Urban Nature Program: From Strategy to Delivery, Embedding Nature as Urban Infrastructure in Paris
As the first city to host the Urban Nature Network, the City of Paris is sharing its experience, strategies, and lessons learned in advancing urban nature as a foundation for sustainable and resilient urban development. A Lighthouse City under the GEF-8 Sustainable Cities Integrated Program (SCIP), Paris has been a long-standing partner of the Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC), contributing to global knowledge exchange on biodiversity, climate resilience, green infrastructure, and sustainable urban development. Through its participation in the Urban Nature Program and initiatives such as the Cities4Biodiversity (C4B) deep-dive learning series, Paris continues to support peer learning and collaboration among cities worldwide.
Over the coming months, Paris will share a collection of plans, policies, case studies, and practical examples that illustrate how urban nature can be embedded into city planning, investment, mobility, public space, and neighborhood transformation. These resources highlight Paris’ integrated approach to climate adaptation, biodiversity enhancement, urban cooling, and quality of life, offering valuable insights for cities seeking to advance nature-positive and people-centered urban development. Explore the Paris City Profile and related Urban Nature Program resources to learn more about the city’s experience.
In this webinar, the City of Paris will present its approach to urban nature planning, a core lever for climate adaptation and urban resilience. Building on a strong historical legacy—from Alphand’s landscapes to the Seine and its blue and green networks—Paris is scaling up vegetation through the Bioclimatic Urban Master Plan, the Climate Plan and the Biodiversity Plan, while engaging private and public stakeholders in transforming their own spaces.
This strategy implies a renewed sharing of urban space, balancing multiple uses and expectations, and addressing key challenges of biodiversity, resilience, and environmental equity. The presentation will highlight lessons learned from implementation in a dense urban context and reflect on the conditions for replicability in other cities.
| Time | Item | Speaker |
| 14:30 | Opening remarks Introduction to the Urban Nature Program and Urban Nature Network | Xueman Wang, Program Manager for GPSC, World Bank |
14:35
| Introduction from the City of Paris | Christophe Rosa, Head of Green Spaces and Environment Department, City of Paris |
14:37
| Planning for Urban Nature: The Case of Paris Over 20 Years | François Moreau, Head of Urban Ecology Agency, City of Paris |
15:00
| Interactive Discussion and Q&A with participants | Moderated by Céleste Rouberol, International Projects Manager, Urban Ecology Agency, City of Paris |
15:30
| Announcement of the next Urban Nature Network webinar hosted by the City of Paris | City of Paris |
Presentation: click on the link to download the presentation
Urban Nature Program: Explore the GPSC Urban Nature Program and its work supporting nature-positive and resilient urban development.
Paris City Profile: Explore Paris’ plans, policies, strategies, and practical examples on urban nature, climate resilience, and green infrastructure.
