Two years ago, the Paris Council adopted the report of the Mission d’information et d’évaluation “Paris at 50°C”, a mission I had the honor of reporting on and which was chaired by Alexandre Florentin. This work was neither an alarmist projection nor a theoretical study disconnected from reality. It was a warning signal, a lucid political compass in the face of the obvious: 50°C in Paris is not a distant fiction, but a possible trajectory if nothing is done.
This figure embodies much more than meteorological data: it calls for a profound change in the way we plan our cities, organize solidarity and rethink our modes of governance. Paris, like so many other global metropolises, is already faced with the urgent need to act, because global warming is a palpable reality, not an abstract danger.
With the 2026 municipal elections just a year away, Alexandre Florentin and I are making a clear appeal: adaptation to climate change must become a major political priority for every city, every district, every citizen. This issue can no longer be relegated to the background. It must be at the heart of municipal debates and projects, because it is in local decisions that the resilience of our territories is at stake.
This reflection takes on particular resonance in the context of the Year of Brazil in France, the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, and the approach of the next COP in Bélem. I had the chance to chat with Alexandre Florentin, as well as with Txai Surui, indigenous activist and representative of the Paiter Surui people, and Thiago Karai Djekupe, representative of the Guarani people. Together, during a debate entitled “Ici et là-bas, un même combat”, moderated by Hervé Naillon, we shared a common conviction: the fight for climate balance knows no borders.
As Txai Surui forcefully reminded us:
“Without indigenous peoples, there is no climate balance.”
This phrase is self-evident. Their knowledge, their relationship with the land and their vision of the world are essential to preserving ecosystems and building effective adaptation strategies, whether in the Amazon or in the Paris region.
The climate won’t wait, and neither can we. Our article in Le Monde, co-signed with Alexandre Florentin, is a call for collective action: climate adaptation must become the cornerstone of tomorrow’s municipal policies.
Let’s take action today, so that Paris and all our cities remain liveable tomorrow.
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