Biodiversity as a project lever
The 2024 edition of the Observatoire National du Cadre de Vie (ONCV) report offers a detailed analysis of French expectations in terms of the everyday environment. One major lesson emerges: nature is no longer perceived as a soul supplement, but as a central component of well-being, territorial attractiveness and resilience. Here are the key points to remember, directly linked to the issues addressed by IRICE and the Effinature reference framework.
Nature becomes an explicit priority
- 42% of French people consider proximity to nature to be an essential element of their living environment, well ahead of proximity to services or work.
- This figure rises to 53% in towns with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants, revealing a high level of expectation in suburban and rural areas.
👉 For real estate projects, this data validates the challenge of creating visible, measurable ecological value, and not just ticking a "green space" box.
Urban biodiversity serves a number of practical functions
The report identifies several benefits of biodiversity integrated into the urban fabric:
- improved air quality,
- thermal regulation (cool islands),
- positive effects on mental health and social cohesion,
- ability to adapt to climate risks.
👉 These are all operational arguments to justify a certified, traceable approach, integrated into the project reference framework.
Social expectations are multiple... and sometimes contradictory
The report distinguishes three social representations of nature:
- domesticated" nature (lawns, ornamental trees),
- a "useful" nature (water management, ecosystem services),
- a "wild" nature often perceived as disorderly or even disturbing.
👉 This confirms the need for education, support and clarity in projects: a nature that is visible but accepted, integrated without rejection.
Urban planning must integrate biodiversity, not just tolerate it
The report calls for local governance that combines biodiversity, sober land use and gentle densification. It stresses the role of benchmarks, particularly in EcoQuartier initiatives, and the need to rethink the place of living things in planning documents.
👉 The Effinature certificate can become a pivotal tool for this coordination, creating a common language between project developers, local authorities and citizens.
Conclusion
This ONCV 2024 report confirms that biodiversity is no longer a peripheral issue: it is at the heart of citizens' aspirations and future territorial balances.
IRICE has positioned itself to respond to this transition, not with words, but with concrete tools: independent reference systems, traceable indicators and project support.
📄 Read the full report