Key Messages from the Cities and Biodiversity Outlook

by Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

São Paulo’s Green Belt Biosphere Reserve, established in 1994, helps counteract the urban heat island effect by reducing the ambient temperatures of adjacent areas by up to 10°C.

Key Messages

1. Urbanization is both a challenge and an opportunity to manage ecosystem services globally.
2. Rich biodiversity can exist in cities.
3. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are critical natural capital.
4. Maintaining functioning urban ecosystems can significantly enhance human health and well-being.
5. Urban ecosystem services and biodiversity can help contribute to climate-change mitigation and adaptation.
6. Increasing the biodiversity of urban food systems can enhance food and nutrition security.
7. Ecosystem services must be integrated in urban policy and planning.
8. Successful management of biodiversity and ecosystem services must be based on multi-scale, multi-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder involvement.
9. Cities offer unique opportunities for learning and education about a resilient and sustainable future.
10. Cities have a large potential to generate innovations and governance tools and therefore can—and must— take the lead in sustainable development.

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