though there is still work to be done. In other words, the eixample of the city has emerged cleaner, quieter, and healthier.

Source: Diari Ara. C/ Consell de Cent in 2016 vs 2022.[15]

Regarding the EU’s involvement, Barcelona, too, is a Mission City. It therefore benefits from Horizon Europe funding in its transition towards becoming a sustainable city. Moreover, the ERDF with the URBACT, helps projects such as those of Ada Colau through international exchange and knowledge-sharing between similar projects aiming at sustainable cities, prioritising green mobility and spaces.[18]

The project might have been heavily criticised, but from the outside it has been celebrated as an example to follow. The Times stated that “Barcelona shows how to make such changes permanent,”, whille the New York Times published an article titled “What New York Can Learn From Barcelona’s ‘Superblocks.’”[19] Some cities have followed this model, such as the Kiezblocks of Berlin, the Supergrätzel of Vienna, or the Barrios Vitales in Bogota. In South America, this project has been exported to cities in Ecuador, Cuba and Argentina, showcasing the international success that such a theoretically simple idea can have, and the transcendence of applying sustainable urbanism to polluted cities worldwide.[13]

Why Barcelona and Paris?

There are plenty of examples of sustainable cities throughout Europe, but Barcelona and Paris are unique — they are both cities that have undergone tremendous transformation after major car-focused developments between the 60s–80s that had “forgot[ten] the people.”[20] In the case of Barcelona, the desarrollismo period focused on speedy urban expansion and industrialisation, resulting in high-density districts with little open space and a car-centric infrastructure.[21] Similarly, Paris also featured huge-scale urban regeneration projects, such as the construction of the Périphérique ring road and large-scale housing developments which favoured cars and commuters at the expense of pedestrians.

The cases of Barcelona and Paris show how, no matter the infrastructure decisions of the past, cities can quickly undergo radical transformations. Sustainability reduces pollution, which also reduces the risk of developing chronic respiratory illnesses, a major health benefit. It also allows for fresh air, decreases noise pollution from vehicles, gives space to alternative sources of transportation such as bicycles, and increases walkability. These changes are relevant, current, and innovative, and are contributing to a virtuous cycle of sustainable cities: the more liveable they become, the more people fight to keep them that way — until even the loudest engines are drowned out by the quiet consensus for greener urban life.

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References (Chicago Style)

[1] European Commission. “EU Mission: Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.” Horizon Europe. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/climate-neutral-and-smart-cities_en.

[2] El Diario. “Carlos Moreno, creador de la ciudad de los 15 minutos: ‘Es un delirio decir que queremos encerrar a la gente en guetos.’” https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/carlos-moreno-creador-ciudad-15-minutos-delirio-decir-queremos-encerrar-gente-guetos_128_9979790.html.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Associated Press. “FACT FOCUS: Conspiracies Misconstrue ‘15-Minute City’ Idea.” February 24, 2023. https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-15-minute-city-conspiracy-162fd388f0c435a8289cc9ea213f92ee.

[5] Charter Cities Institute. “15-Minute Cities Will Solve Inequality.” https://chartercitiesinstitute.org/blog-posts/15-minute-cities-will-solve-inequality/.

[6] Ahmed, Nafeez, and Chico Harlan. “Paris Plans to Be the Greenest City in Europe.” The Washington Post, April 12, 2025. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2025/04/12/air-pollution-paris-health-cars/.

[7] Willsher, Kim. “Paris Approves Plan to Turn Champs-Élysées into ‘Extraordinary Garden.’” The Guardian, January 10, 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/10/paris-approves-plan-to-turn-champs-elysees-into-extraordinary-garden-anne-hidalgo.

[8] Reuters. “Paris Residents Vote in Favour of Making 500 More Streets Pedestrian.” March 23, 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/paris-residents-vote-favour-making-500-more-streets-pedestrian-2025-03-23/.

[9] UIA/Urban Initiative. “OASIS School Yards.” https://portico.urban-initiative.eu/uia/oasis-school-yards-openness-adaptation-sensitisation-innovation-and-social-ties-design-and.

[10] World Resources Institute. “How the 15-Minute City Went Global.” https://www.wri.org/insights/paris-15-minute-city.

[11] Choose Paris Region. “Paris Adopts Its First Bioclimatic Local Urban Planning Program (PLUb).” Choose Paris Region, March 27, 2025. https://www.chooseparisregion.org/news/paris-adopts-its-first-bioclimatic-local-urban-planning-program-plub?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

[12] Sage, Adam. “Cyclists Overtake Cars in Paris.” The Times, April 14, 2024. https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/cyclists-overtake-cars-in-paris-vfzqjj7t8?utm_source=chatgpt.com®ion=global.

[13] Público. “Las Superilles de Barcelona se convierten en un referente internacional.” https://www.publico.es/actualidad/superilles-barcelona-convierten-referente-internacional-humanizar-ciudades-reducir-emisiones.html.

[14] Muñiz, Ivan, and José-Luis Gómez. “The Environmental Impact of Barcelona’s Superblocks.” Science of The Total Environment, vol. 786, 2021. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721058216.

[15] Ortega, Maria. “La Superilla de l’Eixample Que Projecta Colau Comença Obres El Juny I Tindrà Més Places.” Ara.cat, February 10, 2022. https://www.ara.cat/societat/barcelona/placetes-cotxes-convidats-aixi-seran-nous-carrers-colau-projecta-l-eixample_1_4266987.html.

[16] “Green Gentrification: When Environmental Progress Pushes the Poor Out of Cities.” Ethic, https://ethic.es/english/green-gentrification-when-environmental-progress-pushes-the-poor-out-of-cities/.

[17] Ciclosfera. “Supermanzanas: El Proyecto Verde de Barcelona.” https://ciclosfera.com/a/supermanzanas-barcelona-proyecto.

[18] URBACT. “Barcelona Metropolitan Area.” https://urbact.eu/articles/barcelona-metropolitan-area.

[19] The Times. “Barcelona Shows How to Make Such Changes Permanent.” https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/the-times-view-on-barcelonas-car-ban-nuevo-camino-llv3rkf9c?region=global ; The New York Times. “What New York Can Learn From Barcelona’s Superblocks.” October 2, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/02/nyregion/what-new-york-can-learn-from-barcelonas-superblocks.html.

[20] Museu d'Història de Barcelona. “Diari de l’Exposició: La Barcelona del Desenvolupament.” https://www.barcelona.cat/museuhistoria/sites/default/files/activitats_pdf/2022-09/diari_ESP.pdf.

[21] Chrisafis, Angelique. “Paris Ring Road Symbol of Suburban Isolation.” The Guardian, June 26, 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/jun/26/ring-road-paris-peripherique-suburbs-banlieue.