Accelerating pathways that harness nature’s climate solutions
Through shared commitment, cities are bringing nature to every neighbourhood
Our cities are growing faster than ever, and so is our disconnect with the natural world. When we design and build without integrating nature, we lose the plants and animals that make our urban ecosystems healthy. Urban heat islands are intensifying, and an estimated 1.6 billion people are expected to experience extreme heat by 2050.[1]
The answer isn’t to choose between cities or nature. An urban nature approach designs them to work together. Urban nature is an extremely effective way of cooling cities, managing stormwater, and improving air quality, while also creating more livable, beautiful spaces for communities to enjoy.
The C40 Urban Nature Accelerator unites cities to help fast-track this transition so that city leaders can deliver good green jobs while creating more resilient, inclusive communities for their residents.
Why cities are choosing nature to help solve their biggest challenges
Nature-based solutions offer clear benefits for cities with tight budgets and climate challenges. Mayors are turning to urban nature because these options often provide better cost, impact, and community results than traditional, grey infrastructure:
Budgets that stretch further
Multi-benefit returns on every dollar invested
While gray infrastructure serves one function, nature-based solutions deliver multiple returns simultaneously. Urban nature projects can lower stormwater management costs. They also create recreational spaces, improve air quality, support biodiversity, and reduce urban heat. Cities get climate resilience, public health benefits, and community amenities from a single investment.
Climate protection that works immediately
Proven defence against climate hazards like extreme heat and flooding
Nature-based solutions provide immediate, measurable protection against climate impacts. Green corridors and urban forests reduce surface temperatures compared to concrete areas. Permeable green spaces soak up stormwater during heavy rain, helping prevent flooding that costs cities billions. These systems work right after installation, providing quicker climate protection than many traditional projects.
Economic development that stays local
Green jobs and health cost savings at scale
Urban nature projects create many job opportunities for different skill levels, like landscape design, maintenance, and community programming. They also help cut healthcare costs by improving air quality and offering recreational spaces that benefit physical and mental health. Additionally, cities spend less on infrastructure maintenance since natural systems need less energy and fewer resources than mechanical ones.
Community wellbeing benefits
Investments with tangible community benefits
Nature-based solutions offer benefits that communities can see and enjoy daily. Urban parks, green streets, and community gardens create gathering spaces that strengthen neighbourhoods while tackling climate issues. These projects gain public support because residents see direct improvements in their quality of life, along with environmental benefits.
Accelerator pathways: What Urban Nature Accelerator cities commit to by 2030
Cities that join the C40 Urban Nature Accelerator commit to increasing and enhancing nature in their urban environment. They achieve this through one or both pathways:
Pathway 1: Quality total cover
30-40% of the total built-up city surface area is green spaces and/or permeable spaces. Examples of green spaces include street trees and urban forests, parks, and building-integrated vegetation. Examples of permeable spaces include pavements, infiltration trenches, swales, detention basins, and regenerative urban agriculture. These areas help protect and restore diverse and climate-resilient ecosystems.
Pathway 2: Equitable spatial distribution
70% of the city population has access to a fit-for-purpose green or blue space within 15 minutes – equitably prioritised to maximise accessibility and connectivity to nature for the most vulnerable.
Cities committed to the Urban Nature Accelerator:
Amman, Athens, Austin, Barcelona, Berlin, Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Copenhagen, Curitiba, Delhi NCT, Dhaka North, Dhaka South, eThekwini, Freetown, Guadalajara, Haifa, Karachi, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Medellín, Milan, Montréal, Mumbai, New Orleans, Paris, Quezon City, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Rotterdam, Salvador, San Francisco, São Paulo, Seattle, Stockholm, Sydney, Tel Aviv – Yafo, Tokyo, Toronto
How cities deliver on their Urban Nature commitments
Signatory cities commit to a clear pathway that turns ambition into delivery, with the following commitments to help track progress. By setting targets, reforming governance, investing in people, and prioritising vulnerable communities, mayors can deliver greener, healthier, and more climate-ready communities:
Within two years:
- Make nature goals public
- Develop support and skills-building programmes for green jobs
- Develop a process for involving vulnerable and marginalised communities
- Map current and expected climate risks and vulnerability
- Conduct gap analyses and mapping to show where new greening is needed and opportunities for existing green spaces
- Accelerate action to address governance barriers to implementation
- Mobilise access to investments and resources that support the Accelerator targets
- Publicly report annually on progress
Within five years:
- Implement new or enhanced public green spaces and green streetscapes in areas with the greatest impact on the most vulnerable
- Complete a baseline natural vegetation inventory and undertake natural capital accounting to raise awareness of the associated value of urban nature
- Develop new inclusive governance frameworks, practices, and programmes
- Update our climate action plan adaptation actions to reflect ambitious nature targets
Questions about the C40 Urban Nature Accelerator?
Cities interested in signing onto an Accelerator pathway or learning more can contact the C40 Urban Nature team at nature@c40.org.
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Related
Urban planning measures are critical for cities to be able to deliver on their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and reduce their vulnerability to climate hazards. C40’s Urban Planning work supports cities to develop, implement and share planning strategies and regulations that set a framework for sustainable and equitable urban growth.
Cities are already experiencing a new climate reality. C40’s adaptation work helps cities to take action to protect residents and infrastructure from immediate and future climate risks, as well as to develop solutions and implement actions towards transformational, city-wide resilience to the impacts of climate change.
A collection of short, accessible explainers that communicate the reality of the climate crisis and C40’s work in key areas.
Animations by Rosanna Wan.
Sources
- [1]https://www.c40.org/what-we-do/scaling-up-climate-action/water-heat-nature/the-future-we-dont-want/heat-extremes/
- [2]https://www.c40.org/what-we-do/scaling-up-climate-action/water-heat-nature/the-future-we-dont-want/heat-extremes/
- [3]
- [4]https://www.c40.org/what-we-do/scaling-up-climate-action/water-heat-nature/the-future-we-dont-want/sea-level-rise/
- [5] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b03mvFd0JZydlasHggRrmsx4ePFX4hMh09jKBtcYIw4/edit?tab=t.0
- [6]https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/2022-10/General%2C%20UN-Habitat%20statement%20on%20ensuring%20water%20security%20in%20cities.pdf