World Wetlands Day 2022 – Wetlands action for nature & people
How cities can contribute
Wetlands are our most powerful ecosystems to combat climate risk, yet they are among the most threatened ecosystems and more than a quarter of wetland species globally, are threatened with extinction.
The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation of wetlands. In total, 172 countries are signatories of the Ramsar Convention and agree to work towards wise use of all their wetlands, designate suitable wetlands as Wetlands of International Importance, known as Ramsar sites, and cooperate internationally on transboundary wetlands. Globally, there are 2 435 Ramsar Sites, covering 254,685,425 ha.
Wetlands offer significant and irreplaceable benefits to people in cities. They can enhance urban quality of life by the multitude of benefits they provide and can address certain urban problems. Wetlands sustain ground water and regulate soil moisture, support biodiversity, regulate floods, regulate climate by cooling cities, and retain contamination and nutrients. Property owners, value proximity to wetlands in urban areas, and studies have also shown positive values for recreation and commercial fishing.
Urban wetlands are precious assets and therefore should be integrated into the development, spatial and management plans of towns and cities.
Recognising the important role of cities in protecting and enhancing the benefits from urban wetlands, the Convention recently introduced a Wetland City accreditation scheme (Resolution XII.10 of 2015). This voluntary scheme provides an opportunity for cities that value their natural and human-made wetlands to gain international recognition and positive publicity for their efforts. The Wetland City Accreditation scheme will encourage cities to highlight and strengthen the positive relationship with their wetlands, with emphasis on creating public awareness of wetland benefits, incorporation of wetland protection into municipal planning and decision-making, and promoting wetland benefits for local people. This scheme provides positive branding opportunities for cities that demonstrate strong and positive relationships with their wetlands.
Detailed criteria for city accreditation are listed in Resolution XII.10 (under Featured Documents on the Ramsar web page). For the first time, during COP13, the Ramsar Convention recognized 18 cities that have taken exceptional steps to safeguard their urban wetlands. These pioneer cities received Ramsar Wetland City Accreditation and will serve as examples and inspire purposeful actions for other cities towards sustainable urbanization.
France: Amiens, Courteranges, Pont Audemer, Saint Omer
Hungary: Lakes by Tata
Republic of Korea: Changnyeong, Inje, Jeju, Suncheon
Madagascar: Mitsinjo
Sri Lanka: Colombo
Tunisia: Ghar el Melh
The second round of Ramsar wetland cities, currently under consideration, will be announced during the upcoming Standing Committee meeting scheduled for May 2022, to receive their award at COP14 scheduled for November 2022. The Ramsar Wetland Cities Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) reviews the Wetland City Accreditation applications and reports its decision to the Standing Committee. The Committee also coordinates the development of new draft resolutions for the city accreditation scheme. ICLEI currently serves as the co-chair of the IAC together with Austria.
City and regional governments can look forward to exciting new offerings on the CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature platforms, including global insights, tools to develop local solutions, and new ways to connect with each other and partner organisations.
This year, forward-thinking governments from cities and regions will continue looking for opportunities to work with nature to build thriving communities. The CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature platforms will help them to do this, with new tools, partners, capabilities and resources.
2022 is a make-or-break year for the living world. The course for the next decade will be charted at the UN Biodiversity Summit (COP15 Part 2), scheduled to take place later this year in Kunming, China. The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration will also get into full swing after its successful launch last year. As always, local and regional governments can rely on ICLEI, one of the founding partners of CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature, to amplify their voices and connect them with the most important insights and partners.
On the online CitiesWithNature platform, cities of all sizes and levels of progress in working with nature are connecting, sharing their experiences and actions, and benefiting from access to a range of partner organisations and practical tools. Recently, New York was the 200th city to join CitiesWithNature, joining London, São Paulo, Cape Town, Barcelona, Istanbul, Montreal, Melbourne and other cities from around the globe.
Several exciting new features, tools and partnerships are planned for CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature to contribute to this anticipated super year for biodiversity.
Action Platform to launch ahead of UN Biodiversity COP
On the Action Platform you will be able to showcase your city’s actions and plans, understand how they contribute to global nature goals and easily track your city’s achievements. The Action Platform is recognised as the place where cities will monitor and report on their voluntary commitments to national and global biodiversity targets, by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in the renewed Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2021-2030).
Get practical advice from the Nature Pathway and new Guides on topics like resilience and invasive alien species
In the first months of this year, the Nature Pathway will relaunch with a brand new, intuitive interface. It will offer a comprehensive roadmap to integrate nature throughout your city’s plans, policies and operations. A new feature, Guides, will also be launched, providing expert guidance on how your city can tackle specific topics, such as enhancing resilience by working with nature, or managing invasive alien species.
Connect with leading partner organisations
The latest partner organizations to join the CitiesWithNature partnership initiative, are the National Park City Foundation – which aims to make cities greener, healthier, wilder and fairer places to live – and 8 80 Cities – which brings citizens together to enhance mobility and public space for more vibrant, healthy, and equitable communities. CitiesWithNature provides cities with a single place to link with leading international organisations such as WWF, Cities4Forests and UNEP. Keep an eye out for announcements of other new partners.
Get the tools, resources and research findings you need
The Tools & Resources Hub already provides access to cutting-edge tools and resources on nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration and green infrastructure. This year, a Knowledge & Research Hub will also be launched: an online “meeting place” and resource library for practitioners, researchers and other experts, both public and private, to engage and contribute to emerging practices and scientific thinking on nature in and around cities.
Training and an online interface for the City Biodiversity Index
Also known as the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity (SI), this self-assessment tool helps cities to evaluate and monitor the progress of their biodiversity conservation efforts against their own individual baselines. This facilitates capacity building, master-planning, priority setting and budgeting for biodiversity. Training sessions on the tool will be offered this year by Singapore NParks, CitiesWithNature and WWF, with dates to be announced soon. CitiesWithNature is also developing an online version of the City Biodiversity Index this year, which is currently only available as an offline handbook.
Inspire and be inspired on the Community Hub
The CitiesWithNature Community Hub will be co-created by people from cities around the world via social media. It will be open and freely available to anyone from any city to share their experiences, photos, video clips and stories about urban nature.
RegionsWithNature - A dedicated space for regional governments and their partners
Following its launch in October 2021 at the Daring Cities global forum, RegionsWithNature, will grow this year to a fully-fledged platform for regional governments, offering an Action Platform, tools and other features. Founding regional governments that have already thrown their weight behind RegionsWithNature include Yucatan in Mexico, São Paulo in Brazil, Goa in India, Comunidad de Madrid in Spain, the Western Cape in South Africa and Quebec in Canada. RegionsWithNature is being developed by founding partners ICLEI, Regions4, IUCN, the Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS) and others. Regional governments can look forward to the first meeting opportunities of RegionsWithNature in the first quarter of 2021. Join RegionsWithNature here: https://regionswithnature.org/
New York City has become the 200th city to join CitiesWithNature, a global partnership initiative that strengthens collective action and impact to protect biodiversity and reconnect urban communities with nature. New York is taking up this leading position alongside London, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Cape Town, Barcelona, Montreal and Melbourne.
This comes in the wake of the recent United Nations climate change summit, COP26, where nature was prominent on the agenda like never before, and which emphasised the critical importance of addressing the nature and climate crises together.
The escalating decline in biodiversity and associated multiple ecosystem goods and services has implications for the quality of life of current and future generations, adversely limiting our ability to combat poverty, hunger and climate change. As we enter the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, scientists estimate that around one million species already face extinction, many within decades, unless action is taken to reduce the intensity of drivers of biodiversity loss. (1)
“We’ve been working tirelessly across all five boroughs to bring cleaner air, water, and new greenspaces to all New Yorkers,” said New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio. “As a result, wildlife is once again flourishing, as we build a more environmentally friendly, sustainable city. We are proud to join CitiesWithNature and continue this work with other global leaders. New York City is proof that you can create climate-friendly, biodiverse cities that support the well-being of all of our residents, including those with feathers, fins and fur.”
The Big Apple has been growing ever greener for many years. It has long been a leader on climate action in particular, implementing bold programmes and advocating for the vital role cities have to play in combating climate change. This experience, coupled with New York City’s renowned energy and innovation, is set to inspire many other cities through the CitiesWithNature initiative.
New research (2) shows that hundreds of millions of people across the world are concerned that the natural world is under threat, and that number is growing. Citizens are increasingly demanding action from local and subnational government leaders. With more than 80% of global GDP generated in cities (3) and more than half of global GDP estimated to be dependent on nature (4), it is clear that cities have a critical role to play in ensuring nature is restored and protected.
“CitiesWithNature are true leaders, understanding that there is no future without nature. Our urban leaders are taking bold, decisive action to protect biodiversity and restore ecosystems to counteract climate change and ensure human health and wellbeing. We are proud to call New York City one of our CitiesWithNature and congratulate them for stepping up to strengthen collective action for nature and ensure transformative change,” said Kobie Brand, Global Director of ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center.
On the online CitiesWithNature platform, cities of all sizes and levels of progress in working with nature, from around the world are connecting, sharing their experiences and actions, and benefiting from access to a range of partner organisations and practical tools.
“As ICLEI’s Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity, I congratulate all of the cities that have joined CitiesWithNature, leading up to New York City being the 200th city,” said Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal. “The City of Montreal is proud to be part of CitiesWithNature, as we pursue our ecological transition to counter climate change by boosting public transit, expanding bike lanes and planting half a million more trees over the next decade. I encourage other cities around the world to join CitiesWithNature and share their commitments and actions through the Action Platform.”
“London joined CitiesWithNature as the 100th Pioneer City, leading by example on conserving and restoring urban nature for the benefit of people and wildlife,” said London’s Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Shirley Rodrigues. “The Mayor has made huge strides in increasing and protecting the capital’s green spaces, securing London’s status as the world’s first National Park City. Over £20 million has been invested to help make London greener, including creating and improving over 400 hectares of green space and planting over 350,000 trees. Congratulations to New York City on becoming the 200th city. Through collaboration we can ensure we take the action needed to restore nature in our cities.”
Urban food gardens, measuring ecological performance in cities, and San Antonio in Texas.What do all these things have in common? They feature in the newest edition of the CitiesWithNature Buzz, of course! Don’t miss the latest roundup of urban nature news, opportunities and events from around the world in the November edition. Click here to read it!
Also read about how more green spaces in European cities could avoid many deaths, the latest Tools & Resources on CitiesWithNature, and the contributions of regional governments at COP26. Have you already joined CitiesWithNature as a city or partner organisation? Feature your urban nature news in the Buzz by submitting a short piece and a link via this Google Form.
You can also delve into past issues of the BUZZ where you will find various valuable reports and resources on Nature-based Solutions, urban biodiversity and more. See the past issues here.
Nature-based solutions (NbS) are all the rage, and rightly so. Working with nature makes sense. But urban systems and ecosystems are complex, so using NbS requires smart governance and technical know-how. Find what you need on the CitiesWithNature Tools & Resources Hub!
By Pieter Botha, CitiesWithNature Global Coordinator: Technical Development and Knowledge Management
Nature-based solutions are being used more and more by cities to boost their climate resilience and provide numerous other benefits for their citizens, both human and non-human. The field is developing rapidly, with many new studies and reports being published by global organisations like IUCN, ICLEI and WWF. How can cities stay up to speed and access the latest expert insights?
The Tools & Resources Hub on the CitiesWithNature platform provides easy access to a wide range of reliable resources and cutting-edge tools on nature-based solutions. All in one place, and for free.
Smart, Sustainable and Resilient Cities: the Power of Nature-based Solutions This working paper for the G20 investigates the potential of NbS to help build smart, sustainable and resilient cities. It covers best practices of NbS implementation in cities around the world and guiding principles for their implementation, with insights from global experts from ICLEI, UNEP, WWF and other leading organisations. Get it here.
Urban Nature Atlas: A Database of Nature-Based Solutions Across 100 European Cities This report from the Naturvation project gives an overview of the Urban Nature Atlas which gathers NbS projects and insights from across Europe. Get it here.
Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Areas This comprehensive book explores the dynamics, challenges, and breakthroughs in accelerating the uptake of NbS in cities. Get it here.
Urban Natural Assets for Africa Handbook Series How best to involve community members in planning and implementation of NbS? This handbook from ICLEI’s Urban Natural Assets project provides a collection of creative tools to encourage local participation and action in sub-Saharan Africa. Get it here.
Local and subnational governments that have signed up to CitiesWithNature have access to all functions of the Tools & Resources Hub, but anyone can browse, learn and be empowered to use NbS. In addition, the Hub also houses tools and resources on related topics such as ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation in urban contexts.
Medellín’s Green Corridors Project has created ecological continuity between several natural areas to support biodiversity and people’s well-being in Colombia’s second largest city. Medellín is one of the leading cities that have joined CitiesWithNature. Photo: GlobalCareerBook.com
Bishan-AMK Park is one of the largest urban parks in Singapore. A concrete storm drain that ran through the park has been naturalised into a 3 kilometer meandering river with lush, vegetated banks. Photo: Wikimedia
Wetlands are an important component of our global climate system, and crucial for water security and resilience. As the world meets on climate change in Glasgow, the Convention on Wetlands (also known as the Ramsar Convention) is hosting several events highlighting the multiple benefits of wetland conservation and restoration.
The Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands is organizing three events during COP 26:
Financing Wetlands Conservation and Restoration for Climate Benefits – Challenges and Opportunities; 4 November, 10.00-12.00 UTC; Republic of Korea Pavilion; #COP26
Partners for Wetlands: Decade for Wetland Restoration; 8 November, 11:00-12:00 UTC; Peatlands Pavilion; #COP26
Leveraging MEA synergies: Peatland protection and restoration for climate outcomes; 10 November, 17:00-18:30 UTC; Peatlands Pavilion; #COP26
In addition, the Secretariat is also contributing to several other events. See the overview here.
Policy recommendations for managing peatlands and blue carbon ecosystems to mitigate climate change.
Best practices on wise use and restoration of peatland ecosystems.
Information on extent and carbon storage capabilities of blue carbon ecosystems in Wetlands of International Importance.
The value of wetlands in and around cities is often still not fully appreciated. In recent years, Ramsar has awarded the status of “Wetland City” for the conservation and wise use of urban and peri-urban wetlands. So far, 18 cities in China, France, Hungary, South Korea, Madagascar and Sri Lanka have achieved this distinction. Read more about the Wetland City Accreditation scheme and how your city can get involved here.
Many partner organisations of CitiesWithNature are doing important work on wetlands. Examples include the following:
ICLEI, through its Cities Biodiversity Centre, is working with the City of Johannesburg in South Africa, inter alia, to map urban natural assets such as wetlands, enhance water catchment management and to better manage invasive alien plant species (a critical threat to wetlands). Wetland Management Guidelines for Building Capacity and Supporting Effective Management of Wetlands within South African Municipalities have also been developed. Read the guidelines here.
The UN Environment Programme works on protecting peatlands for people and planet, as part of the Global Peatlands Initiative. Read more here. Ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves, also in and around cities, are a priority for the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Read more here.
Wetlands is also one of the important practice areas for WWF. Read more about their work here and here.
Anzali Lagoon in Iran is Ramsar-recognised and used to be an important fishery, but siltation, urban development, pollution and invasive alien plants threaten the ecosystem and the benefits it provides to people.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) launched their new handbook on 3 November at COP26 in Glasgow. The handbook provides detailed guidance to help the world’s cities address warming, which is occurring at twice the global average rate in urban areas.
The BiodiverCities Challenge is a global call for innovative solutions that are enabling cities to become nature-positive and fulfil their potential as engines of equitable and sustainable development, resilience, and well-being.
This challenge aims to identify, select, and showcase innovative solutions that have been successfully implemented and contribute to advancing the global transition to BiodiverCities by 2030, and help connect them to opportunities that can scale and accelerate their impact.
The best 10-20 submissions will be selected as part of the winning cohort, recognised as UpLink Top Innovators. They will join the UpLink Innovator Network and participate in a one-year Top Innovator Programme, designed to accelerate impact and scale their venture by leveraging the World Economic Forum’s and partner’s broad range of opportunities and networks. Submissions are open from 28 October to 1 December 2021.
CitiesWithNature and its partner organisations are at COP26 in Glasgow making the case for climate and nature goals to be pursued together in the urban context. They are hosting various in person, hybrid and virtual events in and around COP26, starting 31 October and running until 12 November.
Read on for a summary of important urban nature and climate events you can attend (document attached below).
Nature-based Solutions and Cities | Geneva NbS Dialogues
We are facing a triple planetary crisis – climate change, nature loss and pollution. In this context, Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are a powerful ally to address a societal and environmental challenges. As per IUCN definition, NbS are actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.
NbS are a powerful tool to facilitate and catalyse the engagement of cross-sectoral stakeholders to join forces towards the implementation of an ambitious Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and move towards achieving the CBD 2050 Vision of ‘Living in harmony with nature’. NbS also offer a pathway for synergies among several multilateral environmental agreements, including for biological diversity (CBD), climate change (UNFCCC), disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework), desertification (UNCCD) and the wider Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – and for mainstreaming nature conservation into sectoral decision-making processes.
In the lead-up to a critical year for nature and society, NbS offer an opportunity to address a wide range of urgent societal challenges. The year 2021 and the major upcoming negotiations should indeed mark a turning point towards a resilient world for future generations.
