Biodiversity Initiative
Urban biodiversity is biological diversity of urban areas. It is heavily influenced by the built environment and the economic, social and cultural dynamics of these densely populated places.
In the past, biodiversity conservation and protection has been viewed as the domain and responsibility of national, provincial and regional governments with little attention or focus on the local government level. However, more recently, city governments globally have started to recognize that their role is increasingly relevant, especially in light of increasing urbanization.
More and more local decision makers are realizing that all of the resources that keep human settlements productive, healthy and economically viable must be considered, especially the variety of living organisms, ecosystems and natural processes that underpin our very survival as human beings.
ICLEI’s Biodiversity Initiative aims to assist local governments in their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage biodiversity. The initiative recognizes the important conservation role that local governments play as front-line managers of biodiversity. At the same time it reflects the relevance of healthy and functioning biodiversity for local governments to deliver the broad range of services to their citizens.
ICLEI’s Biodiversity Initiative, which started in 2006, initiated a range of (pilot) projects and aims to involve many more local governments in biodiversity conservation in its next phase. The initiative is preparing an ICLEI Biodiversity Program which will provide a framework for ICLEI members to integrate biodiversity conservation into planning, policy and decision making.
For more introductory information on biodiversity issues for local governments, see a series of factsheets jointly produced by ICLEI and Countdown 2010.
In the past, biodiversity conservation and protection has been viewed as the domain and responsibility of national, provincial and regional governments with little attention or focus on the local government level. However, more recently, city governments globally have started to recognize that their role is increasingly relevant, especially in light of increasing urbanization.
More and more local decision makers are realizing that all of the resources that keep human settlements productive, healthy and economically viable must be considered, especially the variety of living organisms, ecosystems and natural processes that underpin our very survival as human beings.
ICLEI’s Biodiversity Initiative aims to assist local governments in their efforts to conserve and sustainably manage biodiversity. The initiative recognizes the important conservation role that local governments play as front-line managers of biodiversity. At the same time it reflects the relevance of healthy and functioning biodiversity for local governments to deliver the broad range of services to their citizens.
ICLEI’s Biodiversity Initiative, which started in 2006, initiated a range of (pilot) projects and aims to involve many more local governments in biodiversity conservation in its next phase. The initiative is preparing an ICLEI Biodiversity Program which will provide a framework for ICLEI members to integrate biodiversity conservation into planning, policy and decision making.
For more introductory information on biodiversity issues for local governments, see a series of factsheets jointly produced by ICLEI and Countdown 2010.
