Ahead of COP 21, the annual United Nations climate change conference being held in France this year, Paris will go car-less for one day — Sept. 27, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. With the exception of a few main streets in the city — where cars will only be able to drive at speeds slower than 20 mph — the capital will only allow pedestrians and cyclists on the road.
This doesn't come as a surprise given the city's push behind lessening air pollution by promoting alternate modes of transportation — even offering Parisians monetary incentives to make the lifestyle change.
This car-free day was organized in conjunction with Paris Sans Voitre (Car-Free Paris), a citizens collective that brought the idea up in front of the city's environmentally-conscious mayor, Anne Hidalgo.
Although the intention is to promote a more environmentally-conscious Paris, the stipulations are fairly loose. There are still quite a lot of vehicles allowed to enter the restricted zones, such as taxis, delivery trucks and emergency vehicles. Hopefully, these vehicles will steer clear of the closed zones, but there's no telling.
Either way, the initiative is bound to do a lot of good for the city (even if it is symbolic). The car-free city trend is gaining momentum, but like all large lifestyle shifts, this one too will take time.
