Urban Planning
The IUCN Urban Alliance, a broad coalition of IUCN constituents concerned with the urban dimensions of nature conservation, has unveiled a new knowledge product for measuring the ecological performance of cities: the IUCN Urban Nature Indexes (UNI). Comprising six themes with five indicator topics nested within each theme, the UNI is intended to help policymakers, stakeholders and local communities understand their impacts on nature, set science-based targets for improvement, and monitor progress using science-based measures.
Share this
Open spaces are essential resources for public health and the environment: they provide places for recreation, cultural enrichment, learning, exercise, and relaxation, as well as crucial support for wildlife and habitat, clean air and water, and local economies.
Share this
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 created a temporary crisis of confidence in the future of cities. However, a broad consensus is that urbanization remains a powerful twenty-first century mega-trend; and that well-planned towns and cities remain central to the sustainable development trajectory. There is a sense of optimism that the crisis may provide us with the opportunity to build back differently, more inclusively, greener and safer.
Share this
In order to respond to the challenges and growing demand of counterparts, partners and populations to better integrate nature in cities, AFD Group has developed this technical guide "Biodiversity in Cities". In urban areas, biodiversity makes it possible to act simultaneously on health and well-being of inhabitants, on employment, on resilience to natural risks and on climate. It thus complements actions in the water management, agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Share this
Cities4Biodiversity (C4B) participants convened in April 2022 to explore the first of a series of themes critical to the purpose of C4B – developing and supporting a network of cities forging commitments to incorporate climate and nature-based solutions into project design, planning and implementation. Conducted over six days, the Green Cities Deep-Dive Learning included plenary and breakout sessions with presentations from 35 cities in 16 countries.
Share this
Cities are central to economic growth and have a pivotal role to play in achieving global climate, nature, and sustainable development goals. Yet this potential remains largely untapped as cities continue to face unprecedented environmental and social challenges. The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected cities deeply, and continues to be a barrier to sustainable and equitable development. The pandemic has widened already vulnerable gaps, and impacted capacity of cities to adopt sustainable pathways for future growth.
Share this
It is estimated that around 600,000 motored vehicles enter the city of Asunción each day, adding a lot of pressure to the already dense traffic. The car-centric design of cities like Asunción, Ñemby and Fernando de la Mora, makes urban mobility uncomfortable and less safe for pedestrians, as well as unfriendly towards more sustainable modes of transportation like bicycles. Interim tactical urbanism interventions can work as means to increase road safety and promote citizen participation.
Share this
With its focus on community participation, this Note helps to promote participatory slum upgrading in their dialogue with the client and throughout project preparation and implementation. Targeted at the Bank-financed projects, the Note is for government-led slum upgrading initiatives and is written from a perspective of how the Bank teams can help governments explore and create a room for community participation in their formal policy, program and projects on slum upgrading.
Share this
Rebuilding cities and towns after protracted conflict is a more common occurrence than many would find acceptable. It is also a policy challenge that can either exacerbate or help alleviate simmering tensions. Urban planning in the face of conflict, therefore, is an instrument by which economies and societies can be rebuilt.
Share this
This is a policy brief with recommendations for national governments to accelerate urban efforts to help them achieve the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) 2030 Action Targets. This report is a response to the call from the Plan of Action on Subnational Governments, Cities and Local Authorities for Biodiversity for a whole-of-government approach to be adopted. Local governments are key players that can engage with and contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Action Targets.