“We have to pull out all the stops!” Régis Banquet, the (socialist) president of Carcassonne Agglo, is determined to move up a gear in terms of ecology. As evidenced by the green pact, endowed with 100 million euros over four years, which the elected official voted for in December 2022. On the program? Renewal of the bus fleet in favor of cleaner models; installation of solar panels; water preservation measures or even street revegetation. And this in order to reduce energy consumption by half and multiply the production of renewable energy sixfold by 2050.
It must be said that there is an emergency: the Languedoc region and its 114,000 inhabitants are suffering the full brunt of the effects of climate change. Devastating floods in 2018 and 2020; forest fires; unprecedented episodes of drought for two years without forgetting the waves of heat waves. We recorded here 43.2°C in August 2023, an absolute record…
“These questions had never challenged me in the past, openly admits Gérard Larrat, (various right), the octogenarian mayor of Carcassonne. But I was convinced that we had to take a step forward and above all not reproduce what was happening. did at a certain time.” To combat urban sprawl and the artificialization of land, for example, it prohibited the creation of new commercial zones and protected green corridors.
In the magazine Urban planning, Jean-Marc Jancovici, the founder of the consulting firm Carbone 4, cites the Aude prefecture as a “good urban model”, namely “a small, very compact town, with a clear barrier and behind it, no town at all “. When you are perched on the ramparts of the famous medieval city, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, the observation is obvious. To the south, the Aude serves as a barrier; beyond, nature extends as far as the eye can see. To the north: the urban area. It is also no coincidence that it finished in first place in the Ecology ranking established by L’Express based on official statistics.
Make way for plants!
In order to counter the phenomenon of heat islands, the municipality has also just launched a vast plan to de-waterproof its schoolyards. Exit the bitumen, make way for plants! An experiment is currently being carried out at two pilot sites, with the help of a CNRS researcher. “We are also creating more and more permeable parking areas in order to avoid runoff and supply the soil with water,” adds Arnaud Albarel, the deputy in charge of the environment at the town hall.
This strategy, however, faces historical constraints. With its narrow narrow streets dating from the 13th century, it is difficult to find places to plant trees within the very mineral Bastide Saint-Louis, the heart of the city. However, here and there, plants emerge from the ground and climb up the facades. This is Operation “Carcaseme”. Launched in 2023 on municipal buildings, it was extended to individuals this year. The principle? The City plants climbing plants in front of the buildings of residents who request them, with the latter responsible for maintaining them. Around a hundred applications were received for this first edition.
It can supply around 380 homes with electricity.
© / K.D.
A mini hydroelectric power station
Efforts also focus on energy. To cope with an electricity bill which suddenly exploded by 40% following the 2022 crisis, the Occitan city took the decision to turn off public lighting from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. in winter and from 1 hour to 6 a.m. in summer. In addition, a budget of 2.8 million euros has been allocated to equip the candelabra with more energy-efficient LED bulbs. “50% of the park has been modernized and it will be completely modernized within five years,” assures Romain Virot, the general director of technical services for the municipality. The result is 32% energy savings and €417,000 in financial gains per year.
The municipality is also preparing to commission its first heating network in the Grazailles district, north of the Canal du Midi. The nearby swimming pool, gymnasium and schools will no longer be heated with gas but with local wood from the Montagne Noire or Ariège. “This system is so virtuous that we are considering a more ambitious project in the city center,” confides Romain Virot. Expected commissioning: April 2028.
Finally, the emphasis is obviously placed on the production of renewable energy. After the creation of a mini hydroelectric power plant in 2019 in Païcherou, on the banks of the Aude, the city launched four photovoltaic power plant projects, representing more than 50 hectares in total. Enough to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2028. “We finally feel the beginnings of awareness among the municipal team but we should go faster”, nevertheless regrets Xavier Bigot, member of the opposition group “Carcassonne Citoyene ecological and social”, which particularly deplores the delay in terms of soft mobility.
A national first
Carcassonne, however, stands out in one area in particular: the management of its waste. Commissioned in 2017 and operated by Suez, the environment center aims to be at the forefront of the circular economy. The largely automated sorting center has a recovery rate of collected materials of over 92%. French record! Its originality: in order to pool equipment and achieve economies of scale, it receives waste from the conurbation of its neighbor and often rival Narbonne, which, in return, takes care of the collection of bulky items from Carcassonne.
Another national first: the Recydrive. In this new generation recycling center, it is the recycling agents who sort the waste brought by users, in order to recover what can be recycled or even reconditioned. Like this halogen lamp brought by a resident, which is about to be resold… in an adjoining second-hand store! “It is such a victim of its success that we are preparing to expand it,” rejoices Philippe Marcel, head of division of Covaldem 11, the joint union which manages the premises. A good way to show that, sometimes, ecology can rhyme with savings.
Water, a crucial resource
Managing too much and too little. This is the water issue in Carcassonne, victim of both flooding in winter, due to heavy rainfall, and drought in summer, which is particularly worrying for its agriculture. “Climate change is so clear that we are obliged to act quickly,” warns environment deputy Arnaud Albarel.
No more potted plants and planters. Make way for Mediterranean species, which require little water, and oyas, these terracotta pots which are more efficient for irrigation. Automated watering systems, with sensors measuring humidity levels, have also been installed in the city’s large gardens.
The urban community is investing for its part to limit losses, with the installation of smart meters for individuals or sensors to detect water leaks. “We see around 20% waste in the networks on average in France. In Carcassonne, this rate is only 8%,” says Régis Banquet, president of Carcassonne Agglo. For agroclimatologist Serge Zaka, we must also consider new crops more adapted to the changing climate. Like pistachio, pomegranate, chickpea or even peanut. Far, very far from melon, truffle or cherry, the traditional local specialties.
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