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Hearts, cells and mud: How biology helps humans reimagine our cities in vexed times

Biological metaphors for the city abound in daily use. You may live close to an "arterial" road or in the "heart" of a metropolis. You may work in one of the city's "nerve centers" or exercise in a park described as the city's "lungs."

Helsinki invests in the protection of biodiversity

The city’s Biodiversity Action Plan will safeguard plants, species and their habitats. One of Helsinki’s greatest attractions is its beautiful and diverse nature. According to the municipality, over a third of the city’s area consists of forests, meadows, and parks. What is more, it is also well ...

Here is a six-step decision framework to include nature-based solutions in city-planning

Cities are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and put at risk many of the life-sustaining ecosystems on which communities and livelihoods depend.

Here’s how to design cities where people and nature can both flourish

Urban nature has a critical role to play in the future liveability of cities. An emerging body of research reveals that bringing nature back into our cities can deliver a truly impressive array of benefits, ranging from health and well-being to climate change adaptation and mitigation. Aside fro ...

Hiding in plain sight, ‘cryptic species’ may be all around us

On a warm evening in the spring of 2020, Jeremy Feinberg stood at the edge of a moonlit pond. He was on the Delmarva Peninsula, on the east side of Chesapeake Bay, an estuary in the eastern United States. “Chuck!” Feinberg called across the water. “Chuck! Chuck!” He cupped his hands behind his e ...

Honey bees find food more easily in cities, thanks to abundant urban gardens

Despite living in a concrete jungle, London’s urban bees fly shorter distances to feast on nectar-rich flowers than their neighbors in the countryside—a counterintuitive discovery explained by the many lush gardens in the city, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

Hong Kong's wild boar dilemma in the Chinese New Year of the Pig

One of the world's most densely populated cities, Hong Kong, is facing a proliferation of wild boars as the large mammals stray increasingly into built-up areas.

How Durham University turned itself green

Institution jumps 66 places on People and Planet’s annual university sustainability league.

How Mexico City Is Embracing Biodiversity

Wildlife and greenery aren’t Mexico City’s calling cards. But while the world’s fifth-largest metropolis is home to more than 21 million people, it’s also grounds for nearly 4,000 species of flora and fauna, and some 15 percent of its total area consists of national parks and other protected areas.

How can cities accelerate climate action to meet COP26 goals?

Last weekend, international negotiators approved the United Nations Glasgow Climate Pact at the 26th Conference of the Parties. Ashish Sharma, the Illinois research climatologist at the Illinois State Water Survey, spoke with News Bureau physical sciences editor Lois Yoksoulian about the takeawa ...

How can city dwellers help with climate change? Buy less stuff.

The things we buy, eat, and use have a big impact on the climate—so it’s time to learn to consume a whole lot less.

How cities can lead the fight against climate change using urban forestry and trees (commentary)

After the United States pulled out of the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement, combating climate change at local scales in the U.S. has become increasingly important to meet greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals.

How cities can make urban forests accessible

Many people have developed stronger relationships with urban nature during the pandemic. Some have enjoyed views of nearby trees and gardens during periods of isolation, taken walks after Zoom-filled days or socialized at a distance with friends in local parks.

How cities could help animals fleeing climate change

(CNN)As the world gets warmer, many species are clinging to survival by fleeing their natural habitats in search of new homes.

How design of our cities is amplifying urban heat and what to do with it

Most of the time we discuss climate change as affecting cities and the people who live in them. Less well known is that cities – specifically their planning and design – also create climate change through the urban heat island. Encouragingly, this means that cities can provide climate solutions. ...

How investing in green infrastructure helps cities manage the effects of the climate crisis and creates healthy communities

Setting ordinances to build more green roofs, planting trees and native plants, and designing community green spaces are just a few ways that many cities are investing in green infrastructure to solve climate-related problems and promote the health of residents.

How light from street lamps and trees influence the activity of urban bats

Artificial light is rightly considered a major social, cultural and economic achievement. Yet, artificial light at night is also said to pose a threat to biodiversity, especially affecting nocturnal species in metropolitan areas.

How to address Asia Pacific’s biodiversity crisis and encourage nature-positive growth

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) report on global warming reaffirms that accelerated efforts to fight the climate emergency are vital. We must leverage this momentum to address the intertwined crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and land degradation. This threa ...

How to green our cities without putting communities at risk of bushfire

The pursuit of greener urban areas in NSW will bring us resilience to climate change and increased liveability but if we’re not careful, urban greening policies could be the kindling for future bushfire events that destroy lives and property.

How to increase biodiversity across cities

Cities and their surrounding areas are expanding. And this dramatically affects ecosystems. Urban areas are often perceived to have lower biodiversity than the countryside, but some recent studies suggest that urban land can support pollinator populations.

How to reimagine our cities as hubs for biodiversity, conservation and climate resilience

Biodiversity – all living organisms, including plants, animals and microorganisms – is essential for human existence. Yet when we think about biodiversity, we rarely picture a city in our minds. Nature has often been associated as purely a feature of rural landscapes, when in fact urban areas ar ...

Hundreds of wild parrots are thriving in this Brazilian city

Decades ago, blue-and-gold macaws fleeing drought and wildfire landed in Campo Grande—and now locals love them.

I am honoured to address this fifth Global Biodiversity Summit of Cities, as we also celebrate 10 years of very productive cooperation with ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability as a valued partner.

Implementation of the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity

Reference: SCBD/STTM/OH/cr/76469 (2011-122)
To: CBD National Focal Points

Pursuant to Decision X/22 on the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, requesting the Executive Secretary to report on the implementation of the Plan of Action at future meetings of the Conference of the Parties and encouraging Parties an ...

Importance of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 including the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and celebration of the United Nations on Biodiversity at the local level

The Side event will share experiences and design implementation strategy for celebration UNDB in local level i.e. village, community and in student and youth institutions or organisations. The event also shows importance of celebration United Nations Decade on Biodiversity in local level. A shor ...

In the Pantanal, Bolivia leads environmental preservation

Concerned about the environmental impacts of the paving of the highway that crosses the region, residents of a city on the agricultural frontier pressured the city hall to create an integral conservation unit 45% of the municipality’s territory, including the most fertile land.

In the fight against climate change, cities need not be hotbeds of environmental degradation

We are in the age of urbanisation. For the first time in human history, over half the world’s population now lives in cities; within a generation, urban areas will be the dominant drivers of global consumer demand and natural resource use.

In this new Dutch neighborhood, there will be 1 shared car for every 3 households

Welcome to Merwede, a new proposed neighborhood in Utrecht being designed specifically to enhance Dutch biking culture.

Increasing urbanization over the next decades presents not only unprecedented challenges for humanity, but also opportunities to curb climate change, reduce water scarcity and improve food security, according to the world's first global assessment on the relationship between urbanization and biodiversity loss, released today in New York.

International Civil Aviation Day 2018

7 December 2018, Montreal, Canada

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction 2019

9 October 2019, New York, United States of America

International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies

7 September 2022, New York, United States of America

International Day of Forests 2018: "Forests and Sustainable Cities" (http://www.un.org/en/events/forestsday/)

21 March 2018, New York, United States of America

Is the boom in green roofs and living walls good for sustainability?

With living walls on skyscrapers and offices sprouting rooftop forests, green buildings have never been so popular. Will Ing examines whether this is the future of sustainable design or just PR greenwash

It is a great pleasure and honour to address the seventeenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

It takes more than words and ambition: here’s why your city isn’t a lush, green oasis yet

The idea of transforming cities from concrete jungles to urban forests is a popular one, and there have been some truly inspiring, exemplar projects in recent years. The transformation of a Seoul freeway to Cheonggyecheon parkland, exposing the historical river that once flowed there, is one cel ...

Kazakh people are fighting to preserve the natural lakes of Nur‑Sultan

For two years now, residents and experts have been fighting to preserve the Taldykol natural lakes system in the new city centre of Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan, that city authorities are filling up to build urban housing estates.

Klagenfurt Days of Protected Areas

24 - 26 June 2009, Klagenfurt, Austria

Koalas can learn to live the city life if we give them the trees and safe spaces they need

Australia is one of the world's most highly urbanised nations – 90% of Australians live in cities and towns, with development concentrated along the coast. This poses a major threat to native wildlife such as the koala, which can easily fall victim to urban development as our cities grow. Huge i ...

Le maire de Montréal Gérald Tremblay participe à une conférence internationale des maires sur les villes et la biodiversité.

Montréal, le 23 mars 2007 – Du 26 au 28 mars prochain, le maire de Montréal, M. Gérald Tremblay, participera à la conférence internationale « Villes et biodiversité : atteindre la cible 2010 sur la biodiversité » qui se tiendra à Curitiba, au Brésil. Cette conférence est co-organisée par la vil ...

Living Product Challenge: Design for the Future

Sustainable design in the construction industry has become mainstream, and the use of green materials not only lowers the environmental impact over their entire lifetime, but also provides a normal level of comfort, durability and functionality for occupants. In business situations, this allows ...

Living walls can reduce heat lost from buildings by over 30%

Retrofitting an existing masonry cavity walled building with a green or living wall can reduce the amount of heat lost through its structure by more than 30%, according to new research.

Local Solutions to Global Biodiversity Challenges

This side event is proposed in acknowledgement of the key role that local authorities play in assisting the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in achieving the objectives of the CBD, and their potential for vastly increased and facilitated involvement. The implementation of ...

Local action moves the world: Cities as implementation agents

What are local governments already doing for biodiversity and how can their full potential be unlocked? By drawing from a series of local experiences as well as science-policy developments, this event will explore the local and urban dimensions of nature conservation. It will reflect on progress ...

London becomes world's first ‘National Park City.’ What does that mean?

The UK capital is the the first city to sign on to a new drive to convince cities and their residents to be greener, healthier, and wilder.

Malmö, Sweden: A testing ground for integrated sustainable solutions

The former industrial shipyard Western Harbour boasts a heavy concentration of green roofs and a heat pump plant that provides residents with heating and cooling. The neighbourhood of Augustenborg is known for its focus on climate adaptation and social and green regeneration initiatives.

Managing biodiversity data from local government: Guidance for local authorities on publishing through the GBIF network, helping preserve knowledge about biodiversity

Copenhagen, Denmark – Local governments around the world have a new tool to help share and use vast amounts of biodiversity knowledge collected in the course of their work.

Mangroves Help Fight The Effects Of Climate Change. So Why Is Mumbai Destroying Them?

Bare trees with slender branches line a half-built highway overpass in eastern Mumbai.

Mayor of Montpellier, France, visits Convention Secretariat

Montreal, 8 June 2011- Serving as a reminder of the importance of translating international policy into local action, the Mayor of Montpellier, France, Madame Hélène Mandroux, paid a two-day visit to the seat of the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Mo ...

McGill College Avenue revitalization set to include more leisure space for students

After a year-long competition, the city of Montreal unveiled the winning design for the transformation of McGill College on Oct. 15. The City of Montreal announced that Et Sillon, which was pitched by Civiliti, Mandaworks, and SNC Lavalin, was chosen for the upcoming pedestrianization and renova ...