Nantes : European Green Capital 2013.
Date: 2013-01-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European symbol, France, Loire Region, environmental policy, environmental protection, town

NANTES

European Green Capital 2013

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An initiative of

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NANTES

European Green Capital 2013

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Photos:  © Christian Konig (front cover, pages 11, 15, 44, 48, 58, 65), © Stephane Menoret (pages 18, 39), 
© Christiane Blanchard (page 28), © Benjamin Juhel (pages 12, 14, 24), © Patrick Garçon (pages 8, 16, 27, 32, 40, 

43, 51, 52, 54, 60, 62), © Balanca Erwan (pages 21, 56), © Valery Joncheray (pages 22-23, 35, 69), 

© Giangrande (page 36), © François Delarozière (page 46), © J-D Billaud/Nautilus Nantes (page 47), 

© Gino Maccarinelli (page 50), © Jordi Bover (page 64), © Cécile Leroux et Yannick Gourvil/ “Et alors” (pages 66, 68)

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Table of contents

Foreword   

Making cities pleasant places to work and live 

Message from Nantes 

Nantes is European Green Capital 2013 

Nantes at a glance  

Why is Nantes special?     

A city in the vanguard of sustainable development 

How Nantes promotes sustainable development: 
best policies and method  

Nantes’ social and cultural dimension  

Voyage à Nantes: promoting nature and culture 

Local economic innovation on the global stage  

International networks 

What impressed the experts  

Growing up green 

The programme for 2013 

So, imagine Nantes in 2030 … 

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Making cities pleasant 
places to work and live 

The  European  Green  Capital  Award  is  a  celebration  of  cities  that  are  rising  to  the  challenge  of 
successfully combining respect for the environment, excellent quality of life and economic growth.

As  last  year’s  winner  Vitoria-Gasteiz  has  shown,  winners  are  committed  to  improving  their 
environmental performance, but winning is not an end in itself. The European Green Capital Award 
is not just about a trophy, it is about valuable experiences, opportunities to evolve and incentives 
to do more and better. 

With three out of four Europeans now living in cities, meeting the urban environment challenge 
has become vital. Sound urban planning and an integrated, innovative approach to environmental 
management are essential to building a sustainable urban environment, but citizens’ involvement 
and commitment are crucial to its success. This is why I am delighted to see that Nantes is already 
using a range of initiatives to reach citizens and encourage ‘green’ living.   

In 2013, air quality will be a special focus of the European Commission’s environment policy.  While 
the award focuses on 11 other indicators as well, each of the ﬁ ve winning cities to date have had 
strong commitments to improving air quality, through extensive green spaces, sustainable transport 
and awareness-raising campaigns. 

I am certain that the European Green Capital Award will help Nantes build on its progress to date, 
further develop its eﬃ  cient and clean transport network and help mobilise the city to bring more 
people and organisations together to the beneﬁ t of the environment and Nantes’ citizens. Nantes 
will host the 10th international Ecocity conference and the 5th World Forum on Human Rights that 
will focus on sustainable development and will oﬀ er a great opportunity to present the European 
Green Capital Award’s beneﬁ ts to an international audience. 

I strongly encourage everyone to see for themselves what Nantes is doing to make Europe’s cities 
better  places  to  live  in.  It  will  pass  the  title  to  Copenhagen  in  2014,  but  before  that  we  have  a 
promising year ahead of us to discover and learn from Nantes. 

European Commissioner for the Environment

Janez Potočnik 

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Message from Nantes

Following  Stockholm,  Hamburg  and  Vitoria-Gasteiz,  Nantes 
is  the 
European Union’s Green Capital for 2013. This distinction rewards all our 
eﬀ orts in favour of the environment and rational development. It is also 
an incentive to mobilise our forces to take a new leap forward: involving 
public  and  private  players,  associations,  and  above  all  the  citizens  of 
Nantes themselves who have made this progress possible and are also the 
chief  beneﬁ ciaries.  This  European  recognition  shows  that  the ‘Nantaise’ 
route towards long-term development, realised collectively and founded 
on  good-quality  public  services,  social  cohesion  and  valuing  natural 
assets, is also a useful example for others. It is possible to choose optimism 
rather than doing nothing. We must innovate, act, and decide together on 
our common future. 

Take  the  lead:  to  enable  all  citizens  to  get  involved  in  this  exceptional 
year,  be  aware  of  the  issues,  express  their  aspirations,  contribute  to  a 
broad debate and achieve progress for our metropolis, from now to 2030. 
Our city has to grow, and it is up to us to decide how.

Be  inﬂ uential:  we  want  to  share  our  experiences,  our  successes  and  our 
quality  of  life  with  other  European  cities:  coordinated  transport  networks 
(Tramway, Navibus, Busway, Chronobus), air quality, waste management and 
recycling, urban planning, our Climate Plan, protection of biodiversity, water 
quality ... It is through working together that we will build tomorrow’s cities. 

Contribute:  for  many  years,  Nantes  has  been  committed  to  action  to 
safeguard biodiversity and combat climate change. In 2013, Nantes will host 
major events like the Ecocity world summit and the World Forum on Human 
Rights:  crossroads  for  ideas  and  initiatives  that  will  generate  forward-
looking policies and activities capable of building sustainable cities.

Gilles Retière

Mayor of Rezé
President of Greater 
Nantes

Patrick Rimbert

Mayor of Nantes

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Nantes is European 
Green Capital 2013

In 2013, the French city of Nantes holds the prestigious title of European 

Green Capital.  

Europe is becoming an increasingly urbanised society. Three out of four European citizens already 
live in towns and cities, and that proportion is expected to grow to four out of ﬁ ve by 2050.

Cities have to deal with many of the toughest environmental challenges facing our society today: air 
quality, noise, transport, protecting ecosystems, waste management, water and energy supply, and 
so on. Yet they also foster the know-how and innovation required to meet them. 

Municipal authorities play a key role in protecting the environment while at the same time oﬀ ering 
the best possible quality of life. More and more European towns and cities are showing real creativity 
in  achieving  these  objectives.  The  European  Commission  launched  the  European  Green  Capital 
Award in order to recognise and reward these eﬀ orts, and encourage policy-makers across Europe 
to aim higher, and to share and beneﬁ t from examples of good practice.

The Award provides real-life examples 
of how respect for the environment, 
excellent quality of life and economic 
growth can be successfully combined
Janez Poto(cid:2)nik, EU Environment Commissioner

The Rings (Les Anneaux) by Daniel Buren is a work of art within a richly historical setting, which today forms part of an ambitious 
urban development scheme

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Award-winning cities must:
(cid:2)   Have achieved consistently high 

environmental standards;

(cid:2)   Be committed to ambitious goals for 

further environmental improvement and 
sustainable development;

(cid:2)   Act as a role model to inspire others 

and promote best practices to all other 
European cities.

Previous winners: Stockholm 2010, 
Hamburg 2011, Vitoria-Gasteiz 2012.  

Other 2012/2013 (cid:2) nalists: Barcelona 
(Spain), Malmö (Sweden), Nuremberg 
(Germany) and Reykjavik (Iceland).

How it started

In May 2006, the former Mayor of Tallinn Jüri Ratas – now Vice-
President of the Estonian Parliament – held a meeting at which 
15 European cities, plus the Association of Estonian cities, signed 
the Tallinn Memorandum. It called on the European Commission 
to establish a scheme to reward outstanding eﬀ orts to improve 
the urban environment.

The  European  Green  Capital  Award  was  oﬃ  cially  launched  on 
22  May  2008. The  competition  is  open  to  all  European  cities  of 
at least 200 000 people (or the largest city in countries with small 
populations). 

The two-tier selection process

An  independent  panel  of  environmental  experts  assesses  all 
the  applications  on  12  technical  criteria:  climate  change,  local 
transport, green urban areas incorporating sustainable land use, 
nature  and  biodiversity,  quality  of  local  ambient  air,  quality  of 
the acoustic environment, waste production and management, 
water consumption, waste-water treatment, eco-innovation and 
sustainable  employment,  environmental  management  of  the 
local authority, and energy performance. 

A  jury  then  makes  the  ﬁ nal  selection  from  a  shortlist  of  cities, 
with  special  emphasis  on  candidates’  overall  commitment, 
communication  strategy,  and  ability  to  act  as  a  role  model  to 
inspire other European cities.

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Reaping the bene(cid:3) ts

Promoting a green agenda and sustainable development helps cities to boost local growth and job 
creation. Winning the title of European Green Capital also brings other advantageous side eﬀ ects 
such as increased tourism, more investment and an inﬂ ux of young professionals. All in all, going 
green can help to make cities more prosperous and desirable places to live and work.

The strategy behind the award is not merely to highlight the achievements of a few outstanding 
cities.  It  aims  to  build  a  growing  movement,  encouraging  all  Europe’s  urban  areas  to  oﬀ er  ever-
better living conditions for their inhabitants. 

Europeans have a right to live in healthy towns and cities. Local authorities need to adopt policies 
that improve residents’ quality of life, and reduce their own impact on the global environment. This 
message is summarised in the EGCA slogan: ‘Green cities – ﬁ t for life’.

The Eric Tabarly 
bridge, opened 
in 2011, is named 
after the round-
the-world sailor, 
born in Nantes

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Nantes at a glance 

Nantes was known as the ‘Venice of the West’ until the 1930s, when 

major  works  put  an  end  to  (cid:4) ooding  and  created  new  transport 

infrastructures. The city is located on the con(cid:4) uence of the Loire, 

Erdre and Sèvre rivers, 55km from the Atlantic coast, and forms the 

core of the urban area of Greater Nantes. Today, it is internationally 

recognised for its quality of life.

Nantes  can  trace  its  roots  back  to  pre-Roman  times.  From  the 
19th  century  onwards,  it  became  an  important  industrial  base. 
Together  with  the  downstream  coastal  town  of  Saint-Nazaire, 
it  was  the  largest  port  in  France  –  a  major  trading  centre, 
especially across the Atlantic. The river is still accessible to ocean-
going ships. In 1975, Nantes was home to some 60 000 industrial 
workers – many of them in the shipbuilding sector. 

With  the  closure  of  the  shipyards  in  the  late  1980s,  Nantes 
faced  a  diﬃ  cult  social  climate  tinged  with  disappointment  and 
despondency.  The  new  majority  had  to  rethink  development 
strategy and restore hope, conﬁ dence and pride among Nantes’ 
population.  This  required  creativity:  embracing  possibilities  for 
change  and  redeﬁ ning  a  collective  vision  for  the  city.  Believing 
culture  to  be  essential  to  social  cohesion,  Nantes  made  it  the 
central and cross-cutting focus of all its plans. 

Facts and (cid:3) gures

(cid:2)   France’s sixth largest city with a 
metropolitan population of some 
600 000 inhabitants

(cid:2)   France’s third city for employment

(cid:2)   Urban area: 534.9km2  

(cid:2)   24 municipalities 

(cid:2)   Temperate climate with cool winters and 

mild summers

(cid:2)   Predicted growth to 700 000 by 2030

The transformation of the Île de Nantes adds a new layer of urban history, while preserving traces of the past

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Green facts and (cid:3) gures

(cid:2)   60% of natural and agricultural areas

(cid:2)   57m2 of green space per person

(cid:2)   100 000 trees in the city

(cid:2)   15% of residents use the transport system 

daily

(cid:2)   Winner of the Civitas Award in 2009

(cid:2)   An ambitious Climate Action Plan to 

reduce CO2 emissions by 30% per capita 
by 2020 in three sectors: residential, 
transport and tertiary (baseline 2003)

(cid:2)   Everyone lives within 300m of a green 

area in the city

This  approach  entailed  confronting  the  past  and  consciously 
relating  it  to  the  future.  Planners  linked  the  city’s  heritage  to 
their  development  project:  converting  shipyard  into  public 
places,  attracting  new,  high-tech  industries,  making  culture 
and art a hallmark of the city, and adopting a long-term plan for 
environmentally  friendly,  sustainable  development.  The  arrival 
of the fast ‘TGV’ train, putting Nantes just two hours from Paris, 
helped  the  city’s  renaissance.  Nantes  was  transformed  into  the 
“green wonder of western France”, with a steady rate of carefully 
managed growth. 

City planners 
have set out to 
restore pride 
among Nantes’ 
citizens

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Nantes has 
adopted a long-
term plan for 
environmentally 
friendly, 
sustainable 
development

Nantes is recognised 
throughout Europe for 
its quality of life

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Why is Nantes special?    

Nantes is a dynamic, forward-looking city, in which greening the 

environment is one important element of a policy approach focused 

on improving the overall quality of life for residents. This principle 

underlies all city decision-making. 

Together: ‘le jeu à la Nantaise’

Above  all,  policy-making  is  based  on  citizen  and  stakeholder  involvement.  At  every  step  of  the 
way, the people of Nantes are consulted, in order to generate a collective spirit, and to empower 
them to feel they can make a diﬀ erence in improving their urban environment and living standards. 
This applies equally to public ownership of the preparations for 2013, with local associations and 
enterprises taking part through calls for projects and demonstrations of good practice. 

This is ‘le jeu à la Nantaise’ – a term derived from the local football team, but now widely adopted to 
signify a collective approach embodying intelligence, simplicity, determination and savoir faire – an 
approach which successfully reaches its ‘goals’!

Nantes must be the most 
liveable place in all of Europe

TIME Magazine, 2004

A ‘collective art work’ at the opening of the Fabrique cultural and artistic centre in September 2011 

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The Navibus 
crosses the Loire 
in six minutes 
and links the old 
(cid:3) shing village 
of Trentemoult 
(Rezé) to Nantes 

Public services for social cohesion and sustainable development

In Nantes, 25% of accommodation is social housing. A high density of public services and utilities, 
including good-quality transport, energy and waste management, enables the population to live 
more sustainably, whatever their income.

Services  are  designed  to  encourage  social  solidarity  –  with  communal  family  gardens,  collective 
composting,  and  community  heating  systems  using  renewable  energy.  Environmental  protection, 
improving air and water quality and safeguarding green spaces, increases the enjoyment of life for all. 

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Dynamic growth 

Nantes is a very dynamic city. The population of the metropolitan area grew by 100 000 over the last 
20 years, ranking Greater Nantes as the sixth biggest French city with 600 000 residents. The same 
trend is forecast over the next 20 years, with up to 100 000 more people. 

The challenge is therefore to guarantee both the quality of life and sustainable land use. Maintaining 
balanced development between nature and the city means ﬁ ghting urban sprawl.

To this end, Greater Nantes has worked on integrated policies, and housing policy is coordinated 
with  transport  policy.  An  ambitious  transport  network  already  allows  15%  of  commuters  to  use 
public transport daily. Since the 1990s, 5 000 new homes per year have been built, especially for 
lowe-middle-class households, in order to limit urban avoidance.

To  tackle  the  urban-sprawl  challenge  more  eﬃ  ciently,  Nantes  designed  a  common  urban 
planning framework for Nantes/Saint-Nazaire, called ‘Scot’ (Schéma de coherence territoriale). This 
document, adopted in March 2007, set out a plan of settlement for business zones, housing zones 
and infrastructure, while protecting agricultural land and natural spaces, especially the Loire estuary 
and other green and blue corridors.

These  integrated  policies  have  eﬀ ectively  reduced  urban  sprawl.  Compared  with  the  1990s,  the 
take-up  of  land  for  urban  residential  and  mixed  spaces  (housing,  facilities,  etc.)  shows  a  fall  of 
22%,  whereas  the  construction 
of  housing  units 
increased 
during  the  same  period  from  an 
average of 4 981 per year in 1999-
2004,  to  6 212.  Thanks  to  these 
policies, the Nantes/Saint-Nazaire 
metropolitan  area  has  preserved 
more  than  150 000  hectares  of 
natural  and 
farmland  spaces: 
80% of its surface area.

Nantes is the (cid:3) rst French 
city to have reintroduced a 
tramway network, in 1985

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Nantes is an ‘ambitious and growing city’, 
thanks to ‘the growth of research-based 
and high-tech jobs and prescient 
long-term urban planning’
New York Times, September 2011

Unique selling points

Natural pioneers

As a striking symbol of Nantes’ green creativity, the Aéroﬂ orale II 
plant  expedition  (expedition  végétale,  created  by  François 
Delarozière) will be a European centrepiece of the city’s year as 
Green Capital. With its crew of scientists and explorers, the giant 
craft plays host to biological experiments and discoveries.

In a survey, residents identi(cid:3) ed three 
outstanding things about Nantes:

(cid:2)   The Loire River

(cid:2)   The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany, where 
the Edict of Nantes, bringing religious 
freedom to France, was signed in 1598

(cid:2)   Les Machines de l’île – the gallery housing 
the fantastic, giant creations dreamed up 
by La Machine Nantes-based production 
company

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Biodiversity is a key asset 

The Loire, France’s longest river, crosses Nantes, and connects the city to the Atlantic port of Saint-
Nazaire. Through  the  years,  it  has  played  a  fundamental  role  in  the  city’s  history  and  evolution, 
and in forging its character. Where once shipyards and docks dominated the waterfront, industrial 
change means that the people of Nantes have been able to re-appropriate the river for their own 
use: building new communities and protecting and restoring the special ecosystems of the Loire 
estuary. The estuary is a unique environment, where citizens can connect directly with their territory 
and see and ‘feel’ it in a new way. The waterways, wetlands, parks and agricultural land that make up 
Greater Nantes put green and blue spaces at the heart of the urban area. 

Nantes’ green 
spaces are 
home to many 
animals, birds, 
plants and 
insects

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The Peage Sauvage observatory at the heart of the Little Amazon nature reserve is an 
The Peage Sauvage observatory at the heart of the Little Amazon nature reserve is an 
impressive wooden sculpture, built for the Estuaire 2012 contemporary art project
impressive wooden sculpture, built for the Estuaire 2012 contemporary art project

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A city in the vanguard of 
sustainable development

Nantes has established its green credentials over time. As industry 

declined towards the end of the 20th century, city decision-makers 

had the prescience to look towards another kind of urban model. 

“Because we anticipated and planned over the last 20 years, Nantes 

is now the kind of city that attracts people,” says former Mayor Jean-

Marc Ayrault. 

Greater Nantes’ Climate Action Plan

Globally, 70% of greenhouse gas emissions come from urban areas. Nantes has made reducing its 
contribution to climate change a strategic priority. 

Greater  Nantes’  council  unanimously  adopted  the  territorial  Climate  Action  Plan  in  2007. 
The objective is to go beyond the EU’s energy and climate package and the Covenant of Mayors’ 
targets, to cut emissions by 30% per capita by 2020 (baseline 2003) for three sectors: residential, 
transport and tertiary. It also comprises adaptation measures to limit the threat of damage from 
climate change. 

Nantes’ courthouse is on the opposite side of the Loire, facing the commemorative pathway of the memorial to the abolition of slavery

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A big commitment

The Climate Action Plan aims to align public policies and spending with climate-friendly principles. 
But the target will not be reached without the commitment of all the metropolitan area’s nearly 
600 000 inhabitants, and all sectors of society, including scientists, business, and local administrations. 

A Climate Workshop, involving 150 households over one year, was just one way of drawing people 
in. Greater Nantes also supports training and research to raise awareness and identify sustainable 
sources of energy. It brings together companies, associations and other stakeholders to promote 
action and exchange good practice. Climate counsellors give advice on how to save energy in the 
private residential sector.  

New  eco-building  techniques  help  to  save  resources,  and  the  development  of  heating  networks 
using biomass is under way. Partners in France’s emerging oﬀ shore wind-farm market are also based 
in Nantes. 

The Climate Action Plan, together with an ambitious transport policy, have improved air quality in 
the city, bringing all pollution indicators – NO2, PM10 and ozone – down below limit values, and 
reducing CO2 output to 4.77 tonnes per capita in 2009. 

Residents can call a dedicated 
‘hello climate’ (Allo climat) number 
for advice and support on ways to 
cut greenhouse gas emissions

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During the 
Climate Workshop 
(June 2010-June 
2011), Jean-
Marc Ayrault, 
former Mayor of 
Nantes, with the 
150 households who 
took action to reduce 
their greenhouse gas 
emissions

Projects

Nantes  and  Saint-Nazaire  are  currently  co-operating  on  three  major  research  programmes  on 
alternative  energy  sources,  focusing  on  marine  hybrid  propulsion,  generating  energy  from 
household waste (PREVER), and harnessing wave power (SEAREV). 

From  2006  to  2010,  Nantes  was  a  partner  –  with  the  German  city  of  Hanover  –  in  the  European 
Commission’s  Concerto-act  2  programme,  designed  especially  to  promote  innovative  ways  to 
generate renewable energy and manage demand. 

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A city on the move

Transport is playing a vital role in Nantes’ commitments to lowering carbon dioxide emissions and 
evolving a better quality of life for its citizens. 

Nantes was the ﬁ rst French city successfully to reintroduce electric tramways. Closed in 1958, the 
Tramway network reopened in 1985 and today covers 42km – making it one of the longest in France 
– and facilitates some 65 million passenger journeys a year. However, overall, Nantes’ inhabitants 
make some 2 million journeys a day – 15% of them by public transport. So to encourage more of 
its citizens to leave the car at home, Nantes is progressively introducing new, high-quality public 
transport infrastructure. 

The Tramway 
network, 
reopened in 1985, 
is one of the 
longest in France

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Better buses

Launched  in  2006,  the  Busway  is  one  such  innovation.  The 
Busway  uses  dedicated  bus  lanes  and  has  right  of  way  over 
normal  traﬃ  c  at  junctions  –  thus  it  combines  the  speed  of  a 
dedicated  tramline  with  the  lower  cost  of  a  bus  system.  With 
15  stations  spread  over  7km,  the  Busway  carries  over  25 000 
passengers a day and complements the 72 standard bus routes 
that link the municipalities of Greater Nantes. The latest project 
is  the  Chronobus  –  a  next-generation  public  transport  system 
which builds on the Busway concept with structural alterations 
such  as  road  widening  and  roundabouts  that  will  guarantee 
rapid journey times between the city centre and its surrounding 
suburbs.  With  four  lines  launched  in  2012  and  a  further  six 
planned,  the  Chronobus  will  carry  some  100 000  passengers  a 
day and more than double the size of Nantes’ transport network.

Sustainable mobility

Nantes’ objectives for a better and cleaner transport network are 
set  out  in  the  Urban  Mobility  Plan  for  the  metropolitan  region. 
The 2010-2015 plan, with targets for 2030, aims for a harmonious 
balance  between  the  private  car  and  other,  greener  means  of 
getting around the city and region: on foot, on a bicycle, on a bus. 
It  also  incorporates  into  the  mix  solutions  such  as  car-pooling, 
car-sharing through the ‘marguerite’ service, park and ride, river 
transport,  self-service  cycling  and  experiments  with  folding 
bikes, taking sustainable mobility as a global objective. 

Nantes: Urban Mobility Plan 
objectives for 2030

Mode of transport Today 

2030

Walking

Bicycle

Public transport

Car passenger

Car driver

Motorcycle

24%

30%

2%

15%

10%

47%

2%

12%

16%

9%

31%

2%

Sustainable 
mobility for all

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Nantes’ nature in numbers

(cid:2)   More than 250km of rivers and 53km of 

riverside walks

(cid:2)   27km2 of water

(cid:2)   47 protected plants

(cid:2)   127 rare or threatened plants

(cid:2)   19 protected animals

(cid:2)   15 rare or threatened animals

(cid:2)   4 IBAs (Important Bird Areas)

(cid:2)   33 ZNIEFFs (Natural Areas of Ecological, 

Faunistic and Floristic Interest)

(cid:2)   4 Natura 2000 areas

(cid:2)   1 400 jobs in agriculture 

The  plan  sets  out  a  wide-ranging  strategy  around  four  axes:  to 
organise a city of ‘short distances’ by encouraging better spatial 
balance between work, home, shops and leisure; to coordinate 
public  transport  modes  to  link  these  activities  more  eﬃ  ciently; 
to create high-quality public spaces that favour pedestrians and 
cyclists;  and  to  encourage  and  guide  environmentally  friendly 
changes  in  the  way  people  choose  to  move  around  the  city. 
Nantes is France’s leading city for mobility for disabled people.

Green spaces for greener lifestyles

Located  on  the  Loire,  Erdre  and  Sèvre  rivers  and  close  to  the 
Atlantic  seaboard,  Nantes  is  blessed  with  a  variety  of  natural 
environments, such as wetlands and forests, which extend into 
the city itself. 

As  Nantes  transforms  itself  from  an  industrial  city  to  an  eco-
metropolis,  its  policy  of  uniting  the  town  with  its  rivers  and 
countryside – the blue and the green – is centred on preserving 
this  ecological  heritage. The  number  of  green  and  blue  spaces 
has grown over the last decade.

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The à la Nantaise lifestyle

(cid:2)   60% of land area is either agricultural or 

a natural or of(cid:3) cial green area

(cid:2)   Nantes has four Natura 2000 sites and 
33 natural zones of (cid:4) oral, faunal or 
ecological interest

(cid:2)   200km of waterside walks

Little Amazon

The Natura 2000 site ‘Petite Amazonie’, situated centrally next to 
the railway station, is a prime example of this policy. Originally 
a  water  meadow  isolated  from  urban  development  by  rail 
infrastructure,  Petite  Amazonie  is  now  a  protected  wetland 
environment and home to a rich variety of birds, plants, aquatic 
life and insects – which can be seen and enjoyed on guided tours 
starting a few steps from the city centre.

Closer to nature

Some  15%  of  the  city  area  is  made  up  of  99  formal  gardens, 
parks  and  squares  which  are  integral  to  the  city’s  lifestyle  and 
host a variety of horticultural and social events throughout the 
year. From these green spaces, 250km of waterways link the city 
to  the  countryside,  hosting  ﬂ ora  and  fauna  ranging  from  the 
most  common  to  the  very  rare.  Management  plans  ensure  the 
preservation  of  wetlands  and  special  areas  like  the  four  Natura 
2000 sites. In this way, urban development along the banks of the 
Loire takes account of the protection of emblematic species like 
the Angélique des estuaires (Angelica heterocarpa) and the Scirpe 
triquétre (Scirpus triqueter). 

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Farmlands 
are protected 
against urban 
encroachment, 
and farmers get 
help to (cid:3) nd land 
and investment

A ring of forests

All  too  often,  growing  cities  encroach  on  surrounding  woodland.  In  Nantes,  it  is  the  other  way 
around  –  the  city  is  encouraging  its  surrounding  woodland  to  move  inwards  and  link  people 
more intimately to nature. The ‘Urban Forests’ project protects three woodland sites from building 
development, while at the same time extending them, through land purchases and co-operation 
with existing owners. By managing these diverse woodland sites – for example by reforestation and 
ecosystem preservation – the project is opening ecological corridors inwards to the city to oﬀ er its 
citizens wooded green spaces close by for leisure and adventure. 

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The island in (cid:3) gures

(cid:2)   337 hectares

(cid:2)   18 000 inhabitants

(cid:2)   22 000 jobs

(cid:2)   280 000 daily journeys

Suburban agriculture

As  a  metropolitan  region,  Greater  Nantes  sees  agriculture  as 
essential to striking the right balance between urban growth and 
the  need  to  preserve  natural  spaces.  In  this,  it  is  helped  by  the 
diversity and productivity of regional agriculture which includes, 
among  other  sectors,  cattle  rearing,  dairy  production,  market 
gardening and, of course, the vines that produce Muscadet wine. 
Greater  Nantes  has  330  farms,  providing  1 400  jobs.  As  well  as 
supporting  the  commercial  success  of  local  producers,  it  also 
protects  farmland  and  farmers  against  urban  encroachment. 
Nantes  actively  brings  abandoned  farmland  in  suburban  areas 
of  the  city  back  into  use  by  helping  potential  farmers  and  co-
operatives  ﬁ nd  the  ﬁ nance  and  land  they  need  to  set  up  as 
agricultural producers.

An island of vision for the city

Nantes is developing old industrial sites in the city centre using 
state-of-the-art  principles  for  a  sustainable  urban  ecology, 
which combines energy-eﬃ  cient housing with green spaces and 
leisure facilities to accommodate its growing population.

The  Île  de  Nantes  is  an  island  in  the  River  Loire,  at  the  core  of 
the  city.  Originally  the  western  end  was  home  to  the  port  and 
shipyards,  but  these  activities  have  moved  further  downriver 
industrial 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Loire, 
brownﬁ eld site available for new and innovative sustainable and 
environmentally friendly uses.

leaving  behind  an 

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Culture is one of the elements transforming the island. Among the main attractions is Les Machines 
de l’île (Machines of the Isle), bringing to life the astonishing imaginary and mechanical creations of 
Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci. It is housed in the former shipyard warehouses, opened to the 
public in 2007. 

Today, an ambitious urban sustainable development project is under way to create an ‘eco-quarter’ 
on  the  island,  including  housing,  gardens,  leisure  spaces,  shops  and  workshops.  It  represents  a 
microcosm of Nantes’ innovative and creative vision of sustainable urban living, incorporating state-
of-the-art approaches to construction, collective transportation, recycling and renewable energy 
technologies.

Urban ecology guidelines

The work that began nearly 10 years ago has profoundly changed the urban landscape of the Île de 
Nantes. The  project  aims  to  provide  around  1  million  m2  of  additional  living  space,  including  some 
7 500 new housing units for 15 000 to 20 000 people – thus doubling the current population of the island.

‘Urban  ecology’  principles  are  being  applied  to  the  whole  island,  and  particularly  brownﬁ eld 
sites,  for example by reusing the existing topsoil, installing rainwater collection and natural water 
treatment systems, avoiding automated watering systems in green spaces, and ensuring biodiversity 
is  protected  in  the  river.  Furthermore,  with  an  eye  to  promoting  European  energy  eﬃ  ciency, 
systemically reducing energy consumption and loss in housing, public and commercial buildings is a 
priority. Communal hot-water networks and the installation of wind and solar electricity-generation 
facilities are just some of the sustainable solutions under construction.

A will to innovate

In regenerating the Île de Nantes, the city and region are open to experimental projects that can 
provide best-practice solutions for sustainable lifestyles. One such is the ‘Rubbish Villa’, the brainchild 
of a local architect which, with the help of 200 volunteers, was built entirely of urban waste during 
the European Week for Waste Reduction in 2010, and was used to highlight the need to avoid over-
consumption and preserve natural resources.

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Brown(cid:3) eld 
sites have been 
transformed into 
recreational areas

A green heart 
for the city

By 2020, the Île de Nantes project aims to:

(cid:2)   Improve the quality of life of its citizens

(cid:2)   Promote sustainable economic development

(cid:2)   Reconnect the city to its river

(cid:2)   Build  7 500  energy-eﬃ  cient  homes  for  more  than 

15 000 people

(cid:2)   Create 15 000 new jobs

(cid:2)   Create and rehabilitate 150 hectares of green public spaces

(cid:2)   Improve accessibility by public transport and car-free paths

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How Nantes promotes 
sustainable development: 
best policies and method 

Dialogue with citizens is fundamental to preparing and implementing 

environmental policies, because imposing ‘top-down’ decisions does 

not get results.

Living and acting collectively

Only  6%  of  greenhouse  gas  emissions  come  from  local  public 
services (drinking-water production and distribution, household 
waste treatment) whereas 94% come from other activities on the 
territory (heating of buildings, mobility, etc.). So making residents 
more aware of how they use energy, and encouraging them to 
change  their  day-to-day  behaviour,  is  vital  to  cutting  output. 
Local  people  also  have  a  say  in  the  provision  and  orientation 
of  essential  services,  such  as  water,  and  in  city  planning  and 
land use.

To (cid:3) nd the right tools to raise awareness 
about the environment, the authorities 
surveyed 2 500 people on climate change: 

(cid:2)   98% had heard of it, but not all were clear 

about its causes 

(cid:2)   72% could identify one or more of the 

consequences

(cid:2)   68% were “quite worried” about it

Local people work together to implement Nantes’ green policies

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The Climate Workshop is a citizens’ 
brainstorming aimed at meeting the 
environmental challenge of, notably, 
reducing greenhouse gases
David Parpaillon, Climate Workshop participant

Climate Workshop

In  2010,  Greater  Nantes  launched  its  experimental  Climate  Workshop  (Atelier  Climat),  bringing 
together 150 representative households to test out public policies, tackle obstacles, and put forward 
new initiatives to help local people adapt their way of life. Nantes aims to be a pioneer in involving 
residents  in  achieving  the  ambitious  objectives  of  the  Climate  Plan,  creating  a  ground-breaking 
relationship between public policy and individual action. In 2013, the authorities will launch even 
closer co-operation with citizens.

Greater Nantes also supports local projects and networks of 
associations:

(cid:2)   Ecossolies,  launched  in  2004,  brings  together  all  the  actors  involved  in  the  social  solidarity 
economy, to co-operate in developing products and services in sectors ranging from environment 
and agriculture to culture and employment. 

(cid:2)   Ecopôle  –  the  permanent  centre  for  environmental  initiatives  –  is  a  network  of  some 
250  companies,  associations  and  individuals  working  on  sustainable  development.  It  also 
functions  as  a  multimedia  information  source,  helping  to  raise  awareness  and  give  advice  on 
environmental issues across the territory, with presentations and exhibitions targeting diﬀ erent 
audiences.

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Family business

Greater Nantes is a partner in the ‘Families for Positive Energy’ competition in the Pays de la Loire, 
showing  how  households  can  work  together  to  reduce  their  carbon  footprint  through  practical, 
measurable and sociable activities. The principle is simple: teams made up of a dozen families get 
together  to  represent  their  neighbourhood  and  confront  the  challenge  of  cutting  their  domestic 
energy use – including heating, hot water and household appliances – as much as possible. Each 
team pledges to consume at least 8% less energy than the previous winter – in line with the Kyoto 
Protocol targets. What matters is working and making progress together. By the end of the 2011-2012 
competition, the seven participating teams had reduced their energy consumption by about 20%.

In  2011,  Greater  Nantes  also  launched  a  new  citizens’  initiative  to  cut  waste.  It  invited  volunteer 
households, including single people, families with children and pensioners, to take part in a three-
month trial aimed at exploring ways to reduce domestic rubbish. Since January 2012, 90% of Nantes 
citizens are able to sort their rubbish at home and get it collected from the doorstep.

The ‘Soft  Mobility  Plan’  (Plan  de  déplacements  doux),  adopted  in  December  2009  with  a  budget  of 
€40 million, aims to double the proportion of city journeys by bicycle by 2015. Nantes tries to encourage 
its citizens to adopt more environmentally friendly modes of travel through informing and advising 
them on diﬀ erent options to suit their needs, for example during the annual European Mobility Week. 

The food and 
culinary festival 
‘Goûts Uniques’ 
invites the public 
to discover new 
taste experiences 
through its 
unusual and 
exciting events

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Nantes’ social and 
cultural dimension 

Social cohesion, diversity and creativity are key to Nantes’ approach 

to improving the environment and quality of life for residents. Social 

housing  has  always  been  an  integral  part  of  town  planning,  and 

projects for the rehabilitation and regeneration of run-down areas aim 

to generate social solidarity and a collective spirit. 

On the Île de Nantes, for example, the former Larivière industrial site is being transformed into a hive 
of development for social enterprise and solidarity, opening its doors in 2013, with the support of 
Ecossolies. Here, people will be able to get information, training and advice on setting up a company. 
They can buy and sell sustainable products, and take part in debates and events. 

Inspired creators

The city of Nantes is permeated by art and the artists who have chosen a shared popular culture 
– the foundation of sustainable creativity. As a living entity, Nantes has developed over 20 years 
to become one of the great cultural cities of Europe. Opportunities for dialogue between citizens, 
including café-clubs and meeting places, enable everyone to get to know their cultural heritage and 
have a voice in shaping their future.

The huge programme of action to restore the port, river, estuary, coast and the Île de Nantes has 
allowed for the development of a new area at the heart of Nantes dedicated to art, creativity and 
innovation, in harmony with the city’s history and its river.

Art and artists form an integral part of the city of Nantes and its dynamic, creative spirit

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The Île de Nantes’ Creative Arts District (Quartier de la Création) is transforming the former site of 
the manufacturing company Alstom into a cluster of creative industries: communication, design, 
theatre, architecture and visual arts. It will also provide a new home for the school of ﬁ ne arts, plus a 
range of support services and public facilities, including training, research and mediation. It will be 
a beacon of imagination and cultural innovation bringing new life to the city. 

Creativity and innovation

In  the  space  of  20  years,  Nantes  has  stepped  into  the  limelight  by  promoting  the  talents  of  its 
creative artists and through successful events and cultural centres, including Lieu Unique, Estuaire, 
Folle journée, Royal de Luxe, the Machines, Journey to Nantes, and much more. New contemporary 
music venues and art laboratories like the Fabrique oﬀ er opportunities to explore emerging trends, 
with  networks  spanning  the  entire  city. There  is  a  vibrant  art  scene  and  artists  travel  the  globe, 
supported by programmes promoting mobility.

Cultural diversity 

Nantes is acutely aware of the role played by culture in everyday life, integration and well-being. 
Nantes’ history makes it a melting pot of diversity. It fosters street cultures (Hip’obsession festival), 
inﬂ uences from abroad (Tissé métisse, European ﬁ lm festivals, Aux Heures d’été, etc.) and supports 
a major non-proﬁ t association sector. 

The city-backed project, l’Art en partage, with shared creative projects, cultural events and street 
festivals in every district, has become very popular with local residents. Nantes’ Royal de Luxe street 
theatre company takes its ambitious shows around the world.

It is dif(cid:3) cult to think of playing a role in 
today’s global economy without putting the 
emphasis on creativity and imagination

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Beside the Loire, 
opposite the Jules 
Verne Museum, 
the Carrousel des 
Mondes Marins – 
a giant, 25m-tall 
roundabout 
created by François 
Delarozière – is 
like a 360° theatre

Indeed,  Nantes  is  a  city  of  wondrous  creations,  the  birthplace  of  Jules  Verne  –  just  one  of  its 
distinguished  citizens,  together  with  others  such  as  ﬁ lm-maker  Jacques  Demy,  cartoonist  Claire 
Bretécher and sailor Eric Tabarly. 

The remarkable Machines de l’île helps to promote the city’s image and associate it with the power 
of  dreams  and  fantasy  in  the  service  of  change.  Artists  François  Delarozière  and  Pierre  Oreﬁ ce 
visualised a universe freed of the boundaries of space and time, navigated by vehicles inspired by 
Verne, the Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci and the eccentric British illustrator Heath Robinson. 

‘Made  in  France’  is  already  an  established  cachet,  but  in  future, ‘Made  in  Nantes’  could  also  be  a 
unique distinguishing mark.

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Voyage à Nantes: 
promoting nature and culture

The Voyage à Nantes (Journey to Nantes) is a framework for grouping 

the  metropolis’  tourist  attractions  and  developing  high-quality, 

environmentally friendly tourism and cultural services.  

Nantes oﬀ ers plenty to see and do: Les Machines de l’île, the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany, the 
memorial to the abolition of slavery, the Loire estuary, a selection of restaurants to suit all tastes … 
The Journey to Nantes grew out of the idea that bringing these elements together and mapping a 
coherent 8.5km itinerary would make the city even more attractive, not only for visitors but also for 
residents eager to get to know their environment better. 

Green Passport

restaurants 

To  encourage  eco-tourism 
in  particular, 
Nantes  is  a  partner  in  the  ‘Green  Passport’, 
a  tool  for  promoting  hotels,  inns,  campsites 
and 
that  pursue  sustainable 
practices.  The  authorities  are  working  with 
the  United  Nations  Environment  Programme 
(UNEP)  as  well  as  the  region/department  of 
Loire-Atlantic  and 
including 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Industry  and 
other stakeholders. The partners sign a charter 
committing  themselves  to  the  principles  of 
sustainable tourism. 

local  bodies, 

Nantes’ residents are the 
best ambassadors to the 
outside world
Valérie Demangeau, vice-president, Greater Nantes 

On the Martinière canal at Le Pellerin, Erwin Wurm’s  ‘soft boat’, entitled ‘Misconceivable’, is part of the Estuaire project

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Aéro(cid:4) orale II, 
the enigmatic 
plant vessel built 
by the La Machine 
company, is the 
emblem of Nantes 
European Green 
Capital 2013

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Look again

Estuaire is an artistic adventure uniting 
landscape, art and the River Loire, around 
Nantes and Saint-Nazaire. It was designed 
to offer a fresh perspective on the natural 
environment. From 2007 to 2012, works 
of contemporary art were placed along the 
60km stretch of water between the two 
cities. Some of them are now permanent 
features of the landscape. 

The  Green  Passport  has  four  aspects:  governance,  solidarity, 
quality  and  inﬂ uence.  Its  aim  is  to  make  Nantes/Saint-Nazaire 
a role model for sustainable tourism, by linking diﬀ erent actors 
and  using  innovative  means  to  protect  the  environment,  make 
the region more attractive and increase the economic beneﬁ ts, 
thereby promoting social cohesion and quality of life. 

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Art and nature

to  Nantes  brings 
The  Journey 
together  nature  and  culture. 
In 
2012,  it  launched  a  culture  trail 
with  the  subtitle:  ‘The  city  turned 
upside  down  by  art’.  According 
to  Director  Jean  Blaise,  the  aim  is 
to  “oﬀ er  unusual  points  of  view 
and  perspectives”  on  the  urban 
the  past 
environment. 
20  years,  the  city  has  undergone  a 
renewal,”  he  points  out.  “Today  we 
beneﬁ t from a cultural panorama so 
rich and diverse that other regional 
capitals envy us.”

“Over 

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Nymphéa: spectral images from Ange 
Leccia, projected on to the canal 
waters are a feature of Estuaire

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Local economic innovation 
on the global stage 

Nantes’ social solidarity economy creates an area for research and 

development in socio-economic innovation.

The social solidarity economy policy (l’Économie Sociale et Solidaire) forms part of a development 
approach  that  goes  beyond  basic  free-market  logic  to  incorporate  both  social  justice  and 
environmental protection. An SSE cluster will open on the Île de Nantes in summer 2013, occupying 
an area of about 4 000m² on a renovated industrial site. This cluster, led by the Ecossolies association, 
aims to foster stakeholders’ ideas and innovations and develop jobs and services. There are plans 
for  20  organisations  from  various  business  sectors,  plus  20  start-ups.  In  all,  120  people  will  work 
permanently on the site.

Nantes  supports  and  co-operates  with  national  and  international  research  programmes  on  the 
environment, energy and climate change, including the Aquasim European centre for research on 
the water cycle.

Higher education and research 
are vital elements of the spirit 
of dynamic innovation

A view over the city centre from the Brittany Tower

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From heavy industry to high-tech

Manufacturing  now  makes  up  only  11%  of  jobs  in  Nantes,  with  aviation  and  agro-food  among 
the biggest employers. To compensate, the city has developed greener jobs in research and new 
technologies, with early investment in citizens’ access to online services – now being upgraded. 

As part of the ‘Investment for the Future’ government-backed spending programme (Grand Emprunt), 
Greater Nantes is joining forces with other economic partners to take part in major strategic projects. 
The Jules Verne IRT (Technological Research Institute) is working to make Nantes a world benchmark 
in  advanced  technology  for  complex  structures  and  composite  materials,  particularly  in  terms  of 
green processes and recycling by-products and composite waste. 

Canadian 
artist Angela 
Bulloch created 
‘The Zebra 
Crossing – 
Regulations 
and General 
Directions’, an 
artwork featuring 
in Estuaire 2012

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Greater Nantes 
and its partners 
are investing 
in advanced 
technologies for 
building complex 
structures

There  are  also  ambitious  projects 
in 
innovative  sectors  of  marine  bio-resources 
and renewable energy, adding to a signiﬁ cant 
energy infrastructure network. 

(cid:2)   The  new  Renewable  Marine  Energy 
(RME)  sector  brings  research,  economic 
development,  job  creation  along  with  an 
enhanced 
for 
Nantes/St-Nazaire. 

international 

reputation 

(cid:2)   The Alstom group is setting up two nacelle 
and  generator  plants,  creating  500  direct 
manufacturing jobs and 2 000 indirect jobs, 
plus an R&D centre with 200 people. Alstom 
is already operating out of the Nantes area, 
and launched its marine energies subsidiary, 
Alstom hydro, in December 2010.

Greater  Nantes  is  the  biggest  funder  of  the 
Atlanpole  partnership,  supporting  young 
enterprises 
in  the  ﬁ eld  of  sustainable 
development and green technology. Atlanpole 
and the MER Bretagne competitiveness cluster 
have signed a partnership agreement to foster 
synergies  and  step  up  collaborative  research 
projects on marine bio-resources.

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International networks

Greater Nantes’ environmental success is based on openness to Europe 

and the world. Thanks to its involvement in numerous exchange 

networks, its support for joint action and its participation in European 

projects, Nantes is helping to make the European Union a concrete 

reality, shared and lived by all its inhabitants. 

It is active in many European and global networks, with the aim of promoting Nantes’ model for 
growth, and raising awareness of the contribution major urban centres can make to fostering fair 
and sustainable development in the EU. Its international activities have three strands: cultural and 
creative industries, climate and sustainable development, and social cohesion and public services.

Local government networks:

(cid:2)   Eurocities:  In  2013,  Nantes  will  be  vice-president  of  this  important  network  bringing  together 
more than 140 European cities representing a total population of 130 million. Nantes is co-chair 
with Copenhagen of the climate change working group. 

(cid:2)   Council  of  European  Municipalities  and  Regions  (CEMR):  Nantes  is  a  member  of  the  European 

policy committee. 

(cid:2)   United  Cities  and  Local  Governments  (UCLG):  advocating  democratic  local  self-government. 

Nantes is climate spokesperson for this global network. 

Environment networks:

(cid:2)   ICLEI local governments for sustainability: an association of over 1 220 local authorities committed 

to sustainable development. 

The Saint Nazaire bridge spans the Loire estuary. Greater Nantes and Saint-Nazaire form the capital of western France, 
at the heart of the dynamic Pays de la Loire region

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Nantes Events 
Centre is a space 
for conferences, 
exhibitions and 
concerts

(cid:2)   The  Covenant  of  Mayors:  the  mainstream  European  local  government  movement  voluntarily 

committed to increasing energy eﬃ  ciency and use of renewable energy sources. 

(cid:2)   Energy Cities: with members in 30 countries, dedicated to sustainable energy. 

(cid:2)   Climate Alliance: the European network of local authorities committed to the protection of the 

world’s climate. Nantes is a member of the European committee.

Other signiﬁ cant networks:

(cid:2)   International Association of Public Transport (UITP): bringing together all key players in the ﬁ eld of 

transport, including operators, industry and local authorities. 

(cid:2)   CIVITAS/CIVINET network: exchanging best practice in the ﬁ eld of mobility among European and 

French cities. Nantes is a founder member. 

(cid:2)   CEEP:  represents  general  interest  service  providers  in  Europe.  All  Nantes’  public  companies  are 

members. 

(cid:2)   European Interest Group on Creativity and Innovation: Nantes is a founder member. 

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Just imagine

Nantes/Saint-Nazaire  comprises  an  area  of  1 660  km2,  with  a  population  of  800 000.  In  2011, 
the  local  authorities  together  launched  the  International  Agency  entitled ‘Nantes,  Just  Imagine’. 
Their  objective  was  to  raise  the  territory’s  proﬁ le  on  a  worldwide  level,  and  to  communicate  its 
special  characteristics  of  oﬀ -beat  creativity,  controlled  development  and  co-operation,  so  as  to 
attract  international  students  and  researchers,  tourists,  companies  and  event  organisers,  and  to 
persuade investors, business leaders and new talent to move to the area. 

The Manny 
building is a 
landmark of the 
creative quarter, 
embodying two 
essential aspects 
of modern society: 
creativity and 
eco-responsibility

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What impressed the experts 

Nantes gained its highest mark for its local contribution to combating 

climate change. The city also secured good scores on the nature and 

biodiversity, air quality, noise pollution and waste production and 

management criteria. 

The  European  Green  Capital  Award  judges  praised  its  “pioneering  transport  achievements” 
over  the  last  10  years,  including  the  new  tram  system,  quality  bus  schemes,  bike  rental  and  car-
sharing facilities. In 2009, Nantes beat 57 other cities to secure the Civitas ‘City of the Year’ award in 
recognition of its transport policies.

An excellent record

On  noise,  the  judges  praised  the “excellent  record  of  measures  taken  by  the  local  authority  to 
improve the acoustical environment”. Nantes has been a pilot city since as far back as the 1980s, 
and in 1993 secured the Golden Decibel Award from the French National Noise Council. Measures 
include education and awareness campaigns, and integrating noise prevention into other public 
policies. 

In 2010, Nantes spent €14.48 per inhabitant on conserving green spaces. The city emphasises the 
social  and  educational  value  of  these  areas,  as  well  as  their  environmental  importance.  Some  of 
the initiatives include cutting down on chemical pesticides through biological pest management, 
encouraging  bee-keeping  in  the  inner  city  –  with  bees  acting  as  bio-monitors  for  air  quality  –
creating green and blue corridors, and recovering ecosystems to clean and store water. The city also 
monitors its bird population, and is carrying out research on light pollution. 

In 2009, Nantes launched a study of European hedgehogs in cities. This little animal – an excellent biodiversity indicator – 
survives in urban areas thanks to green corridors

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Sustainable land use

Cutting waste and water use

The evaluators found a very high awareness 
of the problems associated with urban 
sprawl, with moves to increase population 
density and protect virgin land from 
development, for instance by consolidating 
the city centre area within the ring road, 
and redeveloping former industrial sites.

Greater  Nantes  has  a  well-functioning  waste-management 
system,  with  only  11%  of  rubbish  going  to  landﬁ ll  –  none  of  it 
biodegradable.  Household  waste  production  has  fallen  over 
the last 10 years or so. Recycling accounts for 35% of municipal 
waste disposal, and energy is recovered from incineration plants. 
Greater Nantes also takes part in national waste-prevention and 
recycling projects.

A lone 
(cid:3) sherman near 
Coueron on the 
Loire estuary

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Water  consumption  in  Greater  Nantes  has  been 
falling  per  capita  through  a  targeted  water-
pricing policy and awareness campaigns. The city 
has action plans for the detection of leaks and for 
upgrading  the  water  supply  network  and  water 
metering. It beneﬁ ts from an ample water supply 
from the River Loire, and so it has focused eﬀ orts 
on 
improving  quality  and  expanding  water-
protection zones to supply drinking water. 

Original and dynamic

The  experts  also  found  much  to  impress  in 
“Nantes’ 
Nantes’  dissemination  programme. 
communications proposal clearly outlines speciﬁ c 
objectives,  such  as  publicising  and  sharing  the 
city’s innovative actions, creating networks, linking 
experts  from  various  ﬁ elds  of  European  research 
and  involving  the  citizens,  amongst  others.”  It 
employs  a  good  range  of  communication  tools 
including  a  website,  journal,  ﬁ lm  shows  and 
posters.  The  judges  highlighted  the  Aéroﬂ orale 
project as being particularly original and dynamic.

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A standard price for 
water, agreed through 
negotiations with the 
three major providers, 
is evidence of equality 
and solidarity between 
all the inhabitants of 
Greater Nantes

The city shows that 
it is eager to act as 
a role model

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Growing up green

Learning to live in an environmentally sustainable way is easier from 

an early age. So Greater Nantes uses a range of initiatives to reach its 

citizens early and encourage green living. 

The  Exhibition  Centre  (Centre  des  Expositions)  is  at  the  core  of  these  eﬀ orts,  oﬀ ering  a  range  of 
teaching resources and activities for students from primary schools.  

‘My life, my town, my planet’ is a programme based around six themes – each of them related in turn 
to the global context, the local setting, and the life of the individual child. The aim is to demonstrate 
the  link  between  what  is  happening  to  the  planet  and  to  the  place  where  they  live,  and  their 
everyday behaviour. 

Greater  Nantes  runs  additional  programmes,  enabling 
students to visit a water-treatment plant, waste disposal 
unit, or photovoltaic energy centre. 

My life, my town, 
my planet

From primary school upwards, children learn to take a global perspective and care for their environment

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The programme for 2013

Nantes is planning a full year of activities throughout 2013, including 

the presence of the French President at one highlight of the year, plus 

international conferences, themed weeks, workshops and visits.

Two major events will be of special signiﬁ cance:

The (cid:3) fth World Forum on Human Rights 

The forum, entitled ‘Sustainable Development/Human Rights: a common struggle?’ takes place in 
Europe, in Nantes, on 22-25 May 2013. Almost a year after the United Nations Rio+20 summit in 
Brazil, adopting a path towards Sustainable Development Goals, the meeting will aim to keep up 
the  momentum,  and  reﬂ ect  the  need  for  human  rights  to  be  an  integral  part  of  any  sustainable 
development  strategy,  with  expanding  freedoms  as  the  foundation  for  transparency,  better 
regulation and good governance. 

We want to unite people around a 
new way of living on the planet that 
provides the best possible cities for 
people to live in while enhancing, 
not destroying, the biosphere
Ecocity Builders’ mission

The ‘expedition végétale’ created by Fançois Delarozière will amaze visitors around Europe

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Tomorrow’s 
cities need to 
unite people 
around a 
sustainable way 
of living 

The forum will examine how to achieve progress ‘Towards more 
justice:  for  social  progress,  fair  development  and  protected 
environment’,  and  ‘Towards  more  social  and  environmental 
democracy:  for  strengthened  democratic  governance’,  covering 
themes ranging from combating poverty and discrimination to 
access to information and continuing education. 

A (cid:4) ying start

The iconic expedition végétale will also 
help to spread the Green Capital message 
as it embarks on a tour of European cities, 
including Brussels, the home of the EU. 
Touching down in the heart of urban areas, 
it is bound to astonish and fascinate visitors 
wherever they (cid:3) nd it. A (cid:4) ying greenhouse? 
Well, why not believe in the impossible! 
That is Nantes’ slogan for a green future for 
coming generations.

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Ecocity 2013

It  will  be  the  ﬁ rst  time  in  the  EU  for  the  10th  Ecocity  conference,  taking  place  in  Nantes  on 
25-27 September 2013. This important event brings together highly motivated, experienced and 
eﬀ ective decision-makers from around the globe to discuss the key actions cities and citizens can 
take  to  rebuild  the  human  environment  in  harmony  with  living  systems.  In  the  process,  the  aim 
is  to  slow  down  and  even  reverse  climate  change,  loss  of  biodiversity  and  wilderness  habitats, 
agricultural lands and open spaces, as well as social and environmental injustices.

The Ecocity Builders movement was created by Richard Register in Berkeley, California in 1990, and 
since then conferences have taken place in countries like China, India, Brazil, Australia and Senegal. 
The  last  one  was  in  Montreal,  Canada,  in  August  2011.  In  2013,  Nantes  will  host  the  third  world 
meeting of Mexico’s pact-signing cities.

The former 
stone quarry of 
Roche Ballue, 
Bouguenais, 
has become a 
popular spot for 
bathers, while 
also preserving 
its history in 
the collective 
memory  

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So, imagine Nantes in 2030 …

Nantes is a dynamic, forward-looking city committed to experimentation 

and creativity – as demonstrated by the development of the Île de 

Nantes. But with the population expected to rise by 100 000 over the 

next 20 years, it is crucial to involve people and bring everyone along 

together on the journey towards sustainable living.

Ask the people!

In  late  2010,  Greater  Nantes  launched  on  an  unprecedented  bid  to  gather  citizens’  opinions  on 
their environment and its evolution. The mayors of the 24 municipalities making up Greater Nantes 
launched a dialogue with the population entitled ‘Ma Ville Demain’ (My City Tomorrow). It invited the 
entire community to ‘Imagine Nantes in 2030’ (Perspectives 2030), and to participate – collectively 
and proactively – in reinventing the metropolis’ project for the next 20 years. Throughout 2011 and 
2012, people were invited to express their ideas, aspirations and fears – on the net (mavilledemain.fr)
or by answering questionnaires or taking part in interviews, public meetings, workshops and debates. 

Card games and democracy walls

The  Nantes  2030  kiosk  in  a  city  square  opened  on  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays,  as  a  centre  for 
inquiries and feedback, and an information kit in card-game format and a dedicated website helped 
to spread the word. Every individual and institution was encouraged to participate. For instance, 
at  the  University  of  Nantes,  which  celebrated  its  50th  anniversary  in  2011,  students  wrote  their 
opinions on a special wall. 

‘My City Tomorrow’ invited citizens to use their imaginations to reinvent their own living space

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Five key questions for the citizens of 
Nantes:

(cid:2)   What do we want to keep?

(cid:2)   What don’t we want any more in 2030?

(cid:2)   What developments would we like to see?

(cid:2)   How do we imagine 2030?

(cid:2)   How do we think our lives will be in 2030? 

During 2011, nine main topics emerged out of residents’ input, 
including  the  economy,  climate  and  energy,  work  and  training, 
issues  surrounding  land  use,  households  and  urban  planning, 
solidarity, local democracy, and the life of the city. The organisers 
published a leaﬂ et on each individual topic, aimed at the general 
public. In order to encourage participation, people were invited 
to present their ideas on a poster, or in a song or poem, or to plan 
a city walk through their favourite locations.

A new plan for 
Nantes for 2030

Throughout 
Greater Nantes, 
conservation 
and sustainable 
exploitation of 
waterways is a 
priority

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Residents put 
forward their 
own vision of 
active ageing

Answers from all ages

More  than  22 000  people  took  part  in  discussions  focusing  on 
everything from mobility and building technologies to culture and 
ageing.  From  primary  school  level  upwards,  citizens  expressed 
their vision of the Nantes of the future. All this input was analysed 
during  the  early  months  of  2012,  building  up  to  the  moment 
for  presentation,  explanation  and  an  exhibition,  in  the  autumn, 
revealing what people said and presenting possible perspectives 
for  Nantes.  By  the  end  of  2012,  Nantes’  elected  decision-makers 
pledged to agree on a new plan for the metropolis. 

Key numbers

(cid:2)   50 000 students

(cid:2)   18% of the population over 60, 

rising to 25% by 2030

(cid:2)   36 000 companies

(cid:2)   312 000 jobs

(cid:2)   10 000 associations

(cid:2)   84 000 come into Greater Nantes 

every day to work 

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Further information
Further information

European Commission DG Environment EGCA: 
European Commission DG Environment EGCA: 
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/
winning-cities/2013-nantes/index.html
winning-cities/2013-nantes/index.html

www.nantesgreencapital.eu
Nantes 2013:  www.nantesgreencapital.eu
Nantes 2013:

www.nantes-just-imagine.com
International agency: www.nantes-just-imagine.com
International agency: 

 www.levoyageanantes.fr/en/
A journey to Nantes: www.levoyageanantes.fr/en/
A journey to Nantes:

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European Commission
Nantes    — European Green Capital 2013

Luxembourg: Publications Oﬃ  ce of the European Union

2012 — 70 pp. —  21 x 21 cm

ISBN 978-92-79-25017-0

doi:10.2779/53814

To order the publication, which is available free of charge while stocks last: 

For a single copy:  
via the EU Bookshop – the on-line access to European Union publications:

http:// bookshop.europa.eu

For several copies: 
via the nearest national Europe Direct information centre:

http://europa.eu/europedirect/meet_us/index_en.htm 

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