The IUCN Local Action Summit took place on 3 September 2021—the opening day of the IUCN World Conservation Congress—in Marseille, France. Leaders convened to showcase and galvanise conservation efforts in cities and regions, make the case for a nature-based recovery to COVID-19, and announce ambitious action pledges for nature. The Summit included four roundtables, the first of which focused on ‘Deploying nature-based solutions.’ A transcript of this roundtable is outlined below.
Moderator:
- Chantal van Ham, Acting Director for Europe, IUCN
Speakers:
- Jean-Eric Paquet, Director-General, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission
- Kobie Brand, Deputy Secretary General, ICLEI
- Maud Lelièvre, President, IUCN French National Committee
- Canddie Magdelenat, Sustainable Local Governments and Cities Expert, WWF France
Roundtable transcription
Chantal van Ham (CvH): Thank you so much, Russell, very pleased to see that this hybrid format is working. And I’m very pleased to introduce you to our distinguished speakers of this next panel, this roundtable about deploying Nature-based Solutions. As we all know, Nature-based Solutions, the concept of IUCN has launched many years ago, which is one of the pillars of our global work, to help protect biodiversity and restore ecosystems, while increasing resilience to climate change, and provide many other benefits including health and well-being, water and food security. So for IUCN, the cooperation with cities and subnational governments and their partners is essential. And we have been engaging in various projects and initiatives to provide our knowledge and expertise, as well as capacity building and helping to mobilize financing to create this awareness for the value of nature, and the accreditation of Nature-based Solutions in an urban context. So we also follow up to the previous roundtable, we need to make sure that the recovery policies can trigger these changes that we look for in order to create a resilient society, and to also help cities in creating that investment in their natural capital. And restoring the connection between urban areas and the surrounding ecosystems that provide all these opportunities to reduce climate change effects, but also provide the conditions for a sustainable future for the world’s urban citizens. So, I’m very pleased to introduce to you the speakers of this panel. And the first person I will give the floor is the Director-General of the European Commission Directorate for research and innovation. Mr. Jean-Eric Paquet. Please, the floor is yours.
Jean-Eric Paquet (JEP): Thank you, thank you very much. Good afternoon, and delighted to join you from Brussels. And so indeed Nature-based Solutions are gaining momentum, both in terms of delivery, we had a few examples in the panel just a moment ago. Those are very much politically, and more institutional players putting Nature-based Solutions as a key component of their climate or biodiversity strategy, which we heard from our French colleague, a movement ago. And then it’s very much the case also at the European Union level, where the European Union Green Deal, but also the climate adaptation strategy, our biodiversity strategy, and the most recent examples, also, our legislation to make Europe’s legal framework fit for 55% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030. All these major policy and regulatory initiatives are using Nature-based Solutions as a rather prominent tool to deliver on their objectives and outcomes. And the reason for that, I think, is indeed that we have gained a lot of knowledge in the last decade, with the pioneering role in IUCN since 2009 and all the work which we do together, and I’m very happy to say also this afternoon that we are working with the IUCN on an increased partnership, we are working on a framework which we hope can allow the work done in IUCN and the knowledge, to combine themselves even more impactfully to make the knowledge and deployments of Nature-based Solutions even more forthcoming. And what I think is important, as we try to build on that momentum, is to recognize and make the case that Nature-based Solutions have two silver linings. The first one is that they are one of those measures which really provides a systemic solution and synergies between the biodiversity and environmental challenge and the climate. I think we often underestimate that these are different sets of challenges. They are of course, obvious connections politically, in society, in nature, but they are also trade-offs when you deal with them in isolation. And Nature-based Solutions are in particularly well placed and designed to ensure that they allow to work across in a reinforcing manner as Chantal just said and work across these two sets of challenges. That’s I think one reason to the understanding of that added value, I think is increasing. And that’s one of the reasons why Nature-based Solutions are now more essential than ever. The other reason is that the cost of climate change and biodiversity loss is now also much better understood than a few years ago. Obviously, extreme events, put an insurance price tag, which is pretty spectacular and visible. But I just recently saw a study from (…) for example, which looks at the cost of climate and biodiversity loss and monetize it. And that also then allows us to put in a different context, investments needed into Nature-based Solutions. And I think very spectacularly can demonstrate that these are not costs but investments which pay off very, very fast. So that’s the progress which I think we have seen. And we do expect, again on the political level, but also because we will continue to invest in the European Union in continuing to create the knowledge base, continuing to invest also in appliance and scale. Through the new research and innovation program of Europe but also I expect a number of other EU programs, in policy areas like agriculture, all programs under the environmental policy, we will combine our resources to also then add, scale, demonstrate and pilot these Nature-based Solutions. I would like to finish by highlighting in particular, the ongoing preparation of EU wide missions, which are called missions, missions to look at climate adaptation across European regions, the mission to look at restoring the quality of our soils, the mission to look at the quality of our oceans, and last ambition to look at reliable and Climate Neutral cities. These formations combine research outcomes, with delivery on the ground at the national level, but of course, particularly at local level. So it’s a new approach to connecting across policies, all level of governments in Europe, we hope to launch these initiatives shortly. And one key instrument for climate adaptation in soils, cities and oceans are Nature-based Solutions, where we will work with citizens, that’s a defining feature of emissions, we will work with citizens across regions and cities on the approach and the solutions to be deployed for reaching these objectives. And I expect that Nature-based Solutions will feature particularly prominently on the commissions allowing to connect the European national, but also be looking at city level in delivering good outcomes. So the IUCN and the commission are really teaming up here. And that I think is also one of the key messages I wanted to set out in the outset of the panel.
CvH: Thank you very much, Mr. Paquet, for your words, and also for the long-standing partnership, indeed, that IUCN has, we really are grateful for the leadership that the European Commission has shown over the years to mobilize this investment in Nature-based Solutions across many different areas of work. And in particular now looking at the future of implementing the European Green Deal and the European commissions. We believe that this is a very smart foundation for scaling up the action. And we really are very appreciative of all the efforts that have been made by you and your team. And also many other colleagues in the EU, too. to make this happen. We look forward to establish this partnership that you refer to and work together in the years to come. So thank you very much. I’d like to introduce to you our next speaker, Maud Lelièvre, the president of the IUCN French National Committee, who has been working very actively over many years with cities and local governments but also at the political level with some national authorities in France and beyond. We’re very pleased to hear her perspectives on this roundtable.
RG: Chantal, I don’t think Maud is with us, or maybe she is, she’s coming in five minutes. Okay, I think perhaps it would be best to invite another speaker whilst we’re waiting for Maud.
CvH: Thanks Russel, So then I would like to invite Miss. Kobie Brand, Deputy Secretary General of ICLEI and our long standing partner on the work of cities of biodiversity. And, also the cooperation between IUCN and ICLEI has been very rewarding, particularly for Nature-based Solutions, but also for many other areas of our work. So please, Kobie the floor is yours.
Kobie Brand (KB): Thank you very much Chantal, and what a delight to be here with you. I so wish I could be there person in Marseille with you. Unfortunately, I’m talking here from Cape Town in South Africa, where we are still not able to travel to Europe, due to COVID-19. But there are some colleagues from our European offices with you in Marseille. Thank you for this very important session to you and Russell, and everybody at IUCN that has organized this day, it’s very important to bring the topic to the agenda of the Congress. And it’s wonderful to see that it’s here, stronger than ever before, we strongly support this. In terms of Nature-based Solutions. From an ICLEI perspective, I would like to say that it’s really part of the ICLEI DNA, ICLEI for those who don’t know is the largest and oldest local subnational government network of cities and regions committed to sustainability. And this period of time, 30 plus years that we’ve been in existence, there’s always been a strong collaboration with IUCN, which we value very, very much. And it’s only picked up over the last 15 years, to be even stronger than before. When we both started focusing on Nature-based Solutions and nature as a matter of fact, in cities. So Nature-based Solutions in cities, I think one of the key points I’d like to make is that, indeed, as we heard from the EU, it is a great connector between the nature agenda. And but also, ICLEI walks through five key pathways to support cities and other local governments in addressing sustainability. And those that are seeking a development, resilient development, low carbon development, or a carbon neutral development, nature based development and people centred and equitable development. And in fact, nature and Nature-based Solutions feature in all five of those pathways in a systemic way. We really believe that nature really underpins any recovery from COVID, as well. But it also underpins any work we do in climate. One of the key things that we see emerging from cities, when they work on Nature-based Solutions, is that there is a strong feeling that Nature-based Solutions in addressing climate change or other agendas should not be at the cost of nature and the integrity of local ecological infrastructure and local ecosystems in itself. And this is something we do need to take my mind off. And this is, again, we’re very grateful to IUCN for setting the standard on Nature-based Solutions in such a way that makes it clear that Nature-based Solutions cannot and should never be to the detriment of nature and biodiversity itself. So how its manifested in our collaboration is through cities with nature and regions with nature, to global programs, regions of nature, soon to be launched. Cities with nature are already up and running with 190 cities, I can say Nijmegen, the latest city from the Netherlands, to join to become number 190 of cities that have taken hands around the world. Large and small, working together on mainstreaming nature, Nature-based Solutions in cities. So there are many tools and examples of how our cities act, the pace at which they act, the way they integrated nature into the green recovery after COVID, the way they link up to Climate and Water etc. And it’s wonderful to work with IUCN, The Nature Conservancy WWF. So many cities were partners, so many other partners in collaborating in serving our world of cities and local and subnational governments on mainstreaming and taking Nature-based Solutions forward faster than ever before. And collectively, because collectively they are stronger and we want to get thank you for this partnership, and with that this Summit. Thank you, Chantal.
CvH: Thank you very much Kobe for highlighting this journey indeed that we have been together on for these years. It’s really impressive to see how the global network of ICLEI has created so much strength on this topic of nature and biodiversity over the years at CBD level, but also in many other forms. And it’s still growing every day. And she mentioned cities with nature, this is indeed a very important partnership for us as well to make sure that the cities and subnational governments have access to the latest knowledge and great examples of how Nature-based Solutions can work for cities. We look forward to continued cooperation in the years to come. Thank you. So then, I would be pleased to invite the speakers who are in Marseille to the stage if they are not yet there as there Maud Lelièvre , and also miss Canddie Magdelenat from WWF France.
CvH: So welcome, Maud Lelièvre, president of the IUCN French National Committee, the floor is yours.
Maud Lelièvre (ML): Thank you very much, thank you for those who are here in Marseille, thank you for all being connected around the world. It is sad that the current situation has limited us for being all together. I in particularly want to thank Chantal and Russel that worked together with the French Committee for several months now to make sure that this could take place. That this summit could take place. This is something very important. Because we as the French Committee see this congress in Marseille, as one that brings together all local authorities. For several years now we have been saying that on the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, we need to involve local authorities. We see them as an essential players as it comes biodiversity. Because when we look at now and 2050 we will have a huge number of people living in big cities. And now it’s around 43%, therefore we have to see solutions with the local authorities so we can allow ecological corridors to develop. We are convinced there is an important role to play for local authorities for now and in the future. Together with Paris and the French Committee we set up a working group, we did that about 10 years ago, so we could look at the link between the IUCN and local authorities to involve the people that are actually working on the ground, in the national parks, in the local regions and towns. But also these are the ones that are trying to protect local biodiversity, and it is important that we use local authorities because of the leverage that they bring you in many areas. They provide a link between science and people and also between politicians and people. And also we changed our energy system in France and that is thanks for quite an extend to partnering with local authorities and here in France we have decided to go for a biodiversity policy which is a national policy which is very important at this stage. This will be happening after this congress. And also I would like to stress here that all of us here, we all agree that the solutions must be based on nature itself. We are talking about rivers and forests, we are talking about flora and fauna. We also need to have pollinators who have good health as well. so we are looking at all of this because if we are looking at the natural cycles, cities will become healthier. We will be protecting our worlds species. We are all really happy to do that. And within the French committee for several years now we have been working on scientific reports and the message that I want to bring to you today is that at the IUCN and local communities we will be able to work together and make solutions. So I want to say thank you very much, for all gathering in Marseille.
CvH: Thank you very much for your words and also thank you for all the strong action that we have seen over the years in France, which I believe is a very good example of how we as organization of members in IUCN can work together with the local and subnational governments. And we also really appreciate your continued efforts in making this information and all the experience that you’ve learned available to the global organization, which is very valuable. Thank you very much. So then I am pleased to hand over to Miss. Canddie Magdelenat who is sustainable local governments and cities expert and WWF France.
Canddie Magdelenat (CM): Thank you Chantal. Maybe I’m going to speak in French because we are in Marseille. So, just to share with you I have three minutes in front of me so I’ll be quite quick and sharp. Our organisation at WWF network has worked on nature-based solutions. What it does, is looking at current studies that are being done and the work that has been done around the world and multiple scales of intervention. And what it shows is that all the benefits that can be derived from the nature-based approaches and experts. And behind these projects and programs it is crucial that local authorities should be involved. So the idea is that nature-based approaches are universal and can be applied everywhere, and there is a lot of benefits from that, such as increasing biodiversity and mitigating climate change, reduce heat islands and so on. And what is important here is that they have to meet current challenges that happen in local populations. So what we have tried to do with these studies, we have stressed certain recommendations which we believe can be used in other areas and applied on a different scale. So the idea is to show that these can be good solutions, they can be effective and they will help us work on biodiversity and climate change problems. And this will boost the quality of life of our citizens. And what is essential here is that today, governments have to show leadership they have to really want to act so that they have to come up with ideas that are both ambitious and measurable. Also we have to look at the results of our natural resources, so governments and national governments have to factor in biodiversity and make policies on a national and local level, so it is important that they come up with supportive policies for local governments and cities so that local authorities can play their part. This is essential to Nature-based Solutions, for the territorial climate fund which is done internationally. And also which is done locally. And it is important we do this and we also do this in biodiversity so Nature-based Solutions have to be integrated in these plans so that we can come up with local policies so we can act together instead of working separately. If we do this we will see that the agenda will benefit for all and we believe this will benefit for the success of local plans created by local authorities. Thank you very much!
CvH: Thank you very much. To WWF and you and your team for this excellent new report that really emphasizes the importance of Nature-based Solutions for cities. And thank you as well for highlighting the value of integrating nature more effectively and climate and energy plans at different levels. So we also would like to see this as a common message and also all of the action would really say I, I would like to thank again the speakers of this session. Unfortunately, don’t have as much time as we wish to go deeper into these important topics. But I think it certainly triggered a lot of good inspiration for future action and to continue this cooperation. And as I said already, IUCN does believe that cities and regions are excellent places to create the change that we look for as they’re full of fantastic ideas and new opportunities as well as creative minds. And this is something that really to bring Nature-based Solutions closer to the places where many of us live. So thank you very much to all of you and wishing you a successful continuation of the summit.