GoLS’ report Subnational Governments’ Experiences of Vertical Integration is now available on
Virtual Display Table for SBI-3.

The report details efforts by the members of the Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS) in applying 13 Guidelines for an integrated approach in the development and implementation of national, subnational and local biodiversity strategy and action plans

The full report is available here. 

On the occasion of International Day for Biodiversity on 22 May, Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal and ICLEI Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity, penned a compelling letter, calling on mayors and leaders of local and subnational governments from around the world to jointly take urgent action to halt and reverse the trends of biodiversity loss. She points out that the COVID-19 pandemic provides a sobering opportunity to reflect on our relationship with nature.

In the letter, Mayor Plante also draws attention to the unique opportunity to act in the coming year, firstly in developing COVID response plans, and secondly as the local and subnational government constituency prepares for the 15^th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It is at COP 15 where the Parties will adopt the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and it is critical that local and subnational governments are positioned as central to its implementation.

Local and subnational governments around the world are making ambitious commitments to conserve, restore, and live in harmony with nature in the coming decade. As a proud pioneer of the CitiesWithNature partnership initiative, Montreal is among over 150 front running cities and regions who are raising their ambition in support of the Post-2020 GBF. However, these ambitious commitments need to be met with the same level of action when it comes to implementation. Furthermore, this action needs to be captured as collective contributions to achieving the global biodiversity agenda.

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Montreal leads by example once again and demonstrates how their biodiversity actions are linked to the action targets in the CBD’s Zero Draft of the Post-2020 GBF.

The six good practice sheets below, compiled by Montreal, each present a key initiative of interest for the protection of biodiversity that is being implemented by the city, provide advice to facilitate the replication of the initiatives in other cities, and indicate which of the Post-2020 global biodiversity targets the initiative contributes to achieving. The sheets are a source of inspiration that showcase local and subnational leadership in the global biodiversity arena.

The launch of this initiative by Montreal, with support from the ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center, the CitiesWithNature partnership initiative, and the Secretariat to the CBD, is timely. It stands as a further demonstration of the critical role of local and subnational governments in the CBD, and offers a blueprint for other cities and regions to demonstrate how they are achieving their biodiversity commitments. No action is too small. Instead, collective local action is our best chance at achieving global impact. Montreal is calling on other cities to join the journey to create vibrant cities, where people and biodiversity can thrive. Mayor Plante and the City of Montreal encourage other cities to develop similar resources that demonstrate their commitments in action, as well as the linkages between their local initiatives and global biodiversity targets.

As momentum builds towards COP 15, we need to think globally, and act locally! Global biodiversity targets need to be translated to the urban context to ensure that urban dwellers can enjoy the benefits of nature in their lives. Turning commitments into concrete action is critical now, more than ever before. Montreal’s initiative is an invitation to join a community of practice of local and subnational governments who stand ready to implement the Post-2020 GBF.

You can access the good practice sheets below:

Roadmap to COP 15: Timeline of key milestones

Due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic, many event dates in the lead up to the 15^th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have changed their dates, their locations, and in some instances, their overall method of delivery. Thus, the “Super Year for Nature” has been extended through to 2021, when COP 15 will take place in Kunming, China. 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.” An updated timeline, with the most recent event dates and details can be seen below:

Key Updates

Postponement of SBSTTA 24 and SBI 3

Given the continued uncertainties arising from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, including those related to restrictions on travel and the convening of large physical gatherings, the meetings of SBSTTA 24 and SBI 3 will not take place physically in Montreal in August 2020 as previously planned. We will continue to provide updates in this regard. Read the official CBD Notification, which details possible alternatives, here.

EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives

On 20^th May 2020, the European Commission published the European Union biodiversity strategy to 2030 “Bringing nature back into our lives,” a comprehensive, ambitious, long-term plan with the main objective to protect and restore:

• 30% of lands & seas to become protected areas;
• 30% of protected habitats to reach improved conservation status;
• 10% of land to have landscape features of high biodiversity.

It aims to put Europe’s biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030 with benefits for people, the climate and the planet. It is also the proposal for the EU contribution to the upcoming international negotiations on the global post-2020 biodiversity framework.

In the post-COVID context, the Biodiversity Strategy aims to build our societies’ resilience to future threats such as climate change impacts, forest fires, food insecurity or disease outbreaks, including by protecting wildlife and fighting illegal wildlife trade.

A core part of the European Green Deal, the Biodiversity Strategy will also support a green recovery following the pandemic.

The strategy is a step in the right direction. Cities and regions – local and regional authorities – must play a leading role and their potential to halt biodiversity loss & restore nature should be fully used. We need more ambition while putting Europe on the path to sustainable recovery post-covid19.

European cities and regions will be part of the solution:

• To bring nature back to cities and reward community action, the Commission calls on European cities of at least 20,000 inhabitants to develop ambitious Urban Greening Plans by the end of 2021. To this end, the Commission will provide technical guidance on urban greening and assistance to mobilise funding and capacity building for EU countries, local and regional authorities, including for the development of Urban Greening Plans
• The Commission will, in 2021, set up an EU Urban Greening Platform, under a new ‘Green City Accord’ with cities and mayors. ICLEI is project coordinator of this initiative, while the European Committee of the Regions will support the initiative via the Technical Platform for Cooperation on the Environment;
• The Commission will support EU countries and local and regional authorities through technical guidance and help to mobilise funding and capacity building;
• Tree planting, especially in cities, as part of the EU Forest Strategy in 2021 that will include a roadmap for planting at least 3 billion additional trees in the EU by 2030, in full respect of ecological principles. This will create substantial job opportunities linked to the collecting and cultivating of seeds, planting seedlings, and ensuring their development. Tree planting is particularly beneficial in cities, while in rural areas it can work well with agroforestry, landscape features and increased carbon sequestration.
• Particular focus will also be placed on protecting and restoring the tropical and sub-tropical marine and terrestrial ecosystems in the EU’s outermost regions given their exceptionally high biodiversity value.

The European Committee of the Regions, via its Opinion by rapporteur Roby Biwer (LU/PES), will support the Commission towards UN CBC COP15 in Kunming, China (Q2/2021) addressing the proposal of the Commission that the post-2020 global framework includes, at a minimum, a principle of equality. This includes respect for the rights and the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities. There should be an inclusive approach with participation of all stakeholders, including women, youth, civil society, local and regional authorities.

For more information, click here.

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 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. It will be introduced through a panel discussion in this week’s webinar. The details to register for this webinar are below.

Ramsar Wetland City Accreditation

The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (adopted in 1971) is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. In 2015, the Convention introduced a Wetland City Accreditation Scheme in recognition of the important role of cities in protecting and enhancing the benefits from urban wetlands. In the second round of Ramsar Wetland City Accreditation, the Ramsar Convention’s Secretariat received applications from 25 cities. These applications are currently under review. Results of the review will be presented to the 58th Meeting of the Standing Committee during October of 2020.

How to get involved?

The Edinburgh Process: Extension to consultation period

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 event aims to consult the local and subnational government constituency on the Zero Draft Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the review of the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, and recommendations for a new dedicated and stepped-up decision that builds on a renewed Plan of Action toward 2030, and the Edinburgh Declaration. All of us are facing unprecedented times and are addressing the current global pandemic.  We recognise this is impacting upon resources, timely action and indeed the COP15 timeline itself.

Therefore the Scottish Government has extended the consultation period until 12 June 2020 to give delegates another two weeks to respond and make inputs through the consultation documents, by means of completing two google forms. The Edinburgh Process partners want to represent all of the subnational constituency and can only do this if you add your views. We encourage you to respond to this consultation, and to be a part of the momentum that is building in the lead up to COP 15.

If you have not done so already, we encourage you to register for the Edinburgh Process and make your voice heard by providing inputs to the consultation documents. This can be done by expressing your interest in participating at: enquiries-subnationalworkshop@gov.scot

Successful registration will allow you access to Attendify, the platform where the Edinburgh Process consultation documents, resources, links to webinars, and webinar recordings will all be housed. For more information, click here.

A series of thematic webinar have been held as part of the Edinburgh Process. The last of these webinars, which will focus on Resource Mobilisation, is scheduled to take place this Thursday (4 June 2020) from 1-2:30 pm (BST). Register for the Edinburgh Process today!

All inputs received through the online consultation and outcomes of the process will be taken into account in the drafting of the Edinburgh Process report to the CBD. This output, including key issues arising, will be reported back to participants at Online Information Session 2 (anticipated to be held across the week of 29 June).  A final consultation report will then be submitted to the CBD ahead of the meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) -3 meeting. Inputs made on the principles for inclusion in a stepped-up, dedicated decision and renewed Plan of Action, as well as inputs to the table of achievements (2011-2020) will be incorporated in the Plan of Action review document and to the final consultation report. The process aimed to establish an Edinburgh Process community working towards CBD COP 15.

The event is being organised by the Government of Scotland and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in collaboration with partner organisations such as ICLEI, REGIONS4 Sustainable Development, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS), the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish National Heritage, the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the Government of Quebec and of Wales. For more information, and to stay up-to-date with the unfolding details, click here.

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 13th webinar in the series, to be held at both 10am and 3pm SAST (GMT+2) on 4 June 2020. The topic for this webinar will be: Reflecting on the journey since 2010 – overview of achievements linked to the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity

The webinar will take the form of an exciting roundtable discussion, as we reflect on the history of local and subnational government advocacy in the CBD. The roundtable will feature the following speakers:

-Ms. Kobie Brand– Global Director, ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC)
-Mr. Oliver Hillel– Programme Officer, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD)
-Ms. Susanne Nolden-Department of International Affairs and Global Sustainability, City of Bonn, Germany
-Mr. Grant Pearsell– Director and member of City Planning’s leadership team, City of Edmonton (retired)

Don’t miss out! You can register for the webinar by clicking on your preferred time below:

at 10:00 am SAST (GMT+2)

at 03:00 pm SAST (GMT+2)

CitiesWithNature

We are proud to announce that growth of the CitiesWithNature Partnership Initiative. To date, we have over 150 cities and regions who have registered on the online platform. On the occasion of International Day for Biodiversity, Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montréal and ICLEI Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity, penned a compelling letter, calling on mayors and leaders of local and subnational governments from around the world to jointly take urgent action to halt and reverse the trends of biodiversity loss. On the same day, the network released the second edition of its exciting CitiesWithNature Buzz.

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. In the lead up to World Environment Day, aptly themed “time for nature,” on 5^th June 2020, CitiesWithNature has partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to encourage cities and regions to join the journey. View the toolkit, which includes a dedicated section for Cities, here.

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

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.

This article originally appeared on ICLEI USA’s website.

As we celebrate the International Day for Biodiversity (22 May) and World Environment Day (5 June) this year, the COVID-19 pandemic provides a sobering opportunity to reflect on our relationship with nature. Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montréal and ICLEI Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity, has penned a compelling letter, calling on mayors and leaders of local and subnational governments from around the world to jointly take action to halt and reverse the trends of biodiversity loss, especially as they develop their post-COVID-19 recovery plans. She outlines numerous ways that leaders can take strong, decisive action to create healthy, vibrant cities, where people and nature can thrive.

Read Mayor Plante’s letter below:

“As mayors and leaders of local and subnational governments, we have a unique opportunity and an important responsibility to protect our biodiversity and ecosystems in ways that will restore humanity’s relationship with nature, especially as we develop our post-COVID-19 recovery plans. Together, let’s take strong action to create healthy, vibrant cities, where people and nature can thrive.”

~ Mayor Valérie Plante of the City of Montréal & ICLEI’s Global Ambassador for Local Biodiversity

By Timothy Blatch, CitiesWithNature Program Coordinator

Locations: Los Angeles, Montreal, Melbourne, London, and Durban

In the time of COVID-19, cities are on the frontlines of response efforts. While the pandemic has shone a spotlight on our healthcare systems and our socio-economic disparities, it has also brought our relationship with nature to the fore. The links between ecosystem stability, the natural environment, and human health have never been clearer. According to UNEPP (2020), it is precisely because of the interconnected nature of all life on this planet, that an ambitious post-2020 biodiversity framework matters greatly, and why nature needs to take center stage in our efforts to “build back better” in the coming days.

Inger Anderson, Chief of UN Environment put it well when she said, “Humanity’s expansion on the terrestrial earth surface means that, today, human activity has altered almost 75 per cent of the earth’s surface, squeezing wildlife and nature into an ever-smaller corner of the planet. And yet, nature is critical to our own survival: nature provides us with our oxygen, regulates our weather patterns, pollinates our crops and produces our food, feed and fibre, but it is under increasing stress.”

Anderson goes on to say that “we need to take on board the environmental signals and what they mean for our future and wellbeing, because COVID-19 is by no means a ‘silver lining’ for the environment. Visible, positive impacts are but temporary, because they come on the back of tragic economic slowdown and human distress.” In her First Person Editorial Ms. Andersen calls instead for a profound, systemic shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.

As almost half of humankind have lesser or even no options to connect with nature in these trying times, many are realising anew just how essential our connection with nature is for own health and wellbeing, and how we long for it once we are separated from it. We all need nature, even more so in these unprecedented times where the fast-changing daily dynamics of COVID-19 are consuming and fundamentally altering our lives.

“Urban parks and green open spaces provide opportunities for urban communities to enjoy and connect with nature, improving health and wellbeing. While we cannot all access our parks right now, we know that nature never closes and its multiple gifts continue to benefit our cities. Together we stand in solidarity with our cities to celebrate the value of nature and our urban parks, as we build resilient CitiesWithNature” – Kobie Brand, Global Director, ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center

Building urban resilience is critical

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 resilience will be even more critical now and as we move forward during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

We need to protect and respect nature:

Nature provides diverse life-supporting and life-enhancing contributions to people. All cities critically depend on healthy interconnected ecosystems within and around them. There is a growing urgency for collective and large-scale action to protect biodiversity and respect nature in and around cities to prevent irreversible loss and damage to the natural systems that protect us.

Nature is good for everyone:

It is well known that spending time outdoors in nature can be good for mental and physical health and wellbeing. Levels of stress and anxiety have increased dramatically since the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, so any activity that offers stress reduction and improved health is a gift. If people don’t have symptoms and cities aren’t in total lockdown, spending time in nature, where people maintain adequate physical distance, can be very beneficial.

We increasingly need to connect online:

The pandemic is calling us to increasingly connect online. CitiesWithNature, as a unique, next-generation initiative, is supporting an online community of practice, enabling learning and action around integrating nature in cities and (re)connecting people with nature. CitiesWithNature:

• Demonstrates innovative ways of engaging cities and regions, partners and individuals on urban nature
• Provides a platform for knowledge sharing and learning on the critical importance of nature in urban life
• Offers a space for collective action at the local level to realise global impact
• Invites partners to come on board and shape the initiative going forward e.g. the development of a pathway on the critical importance of urban parks
• Grows and strengthens a virtual community of practice that is resilient to crises and is not dependent on physical space or in-person interaction
• Facilitates mainstreaming of nature in and around our cities to secure our increasingly urban future

Join the journey today and be a part of this exciting global movement in pursuit of building CitiesWithNature, which is especially critical both during and after the pandemic.

Urban parks are of critical importance for the health and wellbeing of urban communities and for the resilience of our urban areas, which is especially apparent now, more than ever before. It is, however, essential that these benefits are distributed equitable across our cities and that access to urban parks and green open spaces is ensured in as far as possible. Online, virtual, and more sustainable engagement mechanisms are key to a new way of doing in 2020 and beyond.

World Urban Parks and ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability, through its Cities Biodiversity Center, are thrilled to announce our exciting, new partnership. The signing of our collaboration agreement formalizes a strong partnership between World Urban Parks and ICLEI for collaboration on the CitiesWithNature Partnership Initiative and the WUP Campaign. Leveraging the individual and collective strengths of our organizations, our joint work programme will help to mainstream, protect, and enhance nature and maximize the benefit derived from the ecosystem services and nature-based solutions. This partnership is timeous, given the current circumstances surrounding the pandemic and the need for us to fundamentally rethink our relationship with the natural world.

“The overall aim of this partnership is to reconnect communities with nature in and around urban areas and use the CitiesWithNature platform to facilitate this aim, for the benefit of all partners of the Partnership Initiative.  This partnership brings together two strong global organizations committed to advancing the protection and advancement of nature in urban environments for the health and well-being of all people and our planet” – Jayne Miller, Chair of World Urban Parks

Both our organisations look forward to working together to advance our joint vision for greener, healthier CitiesWithNature.

The COVID-19 International Parks Expert Roundtable Statement

On April 2^nd, the World Urban Parks with its key global partners, including ICLEI’s Cities Biodiversity Center, held the first COVID19 International Parks Expert Panel to discuss how to further collaborate both during and after this global crisis on the importance of urban parks for people in our rapidly changing world.

From the statement of collaboration, there is overwhelming endorsement that parks are a critical public health and social resource and we recognize that stay-at-home measures and physical distancing will likely take a toll on our mental health, especially during high-stress and anxiety-producing global public health emergencies. We also know from medical research how important nature is in urban life and how access to parks and open space provides that “nature fix” for human survival – providing opportunities for physical activity and regaining our emotional, psychological and mental balance.

The world has changed substantially and the COVID-19 crisis needs a response that is far from business as usual. The COVID-19 International Parks Expert Panel of core members have agreed to work together, leveraging our individual and collective strengths, through leadership and collaboration, the co-creation of a clear vision, knowledge sharing and communication of clear, positive, time-sensitive messaging.

#NatureNeverCloses

ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center was also a core partner in the World Urban Parks Park Week campaign: #NatureNeverCloses that ran from April 25^th– May 3^rd 2020.

With COVID-19 is affecting each country, region and city differently. For World Parks Week 2020, World Urban Parks, ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center, and partners challenged all urban citizens to explore how and in what ways they are experiencing nature in their own circumstances. For example, some cities have completely closed off access to urban parks and green open spaces at this time. In some cities, residents are not allowed to leave their homes except for essential grocery store and pharmacy visits. However, some cities have allowed limited access to parks and green spaces and some have even kept their parks wide open to the public, with differing degrees of social distancing regulations. Even at this time, there are ways we can experience nature in our daily lives. This may take the form of birdwatching from the window or looking after the house plants. The pandemic has shown us that even when we seem to be locked down, nature never closes.

World Parks Week 2020 was an opportunity for us to share how and in what ways we are exploring nature!

During Parks Week, ICLEI CBC hosted a CitiesWithNature webinar on The Benefits of Access to Nature for Urban Communities During and Beyond Pandemics and Associated Movement Restrictions. The webinar brought together a panel of five city officials from major cities across the globe to share their experiences and learnings from the pandemic and to showcase how more than ever before, we need nature in and around our cities. The list of cities represented included Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, Durban, and Montreal.

“Life is all about connections, dynamics, and relationships. In cities, parks are essential places of contact with nature’s biodiversity. Parks are also places where people like to gather. Social distancing in parks is understandably a big and complex change that sparks important discussions. And while we navigate through restrictions in this sensitive context, we can bring to light the positive message that important well-being and health benefits can still be experienced, through immersion in nature, contemplation, and inspiration, which may be optimal when visiting a park alone. Discovering the unnoticed ‘nearby nature’ in smaller neighbourhood green areas can also bring positive and unsuspected discoveries for families, close to home. For so many reasons, biodiversity protection in cities is vital.” – Joëlle Roy LeFrançois: Planning Advisor, Urban Biodiversity Division, Parks and biodiversity management Department, Ville de Montreal

“This pandemic has reminded us that the available open space in an urban setting is inadequate, especially in our disadvantaged communities and also indicated how important these recreational areas are for our physical and mental health. We need to investigate the open space access indicator from not only the native wildlife standpoint, but also from the environmental justice perspective. Another valuable and obvious lesson that we learned is how clean the air and water have become while the world shelters in place. Many wildlife sightings in our open space (national parks) and urban environment reflects our adverse impacts on native faunas and that more access for all to open spaces and parks will have unintended consequence of adversely impacting native fauna.” – Mas Dojiri: Assistant General Manager at LA Sanitation & Environment (LASAN) and LASAN’s Chief Scientist, Los Angeles

Mr Errol Douwes: Senior Manager: Restoration Ecology Branch, Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department, EThekwini Municipality (City of Durban) presented a collection of images of the nature in and around the City of Durban, in South Africa. Noting that South Africa’s response to COVID-19 has, to date, come with strict movement restrictions and citizens not being able to access green spaces or parks, Errol’s photo montage was a stark reminder of how beautiful nature is and how we long for it, especially when we cannot access it. Errol’s key message was that “globally, we need to integrate nature and open spaces into all our urban environments. This improves air quality, sequesters carbon, reduces stress levels and helps to protect biodiversity. Cities and local governments can be the leading proponents in this work.”

The case of London was presented by Peter Massini: Lead – Green Infrastructure, Development, Enterprise & Environment, Greater London Authority, which stands in contrast to the Durban experience.

“In London, throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, continued access to parks was permitted provided users abided by the social distancing rules. The reduction in the background noise of traffic resulted in a surge in the numbers of people reporting hearing and appreciating birdsong. But there is a caveat; the data suggests that it is younger, more affluent Londoners who have been using parks more. This reflects, perhaps, that it is this demographic who are most likely to be able to work from home, and have shifted their exercise routine. Londoners in lower socio-economic groups and other disadvantaged groups seem not to have significantly increased their use of parks.

We need to redouble our efforts to provide access to green space and nature for all Londoners, especially for the most vulnerable groups and for those who’s working patterns or caring responsibilities limit their opportunity to make regular trips to the local park. We need to provide some of the benefits of visiting a park part of everyone’s everyday experience.”

In Melbourne, all outdoors spaces are closed but public parks and gardens may still be used for essential daily exercise. The exercise exemption has been a life-saver for residents while schools are closed and parents are working from home. According to Mr. David Callow: Acting Director for Parks and City Greening for the City, families especially have been finding headspace in parks by running, walking and cycling. However, residents are not allowed to sit and enjoy these spaces, which highlights the importance of fostering green spaces at home. The city’s program to increase biodiversity in home gardens is seeing more volunteer teachers participate now that the ‘home visits’ are conducted online.

Our ‘Paris moment’ for nature

The coming weeks and months will be critical in shaping our collective urban future. Our response to the pandemic and to the socio-economic recovery should be one that is nature-centric. It should transform our economic, social, and environmental systems as we pursue greater resilience in the face of increasing natural disasters, climate change impacts, and even pandemics. We are dependent on nature and our lives are better for having nature in them. We need to respect and protect nature to ensure that are cities are filled with the multiple benefits it provides, both in our response to the pandemic and beyond.

We have a unique opportunity now to define how we build back better after COVID-19. This allows us to ask the question ‘What if?’. What if your city was a National Park City? The National Park City vision aims to create cities where nature and people are connected. The Universal Charter for National Park Cities is a monumental document has been written to inspire people, create a common understanding of what National Park Cities are and to encourage positive collaborations. Developed by the National Park City Foundation in partnership with World Urban Parks and Salzburg Global Seminar, people from more than 50 countries have commented on and contributed to its development. Through the National Park City foundation, a movement is growing, drawing people together to take action in transforming our cities into CitiesWithNature.

This World Biodiversity Day is the perfect moment for us to reflect. It is a time for us to see nature from behind our windows and long to be in it. This longing reminds us how much we value nature: in our homes, in our cities, and in every aspect of our urban lives. It is also a critical moment for nature as our leaders negotiate the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that will guide the global agenda over the next decade.

In our rapidly urbanising world, it is critical that we design, build, and sustain CitiesWithNature, now more than ever before. Cities are at the forefront of implementing the new framework, and cities are mobilising to take collective action for global impact. The voice of local and subnational governments is growing ever louder, as we stand united, ready to take up our role in contributing to the most ambitious global biodiversity agenda ever adopted. This is the ‘Paris moment for nature.’

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. There is a growing urgency for collective and large-scale action to protect biodiversity and respect nature in and around cities to prevent irreversible loss and damage to the natural systems that protect us. 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.

Due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic, many event dates in the lead up to the 15^th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have changed their dates, their locations, and in some instances, their overall method of delivery. Thus, the “Super Year for Nature” has been extended through to 2021, when COP 15 will take place. 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.” An updated timeline, with the most recent event dates and details can be seen below:

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 has been transformed into a dynamic and interactive online consultation process. The event aims to consult the local and subnational government constituency on the Zero Draft Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the review of the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, and recommendations for a new dedicated and stepped-up decision that builds on a renewed Plan of Action toward 2030, and in co-developing the Edinburgh Declaration, as joint outputs from the event that will feed into the SBSTTA-24 and SBI-3 consultation processes.

An overview of the where we currently are in the process can be seen in the figure below:

A series of successful Regional Information Sessions were held throughout the week of 5-8 May 2020 as follows:

• Europe/North America: 5th May
• Africa: 6th May
• South America: 7th May
• Asia Pacific: 8th May

These sessions provided a useful introduction to the process as well as background and guidance for participants to make their inputs. On 12^th May 2020, ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center hosted the first of the Thematic Webinars that are shown above. The topic of the webinar was: Monitoring and Reporting Tools for Local and Subnational Governments. The virtual session brought together a range of partners to share the metrics and tools they are working on to support the local and subnational government constituency in measuring their success and progress. In terms of the upcoming webinars, we would like to draw your attention to the thematic webinar on the topic of Nature-based Solutions and Capacity Building, which will be hosted by the ICLEI European Secretariat on World Biodiversity Day (22^nd May 2020). For more details of the upcoming Thematic Webinars that will take place up until 12 June 2020, register for the Edinburgh Process.

The online consultation process opened on 30^th April 2020, and remains open for participants to make inputs until 29^th May 2020. If you have not done so already, we encourage you to register for the Edinburgh Process. This can be done by expressing your interest in participating at: enquiries-subnationalworkshop@gov.scot

Successful registration will allow you access to Attendify, the platform where the Edinburgh Process consultation documents, resources, links to webinars, and webinar recordings will all be housed. For more information, click here.

The event is being organised by the Government of Scotland and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), in collaboration with partner organisations such as ICLEI, REGIONS4 Sustainable Development, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), the Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS), the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Scottish National Heritage, the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the Government of Quebec and of Wales. For more information, and to stay up-to-date with the unfolding details, click here.

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.

The next webinar in the series will take place on the 14^th May 2020 and is titled “Nature, food, nutrition and health in the time of COVID-19.” Click to register for your preferred timeslot (SAST) below:
at 10:00 am SAST (GMT+2)
at 03:00 pm SAST (GMT+2)

As we co-develop the collective and consolidated position of the local and subnational government constituency in the lead up to COP 15, the call to action for local and subnational governments to mobilize is clear now, more than ever before. Below are 6 things each actor in the constituency can do to support the Roadmap to COP 15:

1. COMMIT to taking ambitious action and set local and subnational targets that are aligned to the Post-2020 GBF
2. JOIN networks like CitiesWithNature that will support and enable this action
3. PARTICIPATE in key roadmap events and the Post-2020 process to make your voice heard and to contribute to the development of the constituency’s emerging position
4. COLLABORATE with all levels of government and other actors
5. CALL ON CBD Parties to endorse the consolidated position statement and support the adoption of a stepped-up, dedicated decision that enables active participation by local and subnational governments
6. ENGAGE with your communities about the benefits of living in CitiesWithNature

Successive Global Biodiversity Summits of Local and Subnational Governments have been co-convened by ICLEI, host governments, and key partners as official events in parallel to the CBD COPs since COP 9 in 2008. Since the first Summit, there has been at least one official COP decision dedicated to local and subnational governments emerging from each Summit’s negotiations. This is testimony to CBD Parties’ and the SCBD’s recognition of the vital role that cities and regions play in contributing to the CBD objectives.

As COVID-19 is offering us a time for deep reflection, so too should we reflect on the previous Summit communiques, resolutions and declarations that have been presented to CBD Parties over the last decade, to set the scene for the 7^th Global Biodiversity Summit, a key moment to mobilise the local and subnational government constituency, that will be hosted in the margins of COP 15. These documents have been key to advancing our global advocacy agenda, and the links to the Summit outcomes, since 2008, are provided below:

• Bonn Call for Action on Cities and Biodiversity (Mayors Conference – Local Action for Biodiversity, COP9 in Bonn, Germany 2008)
• Aichi/Nagoya Declaration on Local Authorities and Biodiversity Support of Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (City Biodiversity Summit, COP10 in Nagoya, Japan 2010)
• Hyderabad Declaration on Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities for Biodiversity (Cities for Life: City and Subnational Biodiversity Summit, COP11 in Hyderabad, India 2012)
• Gangwon/Pyeongchang Resolution for Cities and Subnational Governments for Biodiversity (Biodiversity Summit For Cities and Subnational Governments, COP12 in Gangwon, Republic of Korea 2014)
• Quintana Roo Communique on Mainstreaming Local and Subnational Biodiversity Action (5th Global Biodiversity Summit for Cities and Subnational Governments, COP13 in Cancun, Mexico 2016)
• Sharm El-Sheikh Communique for Local and Subnational Action for Nature and People (6th Global Biodiversity Summit for Cities and Subnational Governments, COP14 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt 2018)