Cities & Biodiversity case description series extended

This series of cases illustrates a selection of local biodiversity-related activities from all regions of the world, demonstrating the economic, social and environmental benefits that the sustainable management of biodiversity can yield for cities. They also demonstrate a variety of targeted response options – from the creation of protected areas and reserves, to sustainable resource management and pollution prevention programmes – and these local actions are reducing the rate of biodiversity loss for specific habitats and species.

Sustainability and adaptability of New Orleans

When Hurricane Katrina struck, over 80% of New Orleans was inundated by floodwaters, destroying a vast inventory of natural and built treasures. Hurricane Katrina has set the stage for urban and rural ecological transformations on a scale never before witnessed in United States modern history. UNESCO has partnered with the Center for Bioenvironmental Research of Tulane University and the Stockholm Resilience Center in post-Katrina New Orleans and coastal Louisiana to create a world-class programme to research urban ecosystems at risk. The programme goal is to improve the recovery process in disaster impacted communities in a way that accounts for prevailing environmental conditions and incorporates sustainable practices.

Photograph: Associated Press

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