COP 15 Montreal

26-04-2023 / hannes.schwaiger

COP15, December 2022, Montreal, Canada

The 7th Summit for Subnational Governments & Cities constitutes an unprecedented global milestone to welcome significantly strengthened contributions from subnational governments and cities to the new post-2020 global biodiversity framework. This official parallel event to COP15, focused on taking action for biodiversity and centred around three elements: Engage, Influence and Act. With over a thousand registrants and 80+ high level speakers, this high-level Summit gathered governors, mayors and other subnational government leaders from around the world to engage directly with national leaders, their key stakeholders and partners at CBD COP15.

The Parties adopted an ambitious framework, and subnational and local leaders set the bar high in committing to action, creating an expectation that the successful implementation of the GBF will, in respect of certain aspects, hinge on subnational and local governments’ performance. Read more on the key targets of the GBF here.

China day at the Pavilion for Subnational Governments & Cities

In addition to the Summit, its associated Action Pavilion was held over 10 days during COP15 from 8 – 18 December to demonstrate local and subnational actions for biodiversity, and provide a platform for extensive engagement and bilateral meetings between CBD Parties, local and subnational governments, other relevant stakeholders. Considering China as the presidency of COP15, ICLEI East Asia Secretariat hosted the China Day at the Pavilion for Subnational Governments & Cities on 13 December, aiming for greater exposure of the rich partnerships, innovation work already happening, and being planned in China, by local and subnational governments and a wide variety of partners worldwide.

 

On the 13th of December 2022, during the Session III: Building cities with nature – shift in urban development and planning towards the new biodiversity global framework, ICLEI European Secretariat, had the opportunity to showcase the REGREEN project and how some of these outcomes can be replicated in the Chinese Cities and further strengthen the collaboration between Europe and China.

The aim of the session was to open the discussion among the European and Chinese partners and participants on how to re-evaluate the precious value of nature to cities and people, and to advocate the construction of “cities in nature” where people-city and nature coexist in harmony. The key topics of the session included urban spatial planning, NBS, assessment and monitoring, park city, urban wetland conservation, etc. The key outcomes of the REGREEN project showcased during this session were as follows:

  • Incorporating NBS aligned with biodiversity values in urban planning processes, read more here.
  • Integrated Mapping Spatial Urban Dynamic, read more here.
  • Incorporating NBS aligned with biodiversity values in urban planning processes, read more here.
  • Conservation of biodiversity and Stakeholder Engagement
  • Capacity building to manage the change see here the REGREEN factsheets.

It is crucial that city-led, effective, and inclusive biodiversity interventions and tools inspire further action, to uptake initiatives available from REGREEN and other EU-funded projects. In other words: what’s next is for cities and regions to take the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, and work together to make sure it is implemented swiftly and effectively, to protect nature, biodiversity, and our own sustainable future by 2030 and beyond.