Biodiversity, ecosystems & built environment Archives - Page 6 of 10

Introduction

What is the Tools and Resources Hub?

The Tools and Resources Hub is now live on the CitiesWithNature website.

We are excited to share that the Tools and Resources Hub of CitiesWithNature was launched early July! This new functionality on the CitiesWithNature platform offers a wide range of reliable resources and cutting-edge tools on biodiversity, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, and more. Local and subnational governments signed up to CitiesWithNature have access to all functions of this database, but anyone can browse, learn and be empowered to act for nature in and around their cities.

Over 200+ carefully curated tools and resources are already available on the hub, and the database will grow further as more tools and resources from ICLEI Regional Offices, partner organisations and cities are added. Local and subnational governments that are signed up to CitiesWithNature are able to upload and share their own tools and resources on the hub. As the hub aims to offer tools and resources that are globally, regionally and/or locally relevant, please upload and share your tools and resources, or if you have not yet joined CitiesWithNature let us know about tools and resources that you specifically would like to see on the hub. All tools and resources shared should be available in the public domain and have an associated weblink that can be used to upload it.

Cities need to make many choices on a daily basis. The new CitiesWithNature Tools & Resources library is a place where they can find useful and up to date information, practical tools and guidance that will help them make those choices.

– Amanda Stone, Yarra City Council, Australia

How Does it Work?

You can access the Tools and Resources Hub even if you are not registered on CitiesWithNature yet. If you are a city, and have signed up, you can access the Tools and Resources Hub and also upload your own.

To access the Tools and resources Hub, you should go to the CitiesWithNature website and click on the MORE button, which is located in the menu bar at the top of your screen. Once you click on MORE, a drop-down will be made available and you will see ‘Tools and Resources Hub’ as part of the drop-down list. You can click here to access the hub.

Once you are in the Hub, you will be able to browse and engage with 200+ Tools and Resources that have been uploaded. Each tool/ resource provides you with a link to the downloadable PDF version.

If you are a registered city, you can login to your account and browse, engage or upload your own resource.

If you would like to upload one of your own tools or resources, you may click on the “upload a resource tab” and follow the steps provided on the website and fill in the required information.

Over the past two decades, ICLEI, through its Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC), has worked closely with the United Nations Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and a range of partners to elevate the voice of local and subnational governments and ensure that strong action is taken to create vibrant cities and regions, where people and biodiversity can thrive.

Taking urgent action for nature

Nature underpins our livelihoods and very existence. It is integral to the effective functioning and well-being of urban communities. This has never been more evident than during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Access to natural open spaces (such as parks, forests, mountains and beaches) was, and in many instances remains, limited and food systems have suffered extreme stress, sometimes even breaking.

Urgent collective global action is needed to reconnect people with nature, protect biodiversity and restore ecosystems. If we do not make peace with nature now – in this decade – the scientific indications are that there will be irreversible tipping points that, once reached, will cause irreparable damage to the critical ecosystems that sustain life on earth.

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. More than 37 400 species are at threat of extinction – 28% of all known species.[1] And extinction rates are rising rapidly with predicted future extinctions 10 times higher than they are now. This will significantly negatively affect future generations’ ability to meet their needs. This threat is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, with the former estimated to push as many as 150 million people into extreme poverty this year, and the latter 132 million people by 2030.[2]

Everyone must act quickly to stop biodiversity loss. Oliver Hillel, Programme Officer: Secretariat of the CBD, notes that globally people’s health and well-being, livelihoods and economies depend on biodiversity. “Biodiversity is also the cheapest provider of clean water and air, energy and resilience against climate change,” he says. The Dasgupta Review illustrates that the social benefits of expanding Protected Areas are likely to be significant. A partial economic analysis, focused on forests and mangroves, indicated projected overall benefits of US$170-534 billion a year by 2050.[3] Of this, US$490 billion would originate from avoided flooding, climate change impacts, soil loss and coastal storm damage. These benefits are weighed against the direct investment needed to expand Protected Areas on land and sea, estimated at US$103-178 billion a year by 2030”.[4]

Local and subnational governments – particularly cities, as they plan, coordinate, regulate, monitor and enforce patterns of production and consumption – will need to deliver on as many as two-thirds of the biodiversity targets set out in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

Focusing on biodiversity in the city and regional context

Cities are projected to be home to 75% of the world’s population by 2050.[5] Land-use decisions in the urban landscape related to infrastructure (spatial development), related regulations (emissions, pollution, waste disposal) and by-laws determine to a significant degree societies’ impact on the natural landscape. Cities make these decisions by the thousands each day, often with irreversible consequences. Kobie Brand, Global Director of ICLEI’s CBC, notes that “these impacts are not contained to city boundaries, but can negatively impact the quality of air, soil, water and livelihood options much further afield”.

It is regional and city governments that are best placed to understand and act upon the opportunities and constraints for systemic change within their portfolios. And it is therefore important that their voices and insights are heard on international platforms that are focused on issues of global significance. ICLEI works to elevate the collective voice of local and subnational governments in the United Nations Conventions, such as the CBD, which focuses on conserving biological diversity and sustainable, fair and equitable benefit sharing from its use.

“We deepened our focus on biodiversity in the city and regional context in 2006,” says Brand. At the ICLEI World Congress, ICLEI, in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN), launched the pioneering global Local Action for Biodiversity (LAB) Programme, highlighting the importance of local biodiversity action.

Launching a dedicated global center and creating platforms for peer exchange and learning

LAB was a world-first initiative developed in response to a request from the City of Cape Town and Ethekwini Municipality in South Africa and the City of Edmonton in Canada for an enhanced focus on biodiversity action at the local level. This exciting pilot project initially worked with 21 pioneer cities of varying sizes and capacity to assess and mainstream biodiversity, as well as identify the value that biodiversity assets provided the city and its citizens. LAB soon expanded to connect and support more than 50 committed cities from around the world. The themes of the LAB Programme were expanded in its second phase to include linkages between biodiversity and climate change, communication, education and public awareness.

ICLEI adopted LAB as its global biodiversity programme and granted ICLEI Africa approval to host a global biodiversity centre in 2008. ICLEI officially launched the CBC in 2010. With ICLEI offices across the globe and a range of local and global partners and stakeholders, ICLEI CBC supports cities and regions in finding and implementing innovative institutional and on-the-ground solutions to reclaim, restore and protect biodiversity. It also ensures that the voices of local and subnational governments are heard in global processes.

Biodiversity action and nature-based development have been mainstreamed as one of ICLEI’s five integrated pathways in its ICLEI Malmö Commitment and Strategic Vision 2021-2027. Through the dedicated commitment of, and collaboration with, ICLEI’s Regional Offices and its World Secretariat, ICLEI CBC has significantly strengthened its reach and ability to mobilize cities and other subnational governments.

Advocating for the collective voice of cities and regions

“For nearly two decades, we have invested in local, national and international advocacy for the voices of local and subnational governments,” says Brand. These ongoing efforts resulted in our contribution to the ‘Edinburgh Process’ that led to the 2020 Edinburgh Declaration on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. The Declaration calls for “greater prominence of the role of subnational governments, cities and local authorities in delivering on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework”[6] and is set to be adopted at the upcoming CBD Congress of the Parties (COP) 15.

ICLEI’s work over the years in the biodiversity and urban nature space has contributed significantly to growing awareness of the role of regions and cities in driving the sustainability transition. In 2007, 32 mayors of major cities met in Curitiba, Brazil with the CBD Secretariat and drafted the Curitiba Declaration on Cities and Biodiversity, actively committing themselves to contributing to CBD objectives and the 2010 biodiversity targets. The first Cities Biodiversity Summit was held in Germany at the CBD COP 9 resulting in the Bonn Declaration. Further commitments were made at a 2008 LAB meeting hosted by the City of Durban, South Africa through the Durban Commitment: Local Governments for Biodiversity.

The role of cities and regions was further entrenched at the CBD COP 10 in 2010 and the second Cities Biodiversity Summit through the Aichi/Nagoya Declaration on Local Authorities and Biodiversity and the historic CBD Decision X/22 on the 2011-2020 CBD Plan of Action on Cities, Local Authorities and Biodiversity. This was the first and only such dedicated Decision on subnational governments in the history of Rio Conventions.

ICLEI’s work, through the CBC, to elevate the collective voice of cities and regions at the international level was recognized in 2012 with a memorandum of understanding signed with the CBD. Hillel notes that “ICLEI has played an instrumental role in deepening the CBD’s focus on local and subnational governments, and has contributed to every breakthrough that the CBD has had in this regard. Today we are the only United Nations body with a unilateral environmental agreement with a specific provision on regions and cities to ensure coherence among levels of government.”

ICLEI CBC has co-hosted Biodiversity Summits for Cities and Subnational Governments as official parallel events to the CBD COP 12, 13 and 14, held in 2014, 2016 and 2018, respectively. At each consecutive Summit, further progress was made in strengthening the voice and appreciation of the critical role that local and subnational governments play in the global biodiversity agenda, both at policy and implementation levels.

Hillel points out that ICLEI has recently been selected to join the BiodiverCities by 2030 initiative, convened in partnership by the World Economic Forum and the Government of Columbia. The Commission brings together experts, practitioners, academia and civil society to find evidence-based solutions to support “sustainable, inclusive and nature-positive urban development”. According to Hillel, ICLEI will play a key role in the Commission in helping to “generate the blueprint for truly green cities – both within city boundaries and their larger footprint”.

Providing tools for local and subnational governments

“We recognize that cities and regions operate in different contexts, with different priorities, capabilities and capacities. ICLEI therefore designs its tools, projects and solutions to be contextual and uses iterative learning to improve and adapt them,” says Brand.

ICLEI CBC has published a range of comprehensive guidebooks and manuals. Out of LAB, which required a three- to six-year commitment from the cities, ICLEI developed the concept of Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (LBSAPs). These plans are guiding strategies with accompanying actions that local governments can adapt to their own contexts to manage biodiversity and ecosystem services. These plans, now used by a growing number of countries, inform National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans prescribed for all CBD Parties.

ICLEI has developed, co-developed and shared tools from others with an expanding network of subnational governments wanting to mainstream biodiversity and ecosystem management into their planning and implementation processes.

“We knew that we needed to expand the LAB network to enable more cities to engage and share knowledge and resources to support a sustainability transition,” says Brand. This took shape as the innovative global CitiesWithNature partnership initiative, launched by co-founders ICLEI, IUCN and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) at the ICLEI World Congress in 2018. The online CitiesWithNature platform was activated as a free, easily accessible and open platform for cities at the sixth Global Biodiversity Summit of Local and Subnational Governments in 2018.

Scaling action and knowledge through CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature

CitiesWithNature is a partnership initiative between ICLEI, IUCN, TNC, WWF, the United Nations Environment Programme and many other organizations that provides an innovative online platform to support a co-evolution of cities with nature. It offers access to an extensive array of guides, tools and case studies to help cities and city regions redefine their relationship with nature. This interactive platform is recognized by the CBD. The soon to be launched Action Platform component will enable cities and regions to share and report on their actions to protect nature and their contributions to national and global biodiversity targets. To address the specific needs of regional governments and territories, a new sister initiative, RegionsWithNature, is currently under development. Both the Action Platform and RegionsWithNature will be launched at ICLEI’s Daring Cities Conference in October 2021.

The CBD envisages four bodies/platforms working together to implement the subnational execution of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2021-2030). These are the two formally constituted Advisory Committees to the CBD – the Advisory Committee on Local Governments and Biodiversity and the Advisory Committee on Subnational Governments and Biodiversity. ICLEI is the Secretariat of the former. The committees’ main objectives are to coordinate the contribution and participation of all levels of subnational government in processes under the CBD and to act as an advocacy platform for enhanced cooperation between CBD Parties and all levels of subnational government.

The two implementation-orientated platforms are CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature, which act as multi-stakeholder platforms at the local and regional levels for learning, measuring and commitment. The soon-to-be launched Action Platform is a key component of these two digital platforms, as it serves as the vehicle for tracking and reporting on actions implemented at the local and subnational levels.

Enabling and supporting systemic and integrated solutions

As the world finds itself in the grips of an evolving pandemic, we have also entered the so-called Decade of Action, with less than 10 years to meet the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The world is not on track to meet the SDG targets and it will not be possible to meet them with a business-as-usual approach. In June 2021, the United Nations’ Decade on Ecosystem Restoration was officially launched, with ambitious goals to protect and restore the land and marine ecosystems on which human life depends.

Brand notes that “As tipping points are fast approaching, the world needs cities to act – individually and together – in faster, bolder and more concrete ways than ever before to ensure an inclusive, equitable and greener recovery that will also restore humanity’s relationship with nature.

In these important times, and in the years ahead, ICLEI – through its 24 offices, thousands of member and network cities, and many partnerships – stands committed and ready to enable and support systemic and integrated solutions, with nature as a core component of all recovery plans. We will continue to seek more ways for cities to access finance for implementation and for nature to not only be embedded into climate actions, but to drive lifestyle and behavioral changes, in alignment with a One Health approach.”

[1] IUCN. n.d. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [Online] Available: https://www.iucnredlist.org/.

[2] World Bank. 2020. COVID-19 to add as many as 150 million extreme poor by 2021. [Online] Available: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/10/07/covid-19-to-add-as-many-as-150-million-extreme-poor-by-2021.

[3] Waldron, A. et al. (2020). Protecting 30% of the Planet for Nature: Costs, Benefits and Economic Implications. In Dasgupta, P. 2021. The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review. London: HM Treasury, pp438

[4] Waldron, A. et al. (2020). Protecting 30% of the Planet for Nature: Costs, Benefits and Economic Implications. In Dasgupta, P. 2021. The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review. London: HM Treasury, pp438

[5] Wahba, T., Sameh, N., Wellenstein, A., Das, M., Palmarini, N., D’Aosut, O., Singh, G., Restrepo, C., Goga, S. Terraza, H., Lakovits, C., Baeumler, A. & Gapihan A. 2021. Demographic Trends and Urbanization. Washington, D.C.: World Bank Group

[6] Scottish Government. 2020. Edinburgh Declaration on post-2020 global biodiversity framework. [Online] Available: https://www.gov.scot/publications/edinburgh-declaration-on-post-2020-biodiversity-framework/.

An international celebration took place today at Confluence Park in San Antonio to commemorate the opening of the North American Friendship Garden. The garden is a collaborative effort by the Consulate of Canada in Texas and the Consulate of Mexico in San Antonio together with the City of San Antonio, San Antonio River Authority (River Authority), and San Antonio River Foundation (River Foundation). The public is invited to visit the park to view the garden’s features and learn about the significance of this joint effort.

Located within Confluence Park, an award-winning environmental education park along the banks of the San Antonio River, the pollinator garden is designed to provide a sanctuary for Monarch Butterflies during their international migration, as well as crucial habitat for myriad other pollinators and migratory species. The garden area is approximately 2,500 square feet and includes native grasses, wildflowers, trees, and shrubs. The River Foundation also worked with San Antonio artist Gary Sweeny to create two art benches. Visitors can also view a bug hotel and enjoy locations for thoughtful contemplation and environmental education.

“The Mission Reach of the San Antonio River Walk is a shining example of urban ecosystem restoration that was made possible through the successful collaboration of multiple entities and the North American Friendship Garden is yet another example of the great things that can be accomplished when we all work together for a common goal,” said River Authority General Manager Derek Boese. “We are excited for the public to learn about the important role pollinators play in our environment which we hope will inspire them to become good stewards for our creeks and rivers.”

The idea for the North American Friendship Garden started taking place following the UNESCO designation of San Antonio as a Creative City of Gastronomy, making the city part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. The City of San Antonio World Heritage Office supports this initiative as pollinators play an important role in the food that we consume, and the San Antonio River serves as a corridor for pollinators like the Monarch Butterfly. The garden is in the heart of the important Central Flyway, supporting the iconic Monarch Butterfly as well as other pollinator and migratory species as they travel between Canada and Mexico using San Antonio as a rest stop. In May of 2020, San Antonio was designated a U.S. Pioneer in the recently initiated CitiesWithNature international platform. CitiesWithNature convenes local governments around the world who prioritize nature-based solutions to climate change, recognize ecosystem services, and provide equitable access to nature and the outdoors.

“Working collaboratively, San Antonio partners can be proud of a legacy of conservation and natural resource protection. From the Edwards Aquifer, to the Bracken Cave Preserve, to the Hardberger Park Land Bridge, and now the North American Friendship Garden, we are investing in natural solutions that support our native wildlife,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “I am grateful to our neighbors who are joining us in this effort to ensure a sustainable future for all.”

“The Consulate General of Canada in Texas is proud to have played a role in conceiving and supporting the North American Friendship Garden, a great symbol of the commitment of the people of Canada, Mexico, the United States, and San Antonio to preserve and protect the flyways of the Monarch Butterfly and other pollinators and birds that link all of us throughout North America,” Dr. Rachel McCormick, Consul General of Canada, said.

“For the Government of Mexico, it is crucial to strengthen trilateral cooperation between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Our three countries are more than just neighbors; we are partners, allies, and, above all, friends,” said Consul General Rubén Minutti Zanatta. “If we continue working together, boosting cooperation, both at the federal, and especially, at the local level, engaging cities, towns, counties, and communities of all kinds, we will ensure the protection of our shared environments, our biodiversity, and wildlife.”

“Confluence Park was created to help educate visitors on our native habitats and the importance of protecting our natural resources for future generations,” said River Foundation Executive Director Frates Seeligson. “We are extremely grateful to our partners and donors for making this garden a reality as it’s a wonderful compliment to the park’s mission and purpose.”

In addition to the international flair surrounding the grand opening of the North American Friendship Garden, Governor Abbott’s Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office provided a ceremonial document to help commemorate this special occasion in San Antonio.

The City of London Green City Briefings are a forum to learn and discuss the worldwide adoption of living green in cities as a result of compelling evidence of the benefits for city resilience and citizen health and wellbeing. The Briefings are a series of 8 one-hour webinars that present compelling evidence and examples of the power of ‘living green’ in delivering multiple solutions to city challenges. These briefings aim to provide the latest evidence for the benefits of plants in creating liveable, resilient cities and present practical examples of how these benefits are realised.

Author(s):

Wheeler, M., Grossinger, R, Ndayishimiye, E., Spotswood, E., Galt, R., Carbone, Giulia

Organization(s):

IUCN, Global Business and Biodiversity Programme

Abstract:

Investing in nature and nature-based solutions is an important pathway to address the current ecological crisis. The loss of biodiversity, with around one million animal and plant species threatened with extinction, is putting at risk our economies, livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide. Diverse and innovative measures are needed to reverse this decline and to restore healthy ecosystems. The magnitude of the challenge calls for the collaboration and contribution of all actors, including non-state actors, such as businesses, local authorities, civil society organisations, and individual citizens. Sports and urban biodiversity identifies the opportunities for sports federations and sport venue owners and operators to develop the seven elements essential for supporting nature in cities. Case studies from Europe, North America, Australia and South Africa capture the biodiversity actions taken by a variety of sports, from Olympic city planning to local projects at stadiums and practice facilities. These examples also reveal ways in which improvements to urban biodiversity elements can offer a better sporting experience for event participants and spectators.

On 7 July 2020, IUCN published the Guidelines for conserving connectivity through ecological networks and corridors, a guideline document for protecting the ecological connectivity of nature. The guidelines have been made available for the public to download for free. They introduce common definitions, the use of case studies demonstrates how these guidelines can be applied in the real world, and recommend designation of ecological corridors that knit together protected and conserved areas to form ecological networks for conservation.

These Guidelines are a principal output of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Connectivity Conservation Specialist Group (CCSG). They are the first of its kind in the world and they are a result of more than 100 experts in 30 countries that have contributed to this innovative guidance for communities, managers, policy-makers, and practitioners around the world. They are based on the best available science and practice for maintaining, enhancing, and restoring ecological connectivity among and between protected areas, other effective areas based conservation measures (OECMs), and other intact ecosystems. These guidelines take inspiration from the great diversity of local, national, and transboundary connectivity conservation efforts already underway. The main objective of these guidelines is to provide insight into the leading tools for conserving the physical links between protected and conserved areas, and areas outside their boundaries as part of large, interconnected ecological networks.

The ideas shared are founded on the information that “promoting ecological connectivity is an important option to enable dynamic adaptation processes in ecosystems, and thus to combat the decline in biodiversity and preserve ecosystem services, especially in view of changing climatic conditions. Moreover, healthy ecosystems provide numerous goods and services that are vital to human society” (Climate Adapt, 2019).

McHugh and Thompson (2011) define ‘ecological network’ as a network composed of ecological components such as core areas, ecological corridors, and buffer zones. Such networks can provide a solution to the problems of intensified land use and fragmentation, enabling natural populations of species and threatened habitats to survive. The Guidelines seek to be a databank for connectivity conservation solutions.

Key messages of the Guidelines

Science overwhelmingly shows that interconnected protected areas and other areas for biological diversity conservation are much more effective than disconnected areas in human-dominated systems, especially in the face of climate change;
Although it is well understood that ecological connectivity is critical to the conservation of biodiversity, approaches to identify, retain, and enhance ecological connectivity have been scattered and inconsistent. At the same time, countries on every continent, along with regional and local governments, have advanced various forms of legislation and policy to enhance connectivity; and
It is imperative that the world moves toward a coherent global approach for ecological connectivity conservation, and begins to measure and monitor the effectiveness of efforts to protect connectivity and thereby achieve functional ecological networks.
These Guidelines define ecological corridors as ways to identify, maintain, enhance, and restore connectivity, summarize a large body of related science; and recommend means to formalize ecological corridors and networks.

References

Climate Adapt. 2019. Improve the functional connectivity of ecological networks. Date Accessed: 07 September 2020. Available online: https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/metadata/adaptation-options/improve-the-functional-connectivity-of-ecological-networks

McHugh, S. Thompson. A rapid ecological network assessment tool and its use in locating habitat extension areas in a changing landscape. J. Nat. Conserv., 19 (2011), pp. 236-244 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1617138111000136

Due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic, many key events on the local and subnational Roadmap to the 15^th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are continuously modifying their dates and methods of delivery. An updated timeline, with the most recent event dates and details can be seen below:

Key Updates

Launch of New Local and Subnational Advocacy for Nature Platform

ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center, with support from a range of partners, recently launched a new online platform to serve as the voice of local and subnational governments in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity & associated Conventions. This website provides a comprehensive information platform to keep our constituency up to date with the latest relevant news, events and resources that relate to local and subnational governments on the roadmap to COP 15 and beyond. Check out the new platform today!

Click here to explore the key past and upcoming advocacy moments. The new platform also highlights key ways for the constituency to get involved, including through our monthly Post 2020 webinar series. These webinars provide a useful way to stay up-to-date with the unfolding process in the lead up to COP 15. Another way is to regularly check out our News and Resources page, where we will continue to post relevant information. For more on this, you can visit our dedicated Updates page.

The Edinburgh Process: An Update on the Edinburgh Declaration

As you are aware, the Edinburgh Process for Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities on the development of the Post 2020 global biodiversity framework is currently underway, as arguably one of the most significant opportunities for the voice of the local and subnational government constituency to be heard loudly in the lead up to COP 15. Given the COVID-19 context we find ourselves in, the event was transformed into a dynamic and interactive online consultation process.

The Draft Edinburgh Declaration was released for consultation between 26^th June 2020 and 24^th July 2020. Following the receipt of comments, the Scottish Government and the Edinburgh Process Partners have prepared a final version that will be made available soon for local and subnational governments to endorse through senior political sign off up to CBD COP 15. Watch this space for more details on where to find the Edinburgh Declaration and how your local and subnational governments can sign on to support it.

All of the online information sessions, thematic webinars, and a range of other resources emerging from the Edinburgh Process are available on the dedicated YouTube channel. For more information, and to stay up-to-date with the process as it continues to unfold, click here.

United Nations Summit on Biodiversity

The United Nations Summit on Biodiversity will be convened by the President of the General Assembly on 30 September 2020, at the level of Heads of State and Government under the theme of “Urgent action on biodiversity for sustainable development.” The Summit will highlight the crisis facing humanity from the degradation of biodiversity and the urgent need to accelerate action on biodiversity for sustainable development. It will provide an opportunity for Heads of State and Government and other leaders to raise ambition for the development of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at the 15^th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2021. This framework, and its effective implementation, must put nature on a path to recovery by 2030 to meet the SDGs and realize the Vision of “Living in harmony with nature”. For more information and updates, visit the dedicated webpage.

European Week of Regions and Cities

The European Week of Regions and Cities is the biggest annual EU event dedicated to regional policy during which cities and regions showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance. This year, the European Week of Regions and Cities will spread over three consecutive weeks in October, each dedicated to one timely topic:

5-9 October: Empowering Citizens,
12-16 October: Cohesion and cooperation,
19-22 October: Green Europe, in cooperation with the Green Week.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the related health and safety measures, the majority of the 500 sessions will be in fully digital format.

Registration for the 18th European Week of Regions and Cities will open on 27 August 2020.

For more information on the event, click here.

EU Green Week

EU Green Week 2020 is now scheduled for 19-22 October 2020, on the theme of nature and biodiversity. After the adoption of a new EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 in May 2020, this year’s Green Week will highlight the contribution biodiversity can make to society and the economy, and the role it can play in supporting and stimulating recovery in a post-pandemic world, bringing jobs and sustainable growth. The event will examine how EU policies such as the European Green Deal can help protect and restore nature, leaving it room to recover and thrive. This year’s Green Week will also act as a milestone on the path to the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

For more information, and to register for the conference, click here.

Opportunities to get involved

Save the Date: Register for our next webinar

ICLEI continues to host its monthly Post-2020 webinar series to keep up to date on the unfolding participatory process on the roadmap to COP 15: The Paris Moment for Nature.

Join us for the 15th webinar in the series, to be held at both 10am and 3pm SAST (GMT+2) on 20^th August 2020. The topic for this webinar will be: Dialogue towards a green recovery and lessons learned from nature in the context of the Post 2020 GBF

The webinar will feature the following panelists:

10am SAST (GMT+2)

Ms Jessica Kavonic, Senior Professional Officer: Climate Change and Urban Natural Assets, ICLEI Africa
Dr Ernita van Wyk, Senior Professional Officer: Socio-ecological Systems, ICLEI Africa
Rajan Chedambath, Director: Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED), Research & Development wing of the Kochi Municipal Corporation, India
Mr David Barlow, Snr Policy Officer, Lead – Green infrastructure & Biodiversity, City of Manchester Policy Team

3pm SAST (GMT+2)

Ms Jessica Kavonic, Senior Professional Officer: Climate Change and Urban Natural Assets, ICLEI Africa
Dr Ernita van Wyk, Senior Professional Officer: Socio-ecological Systems, ICLEI Africa
Ms Andrea Cruz Angon, Coordinator of Biodiversity Strategies and International Cooperation, CONABIO, Mexico
Ms Marlene Laros, Director: Biodiversity and Coastal Management, Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, South Africa
Mr Paul Dale, International Affairs Advisory, Secretariat for Infrastructure and Environment, Sao Paulo State Government, Brazil

Don’t miss out! You can register for the webinar by clicking on your preferred time below:
At 10am SAST (GMT+2)

At 3pm SAST (GMT+2)

Visit the dedicated platform to stay updated on the local and subnational advocacy for nature agenda and to get involved. In case you have missed the previous webinars in the series, the recordings are available on our YouTube Channel. To read more about our previous webinar in the series on the topic of Outcomes of the Edinburgh Process: What’s next for cities and regions? click here.

Webinar jointly organized by the Government of Egypt and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

“Building back better: protecting biodiversity, combating land degradation and mitigating climate change to reduce the risks of future pandemics, and the importance of a coherent approach”

10 September 2020, 3-5 p.m. (Cairo time, GMT+2)

The Government of Egypt, in the context of its Presidency of the fourteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is organizing a webinar on protecting biodiversity, combating land degradation and mitigating climate change to reduce the risks of future pandemics jointly with the Secretariat of the Convention that will take place on 10 September 2020 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (GMT +2). This webinar is also organized within the context of the initiative by Egypt to promote a coherent approach for addressing biodiversity loss, climate change and land and ecosystem degradation.

See the CBD notification here: http://www.cbd.int/doc/notifications/2020/ntf-2020-057-hbom-en.pdf

Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information on how to join the webinar.

Special Virtual Sessions, in Preparation for SBSTTA-24 and SBI-3

During the twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-24) and the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3) government representatives, competent in the relevant field of expertise, will meet to provide the Conference of the Parties (COP) and, as appropriate, its other subsidiary bodies, with timely advice relating to the implementation of the Convention. In advance of these meetings, a series of special virtual sessions of SBSTTA and SBI are being scheduled for 15-18 September 2020.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic related delays in the scheduling of SBSTTA-24 and SBI-3, which are now due to be held in November 2020, this series of special virtual sessions will facilitate preparations for the meetings of the subsidiary bodies. The further aim of these sessions is to help maintain momentum ahead of the UN Biodiversity Summit and towards COP 15.

The special sessions provide opportunities for the presentation of information and for statements by Parties and observers. For more information, click here.

Call for Papers and Sessions for the World Forestry Congress (WFC)

The World Forestry Congress (WFC) is held every six years and is the world’s largest global gathering of foresters. It provides a unique opportunity to strengthen international cooperation with forest supporters and intersectoral partners by sharing expertise and experiences and projecting a vision of the future roles of forests in the global sustainable development.

The next WFC will be held in Coex, Seoul, Republic of Korea from 24 to 28 May 2021, to emphasize the role of forests in the context of the Global Forest Goals, Paris Agreement, Post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the 2030 Agenda, identifying key measures and enriching the prospective future of forests as the forest sector adjusts to the post-COVID-19 developments.

The XV World Forestry Congress is now inviting submission of papers, posters, videos, and applications for side events under the central theme Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests. For more information, click here.

Consultation on draft documentation for the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation: Gender Plan of Action

The third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, under agenda item 3, is expected to review progress in the implementation of the Convention and the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, which will consider, amongst other matters, the review of implementation of the 2015-2020 Gender Plan of Action and a new draft gender plan of action for the post-2020 period. The Secretariat of the CBD has prepared a draft outline of the gender plan of action, now available for your input at: https://www.cbd.int/sbi/review.shtml.

The draft outline serves as a basis for consultation (drawing on the review of the current plan of action and consultations on gender in the post-2020 global biodiversity framework) to obtain initial feedback on the structure of a new gender plan of action, including the identification of priority areas for action and associated objectives. Parties and partners are invited to reflect on the draft outline and propose priority action areas and related objectives. Please send your comments, using the associated review comment template available at the same webpage, no later than 31 August 2020, by e-mail to: secretariat@cbd.int.

The recording of the Information briefing that was held on 12 August 2020 to announce the launch of the consultation is available at: https://youtu.be/MJBQsSGbHhc

Thematic Consultation on the Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework Virtual Meeting

The Thematic Consultation on the Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity for the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, previously scheduled on 30 March – 1 April 2020, in Bern, Switzerland, will now be held online, in order to ensure the consideration of further views on elements related to the sustainable use of biological diversity for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The virtual consultation is taking the form of an online survey, a series of webinars and an online discussion forum. The series of webinars will be comprised of two sessions. The first webinar, held on 27 July 2020, included expert presentations, provided further details on the process of the consultation and opened the period for completing the survey. The online survey was open from 27 July-17 August 2020. The online forum, scheduled from 7-11 September 2020, will discuss the preliminary results of the survey. The second webinar will present the outcomes of all discussions and will take place in the week of 5 October 2020.

For information on the webinar series, survey & online discussion forum, see the CBD notification here.

Register for Daring Cities: A Global Virtual Forum for Urban Leaders

Daring Cities invites urban leaders from around the world who are pushing boundaries in their own contexts to come together online for a three-week period of idea exchange on how to take on resilience and mitigation in the time of urgent climate and health crisis. Daring Cities 2020 will run from 7-28 October 2020, offering an online array of high level and visionary speaking sessions, a series of informative workshops and personal networking opportunities. Throughout the three-week period, there will be various sessions related to biodiversity and the links between nature and climate. Watch this space!

CitiesWithNature

Visit our Updates page to read more about what our growing network of over 165 cities and regions are doing to enhance the value of nature in and around our urban areas. Click here to see the latest CitiesWithNature Buzz.

To join CitiesWithNature, connect with the growing network of cities and regions who are taking action for nature, and experience this innovative platform, click here.

Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest CitiesWithNature news.

COVID-19

ICLEI is collecting resources that can be useful and inspiring for local and subnational governments. Click here to see the dedicated webpage, and click here to access a collection of relevant blog posts.

The generous support from the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework – EU Support project, the INTERACT-Bio project, and CitiesWithNature partners and cities, has contributed to this email update.

With a mandate agreed by international convention, AIPH, the International Association of Horticultural Producers has been approving and regulating International Horticultural Expos, in partnership with The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), since 1960.

The AIPH Virtual Expo Conference on 30 September presents an excellent opportunity to learn more about hosting or being involved with an International Horticultural Expo and to network with expo organisers, city representatives interested in hosting an expo, urban developers, AIPH members, NGOs, international city and environmental organisations and suppliers to major events.

Billions are spent on developing these international spectacles that can have the ability to stimulate the development of entire cities and transform the international reputation of hosting regions. Each exhibition attracts many international participants and millions of visitors, lasts up to six months, with sites ranging from 25 to 500 hectares in size. Every Expo is carefully regulated, steered, and monitored by AIPH.

The period from 2021 until 2027 already includes AIPH approved expos in China, Turkey, Qatar, the Netherlands, South Korea and Japan with more to be approved in upcoming meetings.

These Expos will be submitting their progress reports on the 30 September. Rather than a physical international conference, AIPH is using a unique 3D system to host a virtual online meeting of delegates from around the world.

We are very grateful to PERA Event for their Headline Sponsorship of the conference. The company is also an AIPH preferred partner specialising in event management for International Horticultural Expos.

The registration price is just 55 GBP. Participants receive a link to create an avatar to enter this virtual environment. In this interactive form, they will be able to talk to other delegates starting from 8am (Central European Summer Time), and all from the safety of their device.

AIPH extends its thanks to AGES (Association of Global Event Suppliers), the UK’s Department for International Trade, ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), IAEH (International Association of Event Hosts), ULI (Urban Land Institute) and media partners HOST CITY and FloraCulture International magazine.

AIPH Secretary General, Mr Tim Briercliffe, comments, “We are delighted to welcome our Expo organisers and all delegates to the AIPH Expo Conference. AIPH approved expos are beautiful events, which are enjoyed by millions of visitors wherever they are staged. Cities around the world are looking more than ever to further develop their green credentials and urban spaces, as well as driving the appreciation and benefits of plants and flowers in the built environment. In addition to seeing the interesting progress of our approved Expos, attendees will be able to network with delegates and learn more about how staging an International Horticultural Expos can bring great benefits to the host city, not just during the Expo itself, but for years to come.”

Key Updates

New Dates Announced for SBSTTA 24, SBI 3, and COP 15

On 16 July 2020, new dates were announced for three key UN meetings that are critical milestones in the development of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The fifteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP-15), originally scheduled for October 2020, will now be held 17-30 May 2021, in Kunming, China.

Dates and venue have also been announced for the meetings of the Convention’s two subsidiary bodies:

The twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA-24) will be held 2-7 November 2020, and the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3) takes place 9-14 November 2020. Both meetings will convene in Quebec City, Canada. To maintain momentum ahead of the UN Biodiversity Summit in September 2020 and COP-15, and facilitate the preparations for SBSTTA-24 and SBI-3, a series of special virtual sessions of SBSTTA and SBI will be held from 15-18 September 2020.

Information regarding the dates of the third meeting of the Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework will be made available in due course.

Read the full press release here.

While much uncertainty remains, and more changes are likely, the journey towards COP 15 will continue with the same rigor and momentum as before. The ongoing mobilisation of the local and subnational government constituency will ensure that actions by cities and regions are consistent, transformational, and sustained to turn every year into a “Super Year for Nature.”

Launch of New Local and Subnational Advocacy for Nature Platform

ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center, with support from a range of partners, is proud to announce the launch of a new online platform to serve as the voice of local and subnational governments in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity & associated Conventions. This website provides a comprehensive information platform to keep our constituency up to date with the latest relevant news, events and resources that relate to local and subnational governments. Check out the platform today!

Through its dedicated Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC), ICLEI works with key partners such as the European Committee of Regions (CoR), Regions4 Sustainable Development (Regions4), the Advisory Committee of Subnational Governments for Biodiversity (ACSNG) coordinated by Regions4 and the Government of Quebec), the Group of Leading Subnational Governments to Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS), the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework EU Support project and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) to advance the joint global advocacy agenda. To read more about this ambitious advocacy agenda, click here.

Given the successes we have achieved over the last decade, and the increasing recognition of the critical role of the local and subnational government constituency, the goal of ICLEI’s advocacy is to ensure that the voice of local and subnational governments is heard and reflected in the consultations, negotiations and outcomes regarding the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, in the lead up to, during and after COP 15 in Kunming in 2021. Thus, the Roadmap to COP 15 has been co-developed to support the local and subnational constituency’s participation in, and contributions to, the development process of the Post-2020 GBF. The implementation of this roadmap is currently underway and involves a series of advocacy interventions and key processes where local and subnational governments are mobilized at key milestones to support the development of a strong consolidated and collective position which calls for a stepped-up, dedicated Decision by the Parties on local and subnational governments that is more ambitious than before, and that safeguards the legacy of Decision X/22 and expands the momentum of local and subnational advocacy beyond 2020.

The Edinburgh Process: An Update on the Edinburgh Declaration

The consultation period for the Draft Post 2020 GBF and the Plan of Action review document has closed, and the outcomes of the consultation were presented to participants in the online Session 2 that was held on 2^nd July 2020. If you missed this session, the recording is available here.

The Draft Edinburgh Declaration was released for consultation on 26^th June 2020 and is open for inputs until the 24^th July 2020. The Declaration represents the high level aims of Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities for the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Moreover it highlights subnational views on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to CBD Parties. Following the receipt of comments, the Scottish Government and the Edinburgh Process Partners will draft a final version that will be made available for senior political sign off up to CBD COP 15. All inputs received through the online consultation and outcomes of the process will be taken into account in the drafting of the Edinburgh Process reports that will feed into the relevant upcoming CBD events.

All of the online information sessions, thematic webinars, and a range of other resources are available on the Edinburgh Process’s dedicated YouTube channel. For more information, and to stay up-to-date with the process as it continues to unfold, click here.

LGMA Webinars: Special Sessions on 17 June 2020

The 17^th June each year is observed globally as the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought under the auspices of the UN CCD. This year, the focus of Desertification and Drought Day was on the links between consumption and land, under the theme Food. Feed. Fibre. This year’s theme is targeted at changing public attitudes to the leading driver of desertification and land degradation: humanity’s relentless production and consumption. This year’s global observance event, hosted by Korea Forest Service, took place online, with a full-day program featuring a variety of exciting events and international talent.

As part of this programme, ICLEI, in our capacity as focal point for the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities Constituency (LGMA), the voice of cities and regions in the climate negotiation process, hosted an exciting event: 5th LGMA Webinar Towards COP26: Special Edition on 2020 Desertification and Drought Day. The webinar was hosted by ICLEI, in collaboration with the ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center, CitiesWithNature, and Local2030. The webinar explored the localisation of the climate-nature-land nexus for FoodFeedFibre in the post- COVID-19 era.

Watch the recording of the webinar here.

The monthly LGMA towards COP26 webinar also took place on the 17^th June at both 10.00 AM (CET) and 04:00 PM (CET). This webinar was also a special session as it explored the linkages and similarities between the climate and biodiversity negotiations, with a specific focus on the Edinburgh Process and the role of local and subnational governments.
In case you missed this webinar, you can watch the 10am recording here and the 4pm recording here. Click here to access the speaker’s presentation.

The LGMA works on behalf of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, a joint global policy advocacy initiative of the major international networks of local governments, in the area of climate. To learn more about the LGMA Constituency, visit the dedicated webpage.

How to get involved?

Submit your Inputs: Overview of achievements following the adoption of Decision X/22

ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC) has recently compiled a document which provides an overview of what has been achieved at the global, national and subnational levels following the adoption of Decision X/22 on the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity 2011-2020. . The document, which can be found here was introduced in the June edition of ICLEI’s monthly Post 2020 webinar series.

The overview captures some of the key initiatives taken by CBD Parties and a range of international organizations over the past decade, in strengthening the role of local and subnational governments in contributing to the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It also highlights the rich and varied contributions by the local and subnational levels of governments. The impressive list of achievements and successes makes a strong case for a renewed and significantly stepped-up dedicated Decision on local and subnational action in support of the new Global Biodiversity Framework, and a more ambitious plan of action to institutionalize implementation at the subnational and local levels of government.

We are aware that the list of achievements captured in the overview of achievements is not exhaustive. Therefore, we invite you to submit additional information for consideration if you wish, so that we can build a more comprehensive record of achievements. As we aim to have a more comprehensive version ready before COP 15, suggested additions must be submitted on the Google Form before 15 August 2020.

Beethoven Pastoral Project: Sign the Declaration

Beethoven loved nature. For him it was a place of relaxation, solitude and inspiration. His Sixth Symphony, the ‘Pastoral’, musically depicts the harmonious unity between mankind and nature. However, nature is under threat and mankind is on a course to destroy his environment and livelihood. Today more than ever, communities need to reconnect with nature; art and culture can help citizens and communities navigate the first steps in this journey. Celebrating Beethoven’s 250th anniversary, the City of Bonn is elevating his iconic musical ode to the beauty of nature as a call to action to tackle environmental degradation. Guided by the theme ‘living in harmony with nature’, the Beethoven Pastoral Project represents an opportunity to use the power of music to virtually mobilize people in an optimistic and engaging way.

On World Environment Day (5 June 2020), artists from all over the world united online in a high-calibre virtual event that was streamed live from Beethoven’s birthplace, the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn. Watch the recording here.

This “Pastoral Day” also served as the launch of a one-of-a-kind, global Artists Declaration to promote and inspire stronger action to safeguard our planet, and commits those who sign to be part of the solution. The Beethoven Pastoral Artists Declaration is now available online in 4 languages. Sign the declaration to show your support today!

Register for Daring Cities: A Global Virtual Forum for Urban Leaders

Daring Cities invites urban leaders from around the world who are pushing boundaries in their own contexts to come together online for a three-week period of idea exchange on how to take on resilience and mitigation in the time of urgent climate and health crisis. Urban leaders from around the world are invited to be a part of this productive and action-oriented virtual event. In light of the ongoing developments around the COVID-19 pandemic, ICLEI and the Federal City of Bonn are transforming Daring Cities 2020 into a virtual, global forum on climate change for urban leaders tackling the climate emergency, especially in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Daring Cities 2020 will run from 7-28 October 2020, offering an online array of high level and visionary speaking sessions, a series of informative workshops and personal networking opportunities. Over a three-week period, we will offer a variety of virtual formats to accommodate different topics, time zones, internet bandwidth limits, and languages. The event will help to set the course to COP26, Daring Cities 2021 and beyond.

Save the Date: Register for our next webinar

ICLEI continues to host its monthly Post-2020 webinar series to keep up to date on the unfolding participatory process on the roadmap to COP 15: The Paris Moment for Nature. Visit our website to see more on our local and subnational advocacy for nature and to get involved. In case you have missed the previous webinars in the series, the recordings are available on our YouTube Channel. To read more about our previous webinar in the series on the topic of Biodiversity, Food, and Nutrition for Health, click here.

Join us for the 14th webinar in the series, to be held at both 10am and 3pm SAST (GMT+2) on 23^rd July 2020. The topic for this webinar will be: Outcomes of the Edinburgh Process: What’s next for cities and regions?

The webinar will feature the following speakers:

Dr. Susan Campbell– International Biodiversity Policy Manager, Scottish Government
Ms. Ingrid Coetzee– Senior Manager, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions: ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center
Mr. Teru Kisuna– Natural Environment Division, Department of the Environment, Aichi Prefecture
Mr. Roby Biwer- Member of the ENVE commission at the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) & Member of Bettembourg Municipal Council, Luxembourg
Ms. Wadzi Mandivenyi- Chief Director: Biodiversity Specialist Monitoring and Services, South African Department of Environment, Forestry, and Fisheries

Don’t miss out! You can register for the webinar by clicking on your preferred time below:
At 10am SAST (GMT+2)

At 3pm SAST (GMT+2)

CitiesWithNature

We are proud to announce the growth of the CitiesWithNature Partnership Initiative. To date, we have over 160 cities and regions who have registered on the online platform.

Visit our Updates page to read more about what cities and regions are doing to enhance the value of nature in and around our urban areas. Click here to see the latest CitiesWithNature Buzz.

To join CitiesWithNature, connect with the growing network of cities and regions who are taking action for nature, and experience this innovative platform, click here.

Subscribe to stay up to date with the latest CitiesWithNature news.

COVID-19

“While nature is being degraded at unprecedented rates, our dependency on biodiversity has never been more evident,” said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, CBD Executive Secretary. “One of the most important lessons of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is that safeguarding nature is critical for protecting human health and wellbeing.”

We continue to stand together, in solidarity, as we are increasingly faced with loss and hardship as a result of the pandemic. Furthermore, we applaud the dedication and hard work of healthcare workers who are on the front lines in treating the sick. We continue to acknowledge the role of local and subnational governments for their rapid response in the face of this crisis.

Nature provides diverse life-supporting and life-enhancing contributions to people. All cities critically depend on healthy interconnected ecosystems within and around them. The COVID-19 pandemic is placing huge strain on our communities, our governments, our healthcare systems and our economies. Our cities still continue to grapple with massive sustainability challenges, and building urban resilience will be even more critical now.

The generous support from the Post-2020 Biodiversity Framework – EU Support project, the INTERACT-Bio project, and CitiesWithNature partners and cities, has contributed to this email update.

Disclaimer: If you would prefer not to receive these updates in future, please let us know.