Urban Nature Program
The Urban Nature Program advances the call to action for "Nature-Positive Development in cities and regions." It provides financial and technical support to accelerate investments in nature within urban areas.
The Urban Nature Program advances a global call to action for Nature-Positive Development in cities and regions, supporting cities to integrate nature into urban planning, investment, and governance. The program provides financial and technical assistance to accelerate investments in urban nature, including green infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and nature-based solutions that address climate risks while enhancing biodiversity and quality of life.
The program is co-led by the World Bank through the Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. It is delivered in partnership with World Resources Institute, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), C40 Cities, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), with support from the High-Level Climate Champions.
Together, partners combine global expertise, city leadership, and implementation experience to help cities move from vision to action and scale nature-positive urban development.
At the core of the program is the Urban Nature Network, a global community of 200+ experts and practitioners working across urban planning, biodiversity, climate adaptation, finance, public health, design, and governance. The network connects cities, technical experts, development partners, and the private sector to foster collaboration, peer learning, and knowledge exchange. Through this community, cities gain access to practical expertise, tested approaches, and global experience on embedding nature into urban systems.
The Urban Nature Program supports cities in integrating nature into urban planning, investment, and development. Through a combination of technical assistance, knowledge, and partnerships, the program helps cities move from strategy to implementation—embedding nature-based solutions into planning processes, infrastructure investments, and long-term urban development pathways.
As part of the Urban Nature Program, the GPSC leads the Cities4Biodiversity (C4B) initiative, which supports cities in integrating nature into urban planning, investment, and development. Launched in 2021 as a collaborative initiative of the World Bank and partner organizations, C4B helps cities advance nature-based solutions that address climate change, biodiversity loss, and urban resilience while improving livability and economic opportunity.
C4B works with national and local governments to embed nature into urban systems and decision-making. It supports cities in planning connected networks of green infrastructure, integrating ecosystem services into land-use planning, and developing solutions that address climate and biodiversity challenges together.
The initiative also helps cities leverage nature-based solutions for investment and explore innovative financial models to scale urban nature, turning environmental priorities into actionable and fundable projects.
C4B supports cities through a combination of deep-dive learning and targeted technical assistance. Through focused engagements, participating cities benefit from peer learning, knowledge exchange, and hands-on support to develop and implement nature-based solutions.
The initiative brings together cities from both developing and developed countries, prioritizing those with strong commitments to advancing nature-positive and climate-resilient urban development. Led by the GPSC and the World Bank, C4B builds a global community of cities working to integrate nature into urban transformation.
The program highlights a group of Lighthouse Cities that demonstrate leadership in advancing urban nature at scale. These cities pilot innovative solutions, generate practical evidence, and actively share lessons learned with other cities in the GPSC network and beyond. Lighthouse Cities play a key role in accelerating replication, inspiring ambition, and strengthening city-to-city learning across regions.
Cities and practitioners can explore tools, case studies, guidance notes, and knowledge products related to urban nature through the GPSC Digital Library. Users can navigate content using filters and thematic categories to explore topics such as nature-based solutions, biodiversity finance, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience. Additional information on Urban Nature initiatives and partner activities is also available across GPSC and partner platforms.
