Exploring environmental justice and nexus approaches in Paris urban nature policies

Pathways to a just and sustainable future require integrated policies that account for the interlinkages between biodiversity, climate and human health. Cities have a vital role in implementing these approaches in their local policies to address urban challenges. However, significant knowledge gaps persist in understanding how current urban policies address the interconnections between issues, and in identifying nature-based initiatives that successfully replace siloed approaches with more integrated strategies. Moreover, these policies raise concerns for justice and equity, an important cross-cutting issue for environmental policies that is not always made visible. In this study, we analyzed how policy documents of Paris, France, jointly address the intertwined issues of biodiversity, climate and human health and its connections with environmental justice. We selected 32 plans addressing urban nature, spanning the period 2006-2022. We extracted and coded nexus and environmental justice information, as well as policy goals, actions, and actionability (budget, actors, indicators). We then conducted quantitative and statistical analyses. Few documents comprehensively targeted the entire nexus. Most of them focused solely on biodiversity or adaptation issues. Environmental justice, when mentioned, was mainly addressed by distributive interventions with unclear principles, and participation measures aimed at the general public, rather than specific recipients (e.g. vulnerable populations such as low-income people, children). This study offers new insights into the integrated governance of urban nature areas in large cities. It calls for a more in-depth translation of a nexus approach to city policies and a stronger consideration of environmental justice through detailed actions, with specific indicators.