Tuesday April 15, in the National Assembly, deputies relaxed the zero net artificialization (ZAN) system as part of the bill on economic simplification. Supported by the government and amended by parliamentarians, this change facilitates industrial and development projects in France, while questioning the country’s real capacity to achieve its environmental commitments.
Adopted in a largely revised version, the text opens new gaps in a framework designed to curb urban sprawl. From now on, certain operations considered strategic, including data centers (necessary for the development of AI), are partly exempt from constraints. Communities also gain additional room for maneuver with the possibility of exceeding their land quotas. As recalled The Dauphiné Libéréthis development is part of a text that has become sprawling over the course of the debates.
Originally, the ZAN aimed at a drastic reduction in land artificialization, responsible for the disappearance of natural and agricultural spaces. Included in the Climate and Resilience Law, it set a clear course: halve the rate by 2031, reach a balance in 2050. However, between 20,000 and 30,000 hectares disappear under concrete each year, a rate that these relaxations risk prolonging. In short, do as I say, not as I do.
In a forum, several elected officials denounce a break in trajectory. “This subject is explosive among elected officials, we are in the process of completely calling into question the trajectory and vision traced for three years,” warns Agnès Pannier-Runacher.
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