Nature

Nature-positive cities integrate ecological systems into their urban fabric, restoring balance between built and natural environments. Urban forests, wetlands, and green corridors not only enhance biodiversity but also regulate temperature, absorb carbon, and reduce flood risks. When cities invest in nature-based solutions, they build resilience, improve public health, and reconnect citizens with the environment that sustains them. Nature is not a luxury—it is essential infrastructure for urban well-being and climate adaptation.

 

Nature-based solutions are at the core of the GPSC’s approach to building resilient, livable, and low-carbon cities. Through the Urban Nature Program, developed in partnership with UNEP, ICLEI, IUCN, and C40 Cities, the GPSC helps cities protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and integrate nature into planning and design. The program also led the Cities4Biodiversity (C4B) initiative, which fostered peer learning and global collaboration on urban nature. 

 

Learn more about these efforts by visiting the Urban Nature Program initiative page. Explore more resources in the GPSC Knowledge Products, featuring case studies, toolkits, and technical guidance from cities around the world that highlight how nature drives urban resilience. Use the filters and categories to navigate by theme or topic and find content tailored to your city’s priorities.

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What a Waste 3.0: Global Trends, Data, and Solutions for Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Towards Circularity

16 September 2026, 8:00 ET

Discover the key findings of What a Waste 3.0, the World Bank's flagship report on municipal solid waste management, and explore its implications for sustainable cities
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Nature

Best Practices and Lessons Learned on the Pathways to Sustainability: Banco San Miguel Ecological Reserve Cleaning Brigade

The reserve is a vital bird habitat but faces growing waste issues and vulnerable communities, creating social‑environmental challenges.
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Nature

Natural Asset and Biodiversity Valuation in Cities [Conference Edition]

The paper shows how cities use innovative planning to value natural assets, protect biodiversity, and enhance urban wellbeing.
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Nature

Filter Garden. Treatment Impact: The Case of Caiara Park

Two years after completion, Recife's GEF-6 filtering garden continues to improve water quality and demonstrate the long-term value of nature-based solutions
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