An ambitious group of 10 local governments is sought to apply the IUCN Urban Nature Indices, a new methodological framework for measuring the ecological performance of cities.
By replenishing natural capital and reducing ecological footprints, cities can unlock a bounty of benefits, becoming more sustainable, liveable and resilient. Trees mop up pollutants, dampen noise, and cool the air; wetlands and raingardens reduce flood risk; mangroves and marshes buffer storms; greenspaces facilitate exercise; and greenways support active travel. Great cities have great nature!
A key to realising these benefits is ecological monitoring. Cities can adopt indicators to gain essential insights on the status and trends of natural capital stocks, the flows of services they generate, the efficacy of environmental governance, and the impacts of urban consumption on nature globally.
To make ecological monitoring easier for cities, IUCN and partners have developed the Urban Nature Indices (UNI)* – a new methodological framework of 30 indicator topics nested across six themes. The framework spans three spheres of ecological impact: urban, bioregional and global. Implemented properly, the framework provides a meaningful yet manageable assessment of a city’s relationship with nature, enabling the setting of science-based targets and tracking of progress.
IUCN is now seeking to work with an initial cohort of 10 ambitious local governments to apply the UNI. The total required time commitment is estimated to be five days of one environmental officer during the period, August to October 2022. The 10 ‘early adopters’ will each receive training and technical support from IUCN, publicity on the IUCN website, and a tailored report of IUCN recommendations for improving indicator scores. Additionally, their indicator results will be published on the IUCN Urban Nature Indices digital platform, due for launch in December 2022.
Should your local government wish to be part of this cohort, please contact the relevant IUCN staff member below, by 20 July 2022.
Europe: susanna.gionfra@iucn.org
Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean: tony.nello@iucn.org
All other regions: russell.galt@iucn.org
*The development of the IUCN Urban Nature Indices has been financed by Arcadia – a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin. Technical support was provided by a team of consultants at Urban Biodiversity Hub, some 30 experts drawn from IUCN Members and Commissions, and representatives of 26 local governments. Piloting was performed in six cities, namely, Curridabat, Lagos, Mexico City, Paris, Saanich and Singapore.