Low emission zone and inequalities: car restriction and reduction of air pollution exposure in the Paris region

Over the past few decades, Low Emission Zones (LEZs) have emerged as a widely adopted tool for improving air quality accross Europe. However, the scientific literature devotes limited attention to the inequalities associated with their implementation. In addressing this gap, this article proposes to identify the residents least affected by reductions in air pollution and those most impacted due to ownership of non-compliant vehicles, focusing on the Paris region (France). By integrating data from the Enquête Globale Transport with data on spatio-temporal NO₂ concentration levels, the methodological approach first evaluates the spatio-temporal exposure of surveyed individuals, considering their activities and transport modes. Thus, the objective is to study individual inequalities related to reduced exposure levels and non-compliant vehicle ownership. A series of logistic regressions model independently, and then subsequently jointly, estimate the likelihood of individual exposure levels falling below the WHO recommended threshold and the need to replace a non-compliant vehicle. The results reveal that the poorest residents are the most affected by restrictions on non-compliant vehicles, both in terms of exposure and ownership, and ultimately facing a double inequality. This inequality is less evident in the case of a more ambitious scenario.