CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature are partnership initiatives that provide practical tools and inspiring spaces for local and subnational governments to amplify their commitments towards nature and ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, nature-based solutions, ecosystem-based adaptation, green and blue infrastructure and nature-positive development.

CitiesWithNature is brought together by founding partners: ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability; IUCN - the International Union for Conservation of Nature;  and TNC - The Nature Conservancy, along with supporting bodies such as the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and international partners, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Cities4Forests, the Global Youth Biodiversity Network, London National Park City, Ecocity Builders,  Biophilic Cities, and Blue Flag beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators. More than 200 cities globally, from 64 countries, have already joined CitiesWithNature including frontrunner biodiversity cities such as Barcelona, Campinas, Rio de Janeiro, Medellin, Los Angeles, London, Manchester, Montréal, Merida, Tirana, Edmonton, Malmö, Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Kochi, Melbourne, New York City, and many others  such as the City of Yarra in Australia, Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality in Uganda, Rajshahi City Corporation in Bangladesh, City of Eau Claire in the USA, City of Baia Mare in Romania, the Municipality of Niterói in Brazil, the City of San Fernando, La Union in the Philippines and Sapporo City in Japan.

RegionsWithNature builds upon the success of CitiesWithNature and provides a platform for subnational and regional governments like states, provinces, prefectures, and territories to promote nature-positive development at the landscape scale and across urban-rural linkages. RegionsWithNature’s founding partners ICLEI, Regions4, the Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets (GoLS), the European Committee of the Regions, the IUCN; and has the support of global bodies such as the UNEP and the CBD Secretariat.  Pioneer subnational governments that have joined RegionsWithNature include Yucatán and Campeche States in Mexico, São Paulo and Pernambuco States in Brazil, Goa State in India, the Community of Madrid and the Government of Catalonia in Spain, the Scottish Government, the Western Cape Province in South Africa, Québec Province in Canada, the Aichi Prefectural Government in Japan, and Regione Lombardia in Italy.

CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature are recognized as platforms where subnational governments and cities can report on, and track progress against, their commitments to contributing to the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and national biodiversity strategies and action plans in the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2021-2030) to be adopted at CBD COP 15.

The side event will showcase CitiesWithNature and RegionsWithNature as the global platforms for mobilizing, inspiring and enhancing implementation and action by local and subnational governments, and key platforms for mobilizing funding, commitment to take action, reporting and project incubation vehicles, to support their national governments in contributing towards the implementation of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and its 2030 Action Targets, and specifically through the implementation of the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Other Local Authorities for Biodiversity (2021-2030).

A key instrument to turn local and subnational ambitions into actions is the Action Platform. The Action Platform is aligned with the 2030 Action Targets of the GBF and connected to the Sharm El-Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda for Nature and People and the UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) Nature Commitments platform for area-based commitments.

The side event will be co-hosted by ICLEI, Regions4, the IUCN, and UN WCMC and supported by UNEP and the SCBD. It will feature short interventions by several Mayors and Governors from around the world to showcase how their cities and regions are engaging on CitiesWithNature and RegionsWIthNature and committing to taking action towards the successful implementation of the Plan of Action and GBF, mobilizing resources for new projects etc. The side event will also include statements of support and ambition from high level representatives of the CitiesWithNature and RegionsWIthNature key partners, ICLEI, Regions4, the IUCN, UN WCMC, UNEP and SCBD.