A charter of commitments for the environmental transition of La Défense

These are the first companies: Q-Park, Redman, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, AXA Investment Managers, GSF, ICN Business School, IESEG, Groupama Immobilier and Sodexo have just signed the post-carbon Charter of Commitments proposed by Paris La Défense, with the aim of collectively reducing the business district's carbon emissions by 2030 and transforming its uses.

Announced at the closing conference of the Etats Généraux de la Transformation des Tours, this partnership charter is open to the entire Paris La Défense ecosystem. Owners, managers, companies and higher education establishments will each commit to making a lasting contribution to the decarbonization and transformation of the district.

The Charter of Reciprocal Commitments

At the initiative of the developer, this charter can be implemented without any regulatory changes or external intervention. To be fully effective, it will be monitored over time.

Paris La Défense invites its stakeholders to sign this charter of reciprocal commitments and, for its part, makes the following commitments:

• Expand the cycling network: 2.5 kilometers by 2024 and 15 kilometers by 2032, 1,200 Velibs by 2024;
• Create 20 hectares of green spaces by 2032;
• Quintuple the number of public electric recharging points in parking lots by 2030;
• Amplify the fight against food waste (by continuing to support the association La Défense des Aliments;
• Contribute to the development of economic integration, in particular by including 5% of integration hours in works contracts;
• ...

Among the main components of the charter:

• Commitment to an overall carbon performance compatible with the territorial objective of reducing GHG emissions by a factor of 2 by 2030;
• Raise awareness of climate issues and provide training for all local stakeholders;
• Decarbonize uses within the region by combining efficiency and sobriety;
• Decarbonize material cycles and work towards energy sobriety;
• Anticipate the need to adapt to climate change;
• Building a fairer, more inclusive region for a desirable post-carbon society;
• Measuring and improving collective performance.

10 proposals to transform the towers of La Défense

Among the contributions made during the towers transformation, 10 were examined in depth and discussed with operators and several relevant ministries. Their aim is to promote and design buildings that use fewer materials, save energy and offer more uses and services.

Their objectives:

• to make low-carbon renovation projects for the towers of La Défense economically feasible, avoiding demolition-reconstruction, which emits far more greenhouse gases, and aiming for very high standards of environmental quality (materials, construction processes, insulation, low operating costs, reversibility or recyclability, etc.);
• encourage the towers thus transformed to innovate and adopt new uses other than "classic" office space, to intensify their use: training centers, hotels, schools, restaurants, event venues, retail, residential, shared services between towers...

To find out more about the 10 proposals

To find out more about Paris La Défense's strategic direction