Designing urban futures: How cities play a key role in the nature-positive movement

Restoring nature requires global commitment, but meaningful restoration takes place locally, in the cities we call home. As we work toward the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), a nature-positive future is both an environmental and an urban imperative.

Why nature-positive urbanism matters

Cities play a critical role in the global economy, contributing over 80% to global GDP, but rapid urban expansion has often come at the expense of local ecosystems. Currently, more than 50% of global GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and ecosystem services, and approximately 44% of global GDP is at risk from nature loss. By shifting toward a “nature positive” model, cities move beyond simply reducing their footprint. They become active stewards of the environment, integrating ecological integrity into municipal infrastructure, policy, design, and decision-making.

What is nature positive?

“Nature Positive is a global societal goal defined as ‘Halt and Reverse Nature Loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline, and achieve full recovery by 2050’. To put this more simply, it means ensuring more nature in the world in 2030 than in 2020 and continued recovery after that.”

Nature Positve Initiative, 2023.

Nature-positive aligns with the 2030 mission of the KMGBF and its 2050 vision of “living in harmony with nature” by 2050. A nature-positive city protects and restores nature to create healthier, more resilient and climate-ready communities. From mitigating the effects of extreme heat through expanded canopy cover to managing disaster risks due to flooding through restored wetlands, nature-based solutions provide the structural defenses and public health benefits that traditional grey infrastructure cannot easily replicate. 

Increasing tree canopy can lower urban air temperature by 2–8°C, reducing heat-induced illness and mortality.

World Resources Institute, 2026.

Turning ambition into action

Bridging the gap between global targets and local reality requires a fundamental shift wherein biodiversity is seen not as an “add-on,” but as a foundational municipal asset.  

Local governments can lead this transition by:

  • Mainstreaming biodiversity:  Embedding ecosystem considerations into policies, strategies and budgets, and integrating nature-related metrics into city planning, land-use policies, and development regulations.  
  • Investing in green infrastructure: Prioritizing projects that restore connectivity between urban natural areas and regional ecosystems.
  • Fostering collaboration: Engaging indigenous peoples, local communities, and the private sector to ensure that conservation efforts are inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. 

Making local action count: The CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature platforms

From the restoration of a small urban stream to the implementation of city-wide green corridors, every action contributes towards a more nature-positive future. For many local governments, the challenge lies in knowing how individual projects contribute to the “bigger picture” of national and global biodiversity goals. This is where CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature come in. 

 

The CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature Action Platforms provide an intuitive, comprehensive framework designed to help local governments: 

Showcase, monitor and report on local commitments and track their progress toward specific KMGBF targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Align local biodiversity strategies and action plans (LBSAPs) with national and global targets, creating a clear link from the municipal level up to the global stage. 

Access a knowledge hub of tools, resources, and case studies that provide a roadmap for mainstreaming nature in urban operations. 

By joining the CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature community, local governments join a global movement of action for nature. Every action contributes to the collective mission of a more nature-positive future.

Get inspired and make your city’s commitments count!

Explore the CitiesWithNature actions dashboard
Explore the RegionsWithNature actions dashboard

What is Yokohama Waterside Oshi-katsu?

“Oshi-katsu,” which refers to the act of supporting one’s favorite people or characters such as idols, artists, or anime characters, has become a powerful cultural trend in Japan. The City of Yokohama is utilizing this concept to promote its waterside areas under the campaign “Yokohama Waterside Oshi-katsu”, which offers a variety of content, including the citizen-led survey “Yokohama Waterside Report,” as well as blogs and social media posts by “Donburako”, the mascot character. These fun-oriented activities incorporate a casual and playful approach, aiming to encourage citizens to visit local watersides, discover their charm, and ultimately foster active engagement with the local water environment.

The Yokohama Waterside Report

The Yokohama Waterside Report, the core content of the Yokohama Waterside Oshi-katsu, is a citizen‑led survey that assesses watersides using the Water Environment Soundness Index. The Index evaluates watersides across five indexes: natural state, richness in plants and animals, water clarity, pleasant waterside environment, and regional water culture. By assessing waterside areas based on these five indexes, participants can observe them from multiple perspectives. By gaining a deeper understanding of the unique characteristics of each waterside, the hope is that people will discover their own “oshi” (favorites). Anyone can participate in the Yokohama Waterside Report. Forms and manuals are available on the website and it is also possible to participate through the app. The city compiles the submitted reports and publishes them annually.

Voices of participants

Participants expressed surprise at the clarity of the water and the abundance of aquatic life, with some showing interest in joining future waterside conservation activities. These responses suggest that many citizens are not fully aware of the actual conditions of watersides in their local areas, and that providing opportunities to raise awareness can serve as a motivator for participation in waterside conservation activities.

Meet Donburako, the campaign mascot

The initiative features an original character, “Donburako,” a mysterious, lovable creature travelling along rivers and coastal waters in a bowl-shaped boat. The word “donburako” is an onomatopoeic expression describing something gently floating down a river in a Japanese folktale. Combined with its adorable appearance, the name evokes a sense of familiarity. In recent years, the use of characters has become a popular trend to create emotional connections and make ideas more approachable. Donburako adds a friendly and playful touch to the campaign through its blog and social media posts, attracting people’s interest.

Background of the initiative

Yokohama achieved significant improvements in water quality after the severe pollution period of the 1950s to 1970s, and today it is home to beautiful watersides. However, surveys have revealed that citizens’ satisfaction with the water environment is not very high, indicating that approaches focused mainly on water quality are no longer sufficient. At the same time, Japan’s Basic Environment Plan identifies well-being as a top objective. Considering these circumstances, the goal for the city is to enhance citizens’ satisfaction with waterside areas and related well-being through the current water environment policy. To this end, the city decided to implement an initiative to help citizens recognize the attractiveness of waterside areas.

Meanwhile, Yokohama has many citizen groups working on the conservation and restoration of waterside environments, and their activities have produced tangible results, such as the return of fireflies and dragonflies to local watersides. The city examined why these groups are engaged in such efforts and concluded that their motivation comes from a deep connection and care for their local watersides.

Yokohama believe that in order to encourage more people to have such a connection with waterside areas, the city should prioritize collaboration with community groups already familiar with these areas and with local schools that are actively engaged in ESD. In addition, to reach audiences who are not currently interested, the city planned to use “enjoyment” as a gateway to spark their interest in waterside activities.

Through these initiatives, Yokohama aims to help citizen groups and students discover diverse attractions and characteristics of waterside environments that they may not have noticed before, further deepening their appreciation. At the same time, for citizens who lack interest in watersides, the city devised ways to spark curiosity by connecting the ideas of “fun” and “liking” to oshi-katsu, a form of Japanese culture centered on supporting one’s favorite interests.

How does this initiative work?

The governance of this initiative is structured as a networked system led by the City of Yokohama, which provides overall coordination. Any citizen can participate in the Yokohama Waterside Oshi‑katsu, which is centered on the Yokohama Waterside Report, and surveys may also be conducted jointly by the city, citizen groups, and schools.

Regarding how responsibilities are shared, citizens conduct the surveys, while the city is responsible for compiling and publishing the results. When surveys are conducted collaboratively with schools or citizen groups, responsibilities are usually shared as follows: schools handle classroom activities and student supervision; citizen groups provide interpretive guidance on the history and characteristics of the local waterside; and the city is responsible for explaining the survey procedures.

Additionally, to broaden the reach of the Yokohama Waterside Oshi‑katsu, the city participates in various events. In these cases, the event organizers are responsible for overall management, while the city takes charge of operating booths and related activities. Collaboration generally starts with the city reaching out to stakeholders and remaining open to their proposals.

The value and impact of the initiative

By creating opportunities for people to discover the charm of watersides, the initiative fosters a deep connection and care for watersides, leading to citizens’ proactive involvement in environmental conservation. The project thus contributes to sustainable urban development and improved well-being.

Credit: This article and the images included were shared by the City of Yokohama and ICLEI Japan.

This year, International Day for Biodiversity shines a direct spotlight on the role of local and subnational government leaders in the global effort to protect nature. With more than half of the world’s population living in cities, the intersection of urban expansion and natural ecosystems is where the future of global biodiversity is being decided. The world increasingly recognizes that cities and regions are critical partners in meeting national targets and the global biodiversity goals.

Turning nature-positive ambition into a reality means local action must be visible. CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature have more than 1,300 actions and 700+ active commitments recorded on the Action Platforms, but to truly have an impact, the global community needs every city and region to rise to the challenge.

This October, global leaders will gather at the Convention on Biological Diversity COP 17 in Yerevan, Armenia, to review progress and accelerate action. All achievements will be celebrated at CBD COP 17 and the 9th Summit for Subnational Governments and Cities on 24 October 2026, an official COP parallel event co-hosted by ICLEI, the CBD Secretariat, Regions4 and the COP host country.

We invite all cities and regions to join CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature to ensure all subnational actions for nature are counted towards achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Targets.
Acting Locally for Global Impact: An Open Letter to Mayors and Governors

Astrid Schomaker

Executive Secretary of the Secretariat for the Convention on Biological Diversity

Montreal, 14 May 2026

Dear Mayors and Governors,

You are leading action where it matters most — in the communities where more than half of the world’s people live, learn, work, and innovate. Cities and subnational governments are at the forefront of efforts to build more sustainable, resilient, and inclusive societies, while also helping to reconnect people with biodiversity.

As pressures on ecosystems continue to grow, local leadership has become increasingly important to help ensure healthy environments, resilient economies, and a better quality of life for present and future generations.

This year, the International Day for Biological Diversity is an ode to those “acting locally for global impact”. This letter is an acknowledgement of the crucial role of subnational governments, cities, and local authorities in bringing about a much-needed global surge of action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. It is also a renewed invitation to use the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) and its 23 targets as a blueprint for local action.

December 2022 marked a landmark moment: Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted a renewed and more ambitious decision to engage subnational governments, cities and local authorities in accelerating implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), the world’s blueprint for halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

That decision also recognised CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature as platforms for subnational governments and cities to report their commitments and actions in support of KMGBF targets and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity welcomes the surge of local leadership and action. The journey toward a nature-positive world, where people and nature thrive together, begins in our communities. The choices that cities and regions make daily ripple outward and can drive global transformation.

Increasingly, we hear inspiring stories of cities, towns, provinces and states restoring habitats, protecting species, greening infrastructure, investing in a resilient future and engaging communities in stewardship. Together, these thousands of local acts add up to real and measurable progress.

The CBD Secretariat has been collaborating with ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC) to ensure that commitments reported on CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature are seamlessly reflected in the CBD Clearing-House Mechanism, which tracks implementation progress. This means that local action is counted and amplified at the national and global levels.

Reports on local action are also critical for monitoring and evaluation as shaped by Parties to the Convention. COP 17, which will take place in Yerevan in October 2026, will see the first global review of collective progress in the implementation of the KMGBF.

One of the key outcomes being sought is an agreement on how to accelerate action to close gaps. Subnational governments, cities and local authorities must be part of that whole-of government and whole-of-society endeavour.

We are now halfway through in the KMGBF implementation race. It is abundantly clear that we must do more and that we must act faster. Slow, incremental change is no longer a choice. The much-needed acceleration can also stem from increased awareness and commitment from local actors, in line with the three pillars of the IDB 2026 campaign: Look and Learn, Connect and Act, and Share.

The journey toward living in harmony with nature—the vision adopted within the KMGBF— begins with steps taken by you and your constituents, including communities and local businesses.

We look forward to celebrating your achievements at the 9th Summit for Subnational Governments and Cities, an official parallel event co-hosted by ICLEI, the CBD Secretariat, Regions4 and Armenia at the 2026 United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Yerevan. In the meantime, every commitment and every action matter, for nature and all people.

Make and update your city or regions commitments

CitiesWithNature Action Platform
RegionsWithNature Action Platform

In an era of rapid urbanization and escalating climate challenges, nature-based solutions have emerged as essential for sustainable and resilient cities. Integrating biodiversity into urban spaces not only safeguards ecosystems but also protects communities against extreme heat and flooding, ensuring a healthier and more livable future for all.

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) recently announced the 21 finalists for the World Green City Awards 2026. This global competition celebrates city-led initiatives that harness the power of plants and nature to address environmental, social and economic challenges. Across seven categories — ranging from climate change capacity to social cohesion — the awards highlight the value of innovative greening projects that can be scaled and adapted by cities worldwide.

This year, ten of the 21 finalists, representing eight different cities, are active CitiesWithNature! These cities are being recognized for their ambitious commitment to restoring nature and pioneering ecological urbanism. A huge congratulations to our CitiesWithNature finalists and their recognized initiatives:

Surrey, Canada

Surrey’s Green Infrastructure Network – Preserving Biodiversity for Future Generations: An interconnected system of natural areas that hub together to preserve wildlife habitats and ecosystem functions across the city.

Retrofitting Paris into a Biodiversity Friendly City: A comprehensive urban transformation project focused on greening the city to create space for spontaneous biodiversity and cooling green corridors.

Paris, France

Montréal, Canada

The Willow Cure: Natural Decontamination for Urban Brownfield in the city of Montréal: An innovative phytoremediation project using willow trees to naturally decontaminate soil in former industrial areas.

Restoring Montréal’s Riverbanks in a Changing Climate: A Strategic, Ecological and Social Commitment: A strategic ecological undertaking to stabilize and naturalize shorelines to mitigate flood risks and enhance social access to water.

Bringing Resilient and Biodiversity-Rich Forests Back to Ensure Healthy Environments: Montréal Restores High Conservation Value Forests After a Perfect Storm of Invasive Species: A restoration effort aimed at bringing back resilient, biodiversity-rich forests to overcome the impact of invasive species.

Cidade da Criança: Nature-Based Early Childhood Infrastructure in Fortaleza: A project that integrates nature into urban play spaces, ensuring that early childhood development is supported by green, resilient environments.

Fortaleza, Brazil

Johannesburg, South Africa

The Greening of City of Joburg as Part of Bridging the Green Divide: A social equity initiative focused on planting trees and creating parks in underserved areas to address historical environmental imbalances.

Sariyer Büyükdere Atatürk Nursery and Gardening School Project: The restoration of a historic nursery into a public education center that promotes urban gardening and horticultural heritage.

Istanbul, Türkiye

Mexico City, Mexico

Programa Altépetl: A massive conservation program that supports communities with ecosystem restoration, forest conservation and protection of local biocultural heritage.

Green Infrastructure Plan Vitacura: A long-term urban planning strategy designed to increase the city’s biodiversity through a network of sustainable green spaces.

Vitacura, Chile

Learn more about the AIPH World Green City Awards

In the movement to protect our planet’s biodiversity, the front lines aren’t just in remote rainforests or distant oceans — they are in our backyards, our city parks, and our urban waterways. As the world works toward the ambitious goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), we recognize that global targets cannot be met without local action.

The CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature Action Platforms are central to this effort. These platforms are officially recognized as commitment and reporting platforms for subnational governments, cities and other local authorities in the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Decision 15/12. As the only non-state actor platforms with a recognized pathway for subnational governments to contribute information towards the KMGBF, they allow subnational governments to showcase their plans, track commitments, and understand exactly how their local biodiversity efforts contribute to the health of the entire planet. Local actions and data feed directly into national dashboards within the CBD system, contributing to the global review of collective progress. In short, your city’s actions don’t stop at your borders. The Action Platforms serve as a vital link between high-level international policy and on-the-ground implementation.

Local and regional governments are on the frontlines of biodiversity and climate action. They manage urban wetlands, coastlines and forests, they implement nature-based solutions, and they drive community-led initiatives. We contribute directly to global biodiversity goals. Today, let’s remember that when urban action takes place, the world moves closer to living in harmony with nature.

Mayor Alfredo Coro II

Mayor of Del Carmen, Philippines

 ICLEI Global Biodiversity, Water and Health Portfolio Lead

From policy to pavement: Inspiring urban transformation

Across the globe, local and subnational governments are proving that urban development doesn’t have to come at the expense of nature. By integrating green and blue spaces into the urban fabric, these cities and regions are enhancing human well-being while restoring lost ecosystems.

Here are a few ways cities and regions are taking action to safeguard biodiversity:

Paris

France

Aligned with its Bioclimatic Local Urban Plan, Paris aims to increase accessible green space from 8.6m2 to 10m2 per inhabitant by 2040. This transition is anchored by the 2024 “300 hectares open to the public” program, which aims to make 300 hectares of green spaces accessible to city dwellers. These efforts ensure nature is a functional, everyday component enhancing health and well-being and urban climate resilience.

Curitiba

Brazil

Long considered a pioneer in sustainable planning,  Curitiba integrates nature in its public health strategy. The city uses “Linear Parks” along riverbanks to prevent flooding and provide equitable leisure areas, while the Municipal Nursery acts as an “open-air laboratory” to educate citizens on the importance of the Atlantic Forest biome. Currently, the city has 10,294.19 hectares of urban green and blue spaces accessible to 99.94% of the city’s population.

Nansha District, Guangzhou

China

In a masterclass of ecological restoration, Nansha District has revitalised idle spaces into ecologically rich zones. This includes the transformation of abandoned quarries into the Phoenix Lake series of parks, as well as repurposing under-bridge spaces into parks to ensure that citizens “see green from every window and a park at every door”.

Cape Town

South Africa

Cape Town is focusing on becoming a “water-sensitive city” by cleaning up its vleis (wetlands) and rivers. A unique aspect of this water and community resilience strategy is the fostering of “Friends Groups”, in which community-led partnerships give local residents a direct say in how their green spaces are managed and developed.

Quebec

Canada

At the provincial level, Quebec adopted its “2030 Nature Plan” in 2024. This comprehensive strategy explicitly links biodiversity conservation with human health, prioritizing “biodiversity-friendly access” and ensuring that First Nations and Inuit communities are partners in the sustainable management of natural environments.

Why should cities and regions join the movement?

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework has 23 action-oriented global targets for urgent action over the decade to 2030. Target 12 of the KMGBF focuses on enhancing green and blue spaces and urban planning for human well-being. This depends on a collective effort by cities and regions across the globe. By joining the CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature initiative and using the Action Platforms, local and subnational governments don’t just make a commitment to their community, but also to their country and the world. Every green corridor created, every wetland restored, every policy adopted gets counted, reported, and recognised globally. In joining, they also gain:

By joining the CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature initiative and using the Action Platforms, local and subnational governments gain:

Recognition: Official status as a contributor to global biodiversity goals.

Tools: Frameworks to track and report progress accurately.

Community: Access to a global network of peers sharing nature-first solutions.

This is your chance to say: We are one of the world’s CitiesWithNature (or RegionsWithNature) — and to have that commitment counted where it matters most.

Learn more:

CitiesWithNature Action Platform
RegionsWithNature Action Platform

The CitiesWithWater initiative has placed water firmly on the urban sustainability agenda. Through a webinar series and an international photography competition, CitiesWithWater is raising the voice of cities and learning how they can and should act now to safeguard water systems, human well-being and ecosystems.

As climate change intensifies and urbanisation accelerates, cities around the world are increasingly defined by water. In some cases they have too little, sometimes too much, or sometimes water that’s too dirty.

In the recent webinar titled “Too Much“, hosted in collaboration with the World Water Council, city leaders and technical experts explored how urban areas are preparing for or recovering from floods, storms, sea-level rise and the cascading impacts of climate change. This second installment in the CitiesWithWater series followed the success of the first (“Too Little”) and sets the stage for the upcoming webinar, “Too Dirty”, which will delve into water pollution and the urgent need to protect downstream ecosystems and coastal waters.

Lessons from the frontlines of flood resilience

The “Too Much” webinar (18 June 2025) highlighted that flood-related disasters have increased by 134% since 2000 (WMO, 2021), a statistic that no city can afford to ignore. Panellists from cities including Kumamoto (Japan), Lusaka (Zambia), Ningbo (China), and Larissa (Greece) shared powerful case studies on how their municipalities are adapting to flood risks.

  • Kumamoto has invested in nature-based solutions such as forest conservation and paddy field water storage, alongside digital tools like VR training to prepare citizens for evacuation.

     

  • Lusaka, where 70% of residents live in informal settlements, is tackling both flood risk and disease outbreaks (e.g., cholera) through community-based infrastructure projects, water point upgrades and employment programmes to clean and unblock drains.

     

  • Ningbo has built a seven-pronged urban water strategy, including intelligent monitoring and rain gardens, to successfully weather major typhoons with minimal impact.

     

  • Larissa, still recovering from Storm Daniel in 2023, highlighted how fragmented governance and lack of infrastructure left the city vulnerable and why resilient planning and institutional cooperation are essential.
These stories reinforce a key takeaway: there is no single stand-alone solution. Urban water resilience requires multi-layered, collaborative and forward-looking solutions, blending engineered infrastructure with ecosystem restoration and active community engagement.

From catchment to coast: The broader picture

What happens upstream doesn’t stay upstream. With the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) recently reaffirming the vital links between terrestrial and marine systems, CitiesWithWater is also working to bridge the gap between urban water governance and coastal health. Dirty or excessive water from cities — be it stormwater, untreated sewage, or plastic waste — flows downstream, posing major threats to fragile estuaries, coral reefs and fisheries.

In the upcoming “Too Dirty” webinar, these linkages will be explored more deeply. How can cities protect downstream ecosystems from pollution while safeguarding human health and livelihoods? What does it take to reduce nutrient runoff, manage industrial discharge and treat wastewater effectively in dense urban settings?

According to UNEP, 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based sources, much of it through poorly managed urban water systems. Without effective urban catchment management, the oceans will continue to bear the brunt of our inaction.

Wetlands in the city: Nature’s green infrastructure

With the Convention on Wetlands COP15 fast approaching in July 2025 in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, CitiesWithWater is also drawing attention to the vital role of urban wetlands. These ecosystems, often overlooked in city planning, act as natural sponges that absorb floodwaters, filter pollutants and recharge aquifers.

Wetlands also serve as critical habitat for biodiversity, cooling spaces for urban residents and buffers against sea-level rise and coastal storms. Yet urban expansion continues to degrade or destroy them. Between 1970 and 2015, 35% of the world’s wetlands were lost (Ramsar Global Wetland Outlook, 2018), and many that remain are under pressure from pollution, encroachment and climate change.

Cities that invest in wetland protection and restoration — like Cape Town’s rehabilitation of the Zandvlei Estuary or Kolkata’s use of its East Kolkata Wetlands for natural sewage treatment — are leading the way in reintegrating nature into urban water systems.

As cities prepare for the Wetlands COP, this is the moment to embed wetlands into climate adaptation strategies and urban planning frameworks. The cost of inaction is rising fast in terms of infrastructure damage and ecological collapse.

Why urban water systems matter and why they’re at risk

Urban water systems are not just pipes and pumps. They are the veins and arteries of a living city to sustain health, enable growth and connect communities. Yet they are under serious threat:

The challenges are multiple and formidable, but the opportunity is commensurately large. With the right investment, policy coherence and public engagement, urban water systems can be pathways of resilience. Well-managed urban water systems can cool cities, protect coasts and support biodiversity, not only within urban areas but also for the surrounding catchment on which they are dependent.
From risk to resilience Water — too much, too little, or too dirty — is no longer a peripheral issue. It is central to the survival and success of cities in the 21st century and forms the blue thread through the three Rio Conventions on climate change, biodiversity and desertification and land degradation. CitiesWithWater is helping bring that message to life by hearing directly from city officials how they are rising to the challenge and turning threats into opportunities.
Learn more about CitiesWithWater

About the author:
Erik Hirschfeld is a well-known Swedish birder fortunate to live in Malmö. He is the author of several books, including The World’s Rarest Birds (2013) covering global bird conservation and Fåglarnas Malmö (2011), covering Malmö’s birds and their interaction with humans. He has served on bird record committees in Sweden, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, and has been involved in several scientific expeditions, especially in the Middle East. Fifteen years ago he founded Vilda Malmö, initially a lose network of nature guides, in order to highlight Malmö’s natural environment to its residents. Today he spends his birding time between being an active bird bander, studying migration of seabirds, and running Scandinavia’s largest bird tour company, AviFauna. He frequently gives illustrated talks on birds to both beginners and professionals, and guides people interested in birds for Vilda Malmö.

Few northern European cities can match Malmö when it comes to urban birdwatching. With over 320 species recorded, Malmö proudly tops the list of Swedish cities for avian biodiversity. And it’s not by chance. There are some brilliant reasons why this coastal city is such a magnet for birds.
As a proud member of CitiesWithNature, Malmö is deeply committed to enhancing and preserving its urban ecosystems through sustainable planning and community engagement.

A crossroads for migration

Perched at the southern tip of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Malmö offers migratory birds a convenient shortcut across the water to Denmark and mainland Europe. Much like the famed Falsterbo, just 30 km down the coast, Malmö is perfectly positioned along a major migratory route. When on the move, many landbirds avoid vast bodies of water and instead funnel through areas with shorter crossings. Add the iconic Öresund Bridge into the mix, and you’ve got a ready-made flight path. On windy days, birds of prey can often be seen using the bridge as a navigational aid during their spring and autumn journeys.

But geography alone doesn’t explain Malmö’s birding success. Migrants won’t stop unless there’s a good reason to. That’s where Malmö’s clever city planning and habitat diversity come into play. The city is a patchwork of microhabitats catering to a dazzling variety of birds with different needs.

Red-necked Grebes

Black Redstarts (male & female)

Habitat hotspots and urban adaptations

Take the coastline, for instance. Stretching out in a mix of sandy, muddy, and rocky areas, it serves up a smorgasbord of habitats for wading birds, perfect for sanderlings, bar-tailed godwits, and purple sandpipers. In the harbour, boulders placed as wave-breakers become life-saving shelters for tired migrant passerines hiding from hungry sparrowhawks. Seabirds following the east-west coast are often seen rerouting dramatically to avoid land, providing unforgettable spectacles for those positioned at just the right windy vantage point. In fact, gannets now winter offshore in large numbers, mingling with massive flocks of cormorants. Two species of albatross have even made surprise appearances here, an astonishing rarity in these parts, and sooty shearwaters from New Zealand have become almost annual guests.

One of Malmö’s most productive hotspots is the stretch along Ribersborg Beach. Here, seaweed is cleared to please beachgoers and then dumped near a hedge by Lagunen harbour. That unassuming pile teems with insect life and sits beside a dense alley of trees, offering both food and shelter to weary warblers. Come migration season, that compost pile becomes a lifeline. It’s also the site of an ongoing bird banding project, and when the seaweed dries out, it’s used to fertilise Malmö’s public lawns, an example of ecology in action.

Inland, a series of freshwater ponds offers safe nesting and feeding areas to mute swans, little grebes, and the red-necked grebe, a striking species whose springtime courtship dances can be enjoyed up close, even without binoculars. These ponds give Malmö residents front-row seats to one of nature’s most theatrical performances.

Oystercatcher

Barnacle Geese

Red-necked Grebe

Common Gull

Barnacle Geese

Barnacle Geese with two rare Red-breasted Geese

Birds in the parks and cemeteries

Every spring, a headline act unfolds in the city. Ravens nest in an old shipbuilding crane beside a waterfront residential zone, an urban first in Sweden. Unlike the domesticated Tower of London ravens, these are wild birds, voluntarily choosing Malmö’s industrial relics as breeding grounds.

The city’s beloved parks are no less impressive. Hammars Park, with its wild undergrowth, attracts songbirds like blackcaps, wood warblers, and goldfinches. Pildammsparken, with its elegant promenade and wide pond, plays host to ducks, gulls, and breeding great crested grebes showing off their curious greeting displays in spring. It’s a favourite among preschoolers, grandparents, and birders alike, offering easy access and rich wildlife. Slottsparken, meanwhile, offers a blend of trees and water that appeals to both breeders and migrants.

In late morning, gulls descend from the coast to bathe in the parks’ freshwaters. Tufted ducks and common gulls, with nesting grounds as far away as Siberia, make Malmö their winter base. Come late February, they’re joined by the first migrant lesser black-backed gulls, newly arrived from central and eastern Africa. Meanwhile, black-headed gulls spend the colder months here after journeys from Finland and the Baltics. Banded individuals, some as old as 30, have revealed fascinating life histories stretching across multiple cities and countries. The combination of being raised and spending the winter in highly urbanized habitats seems to be favorable to longevity.

St Pauli Cemetery, oriented north to south, is another seasonal hotspot, especially in spring. Here, you might glimpse the cryptic wryneck or the elusive ring ouzel, more commonly found in the remote fjells of summer. Redstarts regularly nest here too, making the cemeteries a true urban oasis.

Rooftop nesters and winter guests

Even Malmö’s high-rises play a part. Districts like Västra Hamnen, Dockan, and Limhamns Sjöstad resemble mountainous terrain to birds like the black redstart, which now echo their melodic calls through Malmö’s urban canyons. Some individuals even winter here, finding refuge in the evergreen ivy on buildings near the central station, alongside European robins.

The charismatic oystercatcher also makes its urban presence felt. Arriving in late February, they roost in flocks on jetties used by swimmers in summer before fanning out to nest on flat rooftops. Common gulls, meanwhile, often share these rooftops, while house martins and common swifts each have their architectural preferences. Clay nests on high buildings suit the martins, while the swifts prefer roof tiles on villas in Malmö’s western suburbs.

And let’s not forget the barnacle geese. Once Arctic-bound migrants, they now breed in Malmö in huge numbers, a mix of introduced birds and natural colonists. In May, local geese look skyward as their distant cousins pass overhead in dramatic, noisy formations, en route between the Low Countries and their Novaya Zemlya breeding grounds. Some Malmö-born geese have even been spotted in the Arctic, and vice versa.

Oystercatchers

Of course, the benefits of this biodiversity aren’t just for the birds. Access to urban nature is known to boost human well-being, and Malmö makes it easy to connect with the wild. Through the Vilda Malmö (Wild Malmö) program, residents can join free expert-led tours covering birds, bats, trees, marine life, and more, kept to small, intimate groups. For those who prefer to look for urban wildlife on their own, there are information signs placed around the city, with photos or drawings of the local fauna.

Malmö’s love of birds runs deep. Even its bird alert app, usually the domain of avid birders, has over 1,000 subscribers, proving that in this city, the skies above are just as captivating as the streets below.

With World Health Day coming up on the 7th of April, we reflect on how cities are more than concrete and skyscrapers – they are homes to millions seeking healthier, happier lives. By bringing nature back into the heart of urban living and fostering communities that thrive mentally and physically, cities can reshape how people connect with their environment.

The importance of nature connectedness

Throughout history, humans have been deeply connected to nature, relying on it for survival, from the air we breathe to the water we drink, to the food we grow. Nature connectedness explores how we think, feel, and interact with the natural world. Feeling close to nature fosters a sense of belonging, encourages us to seek it out, and enhances our happiness when immersed in it. Without nature, there is no “us.” When we feel very close to nature, we recognise ourselves as part of the natural world and value our relationship with it. 

Contact with nature has many benefits; studies demonstrate that people with high nature connectedness tend to have frequent, long-term contact with nature, spend more time outdoors, exhibit ecologically aware attitudes and behaviours, and are happier. Moreover, exposure to urban nature promotes pleasant moods. Research shows that people who are more connected with nature are usually happier in life since nature can generate positive emotions, including calmness, joy, and creativity (Nisbet & Zelenski, 2011). A population survey revealed that a strong connection to nature significantly boosts well-being, with its impact on life satisfaction being four times greater than socioeconomic status (Martin, White, Hunt, et. al., 2020).

By spending more time enjoying and connecting with nature, our society’s motivation to protect it might increase, ultimately supporting a cycle of benefits for people and the environment. The journey to connect with nature begins with an introspection of our ways of being in, engaging with, and relating to nature. The Nature Connection Handbook provides 5 pathways to nature connection:

Sense: explore and experience nature through all senses 

Beauty: seek and appreciate the beauty of the natural world 

Emotion: notice and welcome the feelings nature inspire

Meaning: celebrate and share nature’s events and stores

Compassion: help and care for nature

This approach aligns with GBF Target 12 which aims to ensure biodiversity-inclusive urban planning to improve human health and wellbeing.

The impact of nature connectedness on health and happiness

Numerous studies have shown that access to green spaces in cities has profound effects on human health:

Mental health benefits

Spending just two hours a week in nature significantly reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, according to research published in Nature (2019). Exposure to green environments has been shown to lower cortisol levels, significantly reducing the body’s primary stress hormone.

Physical health improvements

Urban greenery encourages physical activity such as walking, jogging, or cycling, helping combat lifestyle diseases like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. The presence of trees and parks is linked to improved air quality, reducing respiratory problems.

Community connection

Shared green spaces foster social cohesion and a sense of belonging, helping to reduce loneliness and isolation, especially among vulnerable groups like the elderly.

Examples of urban nature in action

Barcelona’s superblocks: The city has transformed car-dominated streets into vibrant pedestrian-friendly zones filled with greenery. This initiative has reduced air pollution by 25% in some areas and increased physical activity among residents. See Barcelona’s CitiesWithNature profile here.

High line, New York City: This elevated linear park repurposed an old railway track into a lush green corridor, attracting over 8 million visitors annually while improving mental well-being and local biodiversity. See New York’s CitiesWithNature here.

Tokyo’s green walls and rooftops: The city incentivizes green roofs and vertical gardens, providing mental relief and lowering urban heat islands, which improves overall livability.

Singapore’s therapeutic gardens: Designed specifically for mental well-being, these gardens are used for stress relief and dementia care, showcasing how tailored green spaces can address public health needs.

Del Carmen’s Mangrove Management Program: Demonstrated how environmental restoration can enhance both ecosystems and human health. The city created a science-backed plan that not only conserved mangroves but also improved the lives of locals. Key strategies included policy changes, environmental education, and raising awareness about the link between nature and well-being.

Utrecht’s NbS for urban resilience and wellbeing: The city promotes healthy urban living through a green and blue framework that integrates climate regulation, noise reduction, recreation, and cleaner air. The city’s tree policy addresses environmental challenges while providing green spaces for recreation, contributing to the physical and mental well-being of residents.

Examples of urban nature in action

Human health and well-being are inextricably linked to the health of the natural world. International scientific assessments, including the IPCC and IPBES, emphasize that achieving sustainability requires halting and reversing biodiversity loss. The IPBES further claims that sustainable goals will not be achieved without a ‘transformative change’ including an increase in ‘awareness of connectivity in the environmental crisis and new norms regarding interactions between humans and nature’. 

It’s now widely acknowledged that we are facing a triple planetary crisis caused by humans’ use of Earth’s resources. Large-scale political, economical, social and cultural shifts are needed to meet the challenges we face in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution emergencies. The principle of nature connection can be applied at subnational and local levels to foster nature-positive change, enabling communities to lead meaningful, healthy, and happy lives.

Cities and regions with strong ties to nature can drive sustainable development by aligning the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Targets and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Prioritizing long-term interventions and collective action to protect urban biodiversity is essential to prevent irreversible harm to the natural systems we rely on.

How can your city take action?

Create green infrastructure

Expand urban parks, plant trees, and invest in green roofs and walls.

Prioritize accessibility

Ensure green spaces are safe, inclusive, and accessible to all, particularly in underserved communities.

Promote nature-based activities

Encourage outdoor recreation, gardening programs, and eco-education to foster deeper connections with nature.

Engage the community

Collaborate with local groups, schools, and businesses to co-create spaces that reflect community needs.

By embedding nature into the fabric of cities, we can nurture happier, healthier communities while addressing global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. Cities can transform into thriving ecosystems that serve both the planet and people.

To learn more about what cities are doing for nature visit our Action Platform.

While wetland ecosystems are increasingly being recognized as highly valuable natural assets that provide a wide range of benefits to urban communities, the services they provide are under immense pressure due to rapid urban expansion and human activity. Cities are uniquely positioned to drive local action to protect our wetlands.

Below are five key action areas for cities to mobilize urban communities for wetlands:

1

Incorporate wetland conservation into urban planning and policy

Integrate wetland management goals into municipal development plans, zoning regulations, and climate resilience strategies.

Advocate for wetlands as critical infrastructure in disaster risk management, emphasizing their role in flood mitigation, erosion control, and urban cooling.

Allocate funding for wetland restoration and maintenance as part of city budgets.

2

Promote the role of wetlands in water resource management

Highlight wetlands’ function as natural water filters, improving water quality for drinking and sanitation.

Educate communities about the importance of wetlands in regulating stream flow, preventing floods, and mitigating droughts.

Encourage partnerships between cities and water utilities to protect wetlands as vital water supply sources.

Quote

In the weeks to come, and during our meeting in Rome this February, I will work alongside Parties to build the trust and consensus needed to achieve Peace with Nature, ensuring that the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) translate into tangible action. Securing adequate and predictable financing will be central to our efforts, enabling transformative change for biodiversity while ensuring benefits for communities and ecosystems alike.

– said H.E. Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia and President of COP16.

3

Foster public engagement and education

Organize events such as guided wetland tours, birdwatching activities, and clean-up drives to connect urban communities with local wetlands.

Collaborate with schools and universities to use wetlands as outdoor classrooms for environmental education.

Celebrate World Wetlands Day by showcasing wetlands’ cultural, recreational, and ecological value through art exhibitions, storytelling sessions, and public campaigns.

4

Leverage wetlands for climate action and biodiversity

Showcase wetlands’ role in carbon storage and their contributions to achieving climate targets at city and regional levels.

Promote the restoration of urban wetlands as natural climate buffers that reduce the impacts of extreme weather events.

Highlight their role in preserving biodiversity by creating habitat corridors that link urban green spaces and facilitate species migration.

5

Promote sustainable livelihoods and economic opportunities

Encourage eco-tourism and recreational activities like boating, fishing, and wetland safaris to generate local employment.

Support community-based initiatives in wetland restoration, creating jobs and fostering skills in conservation and sustainable resource use.

Showcase the agricultural and economic benefits of wetlands, such as fisheries, fertile soils, and natural resources, as integral to urban food security and poverty reduction.

Learn more about the value of wetlands for cities

Opinion piece by Gareth Presch, CEO, World Health Innovation Summit

Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. The impacts are already harming health through air pollution, disease, extreme weather events, forced displacement, food insecurity and pressures on mental health. Every year, environmental factors take the lives of around 13 million people. Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy levels of air pollution, largely resulting from burning fossil fuels driving climate change. This is a major problem, especially in urban areas. In 2018, air pollution from fossil fuels caused $2.9 trillion in health and economic costs, about $8 billion a day.

Nature and Health Opportunities

The potential of urban green and blue spaces to generate better health and well-being is clear. Countries around the world are adopting Green Social Prescribing. Green social prescribing is the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health. Green social prescribing includes both what is known as green and blue activities. These could include local walking schemes, community gardening projects, conservation volunteering, green gyms, open water swimming or arts and cultural activities which take place outdoors. These activities may be ‘prescribed’ by link workers (and other trusted professionals) alongside other forms of support, for example, referrals to support housing or finances – based on the needs and circumstances of each individual (Global Social Prescribing Alliance).

Image: Nature and Health at COP28

There are numerous known benefits associated with increased exposure to urban nature. This includes health and well-being benefits, such as:

Physical health

e.g. directly, through reduced air pollution and cooling effects, or indirectly, through increased opportunities for physical activity

Mental health and well-being

e.g. stress relief or reducing harms such as noise

Social, cultural and spiritual benefits

e.g. support of urban nature for social contact and cohesion

Education, heritage and creativity

Finland is leading the way with clean cities and towns based on the recent  2023 World Air Quality Report by IQAir. Indeed, the towns of Sodankylä, Utsjoki and Kuusamo in Finland came out as being the least polluted in the world compared with more than 7,800 different places world wide. The concentrations of small particles in the air were measured in 134 different countries and regions in 2023. According to the report, only seven countries fell below the air quality recommendations set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the concentration of fine particles. According to the organization, the annual average value of small particles in the air should be less than 5 micrograms per cubic meter. In addition to Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Mauritius and Grenada fell below the limit. In a comparison of over a hundred capital cities, Helsinki ranked in the top ten in terms of air quality, but even fewer fine particles were measured in the air of the capital cities of Estonia, Iceland, Australia and New Zealand, for example. The most polluted air was in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. The most polluted capital cities were Delhi in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh.

Ninety-nine percent of the world’s population breathes air that does not meet the limit values ​​set by the WHO and can be harmful to health and air pollution causes seven million premature deaths every year.

Ref: WHO

With 55% of the world’s population living in urban areas and an additional 52.5 billion urban residents expected in the next 30 years, and with 65% of SDG targets being relevant to cities, it’s no surprise the battle for sustainable development will be won or lost in cities

Ref: UN Habitat

A healthy, thriving natural environment is vital for creating resilient urban places. Cities were on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. The UN’s Report on COVID-19 in an Urban World (2020) noted that 90% of reported cases at that time were in urban areas. While urban density was found not in itself to be a decisive factor in the transmission of the virus,  inequality, inadequate housing, strained health systems, inadequate water and sanitation services and pollution made certain urban areas vulnerable. The pandemic calls for a renewed emphasis on a just and green urban transition, and a renewed focus on addressing inequalities in cities and by promoting nature in cities we can see benefits for citizens.

Image reference: Lancet Planetary

The climate crisis urgently calls to accelerate the shift towards renewable sources of energy. The way cities are planned and managed has a profound impact on energy demand which impacts our health and nature. Compact, well-planned and managed cities, with non-motorised mobility options, green public spaces and natural cooling/temperature regulation measures tend to have below national levels of energy consumption. These transitions will support our health and well-being.

Compact, well-planned and managed cities, with non-motorised mobility options, green public spaces and natural cooling/temperature regulation measures tend to have below national levels of energy consumption.

Financing Nature and Health

As health becomes far more important in determining investment we understand that when health is compromised so is our economic growth. At the Annual Investment  Global Conference 2023 (ref: AIM Report) in Abu Dhabi last year I ran a workshop for the World Association of Investment and Promotional Agencies highlighting the opportunities to invest wisely in health and wellbeing which would deliver long-term economic returns. This was followed up by the COP28 declaration “Healthy Planet, Healthy People” which calls on the health/public sector to support the SDGs with a 1% commitment from the sector’s pension funds (WHS – not for profit fund).  We’re now seeing these new models of healthcare that are focused on the environment and nature ultimately preventing disease while supporting economic growth (New WHIS ESG – Health, Climate Place Based Impact Model). As a result, new opportunities are emerging through partnership working – the establishment of Ecogreen Green Capital (African Focused – Great Green Wall of Africa Foundation) at COP28 and a new fund with the Commonwealth Pacific Climate Fund that will support the Commonwealth’s Small Island Development States for example. 

We must plan and manage our cities in a way that simultaneously accelerates the achievement of SDGs and responds to global megatrends.

Cities must be healthy, sustainable and future-ready with nature at the heart of our plans.

Image: COP28 Declaration & Ecogreen Capital Launched