Between 2006 and 2017, 20,000 hectares of natural spaces are artificialized each year in France according to a 2019 study by France Strategy. To reduce this statistic, the Climate and Resilience Law devotes part of its text to urban planning, land use rules and more sustainable land use planning: zero net land take (ZAN).
In article 191 of the law, the government sets two national objectives to move towards land-use neutrality. It asks territories, municipalities, departments and regions to reduce by 50% the rate of artificialization and consumption of natural, agricultural and forest areas by 2030 compared to that measured between 2011 and 2020.
Three main avenues are envisaged to find a balance between the protection of spaces and the development of economic activities. The first reflection is linked to the densification of the urbanized or rural territory. It is a question of building more on the same plot to fight against urban sprawl. The second axis is to develop unused spaces. Go in search of unsuitable, unoccupied or abandoned buildings to rehabilitate them. Finally, if the first two solutions are unthinkable, it is necessary to think of renaturing to compensate for the artificialization.
After 2050, land take remains possible provided compensatory actions are taken. To obtain a building permit, it will be necessary to renaturalize urbanized spaces to compensate for the artificialization of new natural spaces.