Join us at ICLEI’s Cities Biodiversity Center (CBC) webinar series, to explore the key role of subnational and local governments in the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF).

Urbanisation brings health, social and economic benefits, but large-scale, unplanned urbanisation has negative impacts, including climate change and biodiversity loss. Target 12 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to improve urban health and well-being through green and blue infrastructure and ecosystem services.

The webinar, held on 20 July, was moderated by Togo Uchida, Executive Director of ICLEI Japan. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Directior, UN-HABITAT, gave a video message on the benefits of the Targer 12 of GBF for the environment and human health. Representatives of the various local authorities also shared their own initiatives. 

The City of Cagayan de Oro has established an Ecosystem Services Protection Committee, which carries out greening project and environmental protection with the help of citizen volunteers. The City of Yarra with its high population density, is promoting a project to convert asphalt pavement into green space and to work in partnership with Aboriginal culture to live in harmony with nature. The City of Nagoya has also responded to the decline in the percentage of green space by promoting biodiversity conservation in cooperation with citizens, such as the establishment of mandatory green space at the time of building construction and the Nagoya Green Partner Scheme.

The webinar highlighted the importance of local authorities striking a balance between environmental protection and urban development, with a common understanding that international cooperation and local initiatives are essential.

Keeping the momentum of COP15 going, the webinar concluded that practical action and information sharing for COP16 is an important step towards biodiversity conservation. Strong initiatives by local governments will hopefully light the way to a brighter path to a sustainable future.
For more information, visit the official website. Click here to watch the recording.