National and local government have developed a multitude of policies to tackle all the problems and challenges that Île-de-France faces. As with the previous chapter, I have chosen to divide them into two: on the one hand, policies designed to combat social and territorial inequalities; on the other hand, those designed to enhance regional competitiveness and attractiveness. This dichotomy does not encompass all the measures that have been taken, however, particularly those relating to the environment. That is why these are tackled separately, as are a number of measures – notably in the spheres of housing and mobility – that were designed mainly as a response to emergency situations.

The previous chapters showed the importance of central government in the establishment of Île-de-France and in its development over the last few decades. It is therefore unsurprising that this importance is also reflected in the policies pursued. Central government is everywhere, and in many domains the main player. First, through its national policies, particularly in the fields of education, health, social affairs, economic development (e.g. industrial policy) and the environment. These nationwide measures do not specifically target Île-de-France but obviously have a big impact on the region. In addition, central government has developed policies that directly target the region and its specific problems, for example in transport, research and development and spatial planning.

As a general rule, public policies, whether national or local, are organized and implemented in most domains through plans and contracts. They can have a variety of names (plans, schemes, strategies, etc.) and may or may not be legally enforceable, depending on the case. One important example is the Île-de-France regional master plan (SDRIF), which we will be looking at in this chapter and the next.

The main plans cover the following areas: housing (local housing plan: PLH), climate (climate plans), mobility (urban travel plan), economic development (regional development scheme), etc. In the case of Île-de-France, they may be municipal, intermunicipal, departmental or regional, depending on the competences specific to the different levels of local government. They also cover different time frames, although they are generally between five and 20 years.