Trajectories of urban land consumption along the urban-rural gradient in France, 1975–2020

Urban land consumption negatively impacts ecosystem services such as food production, carbon regulation, and water absorption. Despite indications of densification in some large cities, evidence shows that built-up land has been increasing faster than population globally. However, existing research disproportionally focuses on large cities, overlooking intermediate and rural territories. Our study examines the trajectories of urban land consumption along the urban-rural gradient in France between 1975 and 2020. We quantify built-up land per capita (BPC) and the changes therein and compare it to a 7-level classification of territories according to their density. BPC increased 59%, combining a 95% increase in built-up land and a 23% population growth. Yet, BPC change varied considerably across the seven territory classes: very scattered rural areas experienced the largest growth (+190 m2) while large cities grew more efficiently (+11 m2). Intermediate territories, such as peri-urban areas and small cities, increased BPC by 65% and 78%, respectively. Our findings confirm the hypothesis of urban land use polarization, as rural areas were sparser than large cities in the base year, and this difference increased over time. This underlines the urgency to address the distinct land use trajectories for effective no net land take policies.