AACT-AIR – Support for Local Authorities' Action to Improve Air Quality Grant

Agence de la transition écologique (ADEME)

About this grant

AACT-AIR (Aide à l'action des collectivités territoriales en faveur de la qualité de l'air) is an ADEME funding scheme that helps French local authorities develop action plans to improve outdoor air quality. The programme responds to the new limit values for NO2, PM10 and PM2.5 and target values for ozone set by the revised European Ambient Air Quality Directive, with the goal of meeting them by 2030. The aid finances studies that build programmes of action to reach these objectives by 2030, or by 2050 where WHO recommendations are concerned. These programmes can feed local roadmaps required under the revised Directive and may draw on work already done under the Plan Climat-Air-Énergie Territorial (PCAET), the Plan d'Action pour la Qualité de l'Air (PAQA) and, where relevant, prospective data from the Plan de Protection de l'Atmosphère (PPA). Eligible studies have two components: a 'bilan' (diagnosis) component and an 'objectifs et trajectoire' (objectives and trajectory) component. They may include quantitative health impact assessments (EQIS), which estimate the health impact of air pollution or the expected health benefits of different pollution-reduction scenarios for a given population. The lead applicant is usually a local authority. Where the study involves methodological development or an innovative approach, an association, public body or private company may lead the project, in which case the local authority must be closely involved and may be a beneficiary or non-beneficiary partner in the funding agreement. Applications are filed through the ADEME 'Agir' platform, and supporting guides on expenditure categorisation and filing are provided.

Eligibility

Open to French territorial authorities (collectivités territoriales) that wish to develop an outdoor air quality policy to meet NO2, PM10, PM2.5 and ozone limit or target values by 2030. Priority is given to territories in zones potentially exceeding these values in 2030. Where a non-local-authority body (association, public establishment or private company) leads the study, a local authority must be closely associated. Applicants need an Agir platform account. The scheme is listed as open to Collectivité / Administration, Association and Entreprise entity types, and the page states the scheme covers all Regions. Detailed conditions are in a separate PDF not included in the page text.

Key requirements

• ✓Lead applicant is usually a French local authority; associations, public bodies or companies may lead innovative or methodological projects with local authority closely involved
• ✓Study must include a 'bilan' diagnosis component and an 'objectifs et trajectoire' component targeting 2030 (or 2050 for WHO recommendations)
• ✓Applications filed via the ADEME 'Agir' platform following ADEME expenditure guidance

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for AACT-AIR – Support for Local Authorities' Action to Improve Air Quality?

Eligibility covers organisations in FR; local-authority, consortium, nonprofit, research-institution, consultancy. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Air quality funding covers monitoring networks, emission controls, clean transport zones and cleaner heating and cooking. Public authorities buy monitoring and abatement through tenders, while research and health programmes fund studies and pilots. Applicants are usually asked to set out baseline measurements and how improvements will be verified.