The strategic course of Paris La Défense

Park project on the Esplanade of La Défense 2021 ©Paris La Défense Sabrina Budon

At the end of 2021, Paris La Défense charted a ambitious strategic course for the area, to make Paris La Défense the first post-carbon global business district.

The world has undergone a sea change since La Défense was founded. Two changes particularly stand out.

First of all, shifts in how and where we work, as well as current environmental and climate issues, compel us to find new ways of living and shaping the urban landscape.

Secondly, the area’s emissions are equivalent to those of a regional capital; this carbon footprint must be reduced.

Paris La Défense is embarking on a path consistent with these new social, civic and environmental requirements. Through its "raison d'être*", the public body seeks to embody a carbon-free future for the district, and has committed to halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

To achieve this, Paris La Défense will focus its actions on four main areas:

Eole construction sites at CNIT, 2021 © Bénédite Topuz

Better development and building

Building a post-carbon business district demands that we reexamine our approachto development, construction, ans renovation, in concert with all the players involved in tranforming the region.




Ambiance Paris La Défense, 2023 © Bénédite Topuz

Living better together

The post-carbon business district must also be a place where people live better together, in terms of land use, diversity, mobility and quality of life.





La Défense towers, 2022 © Bénédite Topuz

Take up the post-carbon shift

Paris La Défense must set an example, fostering a collective dynamic in support of this post-carbon shift.



Parc Hoche in Nanterre, 2023 © Bénédite Topuz

Involve stakeholders

Calling on all players within Paris La Défense to take action on these environmental issues is an essential step to guarantee this initiative's lasting sucess.

To discover the objective related to this axis

These axes will be translated into a charter which will be offered for signature to all the stakeholders of Paris La Défense, both public and private.

* What is a Raison d'être?

The Pact Law (Action Plan for Growth and Transformation of Companies) requires all companies to “take into consideration the social and environmental issues of their activities,” and encourages the most proactive companies to examine their “raison d’être,” i.e. their statement of purpose, and to include in their articles of association the purpose behind their contribution to society, by bringing social and environmental objectives together with a certain governance model. While this law does not officially apply to Paris La Défense, the public establishment sought to go beyond the obligations of its general-interest missions.