Why is Grenoble a green capital ?

Grenoble, gateway to the Alps : gateway to the future

Faced with the challenges of climate change, pressure on property prices, mobility and the quality of the air, water and life in general, Grenoble continues to act as a pioneer, in keeping with its tradition of innovation and openness. From very early on, the city redoubled its efforts, raising its ambitions with regard to quality of life and respect for the environment.

Grenoble, sentinel to the Alps : always one step ahead

The quality of mobility, energy efficiency and sustainable use of the territory have yielded an impressive set of results :

• Grenoble has had a local climate plan in place since 2005, the first one in France. 2005 and 2018, fine particle levels in the air fell by almost 30%.
• Tramway, bus and soon cable transport: the Grenoble metropole has managed to equip itself with a high-quality and constantly expanding public transport network.
• After applying the 30kph speed limit throughout the city, the Grenoble metropole became France’s largest low emission zone (ZFE).
• Grenoble is now France’s top city for bicycle commuting. The Grenoble metropole constantly develop the cycling network to encourage the use of bicycle : to date ,475 km of safe cycle lanes (with 25 km of cycling highways) has been fitted out.
• School canteens source at least half their produce locally or from organic farms, some of which comes from Grenoble’s urban farm.
• Despite being France’s second most densely populated city, Grenoble has planted more than 5500 trees since 2014. The goal is now to plant 10 000 trees before 2030.
• The metropolitan heat network, the second largest in France after Paris, uses 80% renewable energy and energy recovery with the ambition to use 100% by 2030.
• More than 200,000 inhabitants, i.e. half of the population, already recycle their food waste, or do so at home to make compost. Objective: 100% of inhabitants by 2022!
• Aquapole, the city’s water treatment plant produces enough biogas (from sewage sludge) to power more than 125 urban buses with BioGNV each day in the conurbation.
• Since 2008, Grenoble city council has ceased using any chemical products on its landscaped areas, and in public areas since 2019.
• In 2022, Grenoble will produce the equivalent of its inhabitants’ consumption in renewable, zero-carbon, zero-nuclear energy.
• School canteens in the city of Grenoble source at least 60% their produce locally or from organic farms (95% for nurseries). Each year Grenoble horticultural center produces 3.5 metric tons of vegetables for the Departments various kitchens.
• A local agrifood trademark, ishere, has been launched by the Department of Isere, guaranteeing fair payment for local producers, local sourcing and environmentally friendly methods of production.
• The vision of an urban space as a living space, agreeable for pedestrians, cyclists, children and the elderly, is taking shape. It can been seen in certain exemplary neighbourhoods, such as the Caserne de Bonne shopping centre, a pioneer in France, and in projects carried out in various existing public spaces.