Berlin Urban Nature Pact

To tackle the burgeoning challenges posed by climate change and the loss of biodiversity, the Pact focuses on specific measures across key areas such as food and agriculture; soil health; blue infrastructure and water management; and species and habitats, to strengthen urban ecosystems and sustainably improve the quality of life in cities. Its overarching aim is to create a global movement that firmly anchors the protection of biodiversity in cities, and enacts concrete measures to help urban nature thrive.

The Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner highlighted: "Berlin is one of the most species-rich cities in Europe. With the Berlin Urban Nature Pact, we are promoting biodiversity and preserving it for future generations. In doing so, we are also ensuring the quality of life in Berlin. The Pact relies on concrete measures to make Berlin a model of sustainable urban development, and to inspire other cities around the world.”

Echoing the importance of the Pact, the Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment, Ute Bonde said: "With the Berlin Urban Nature Pact we are sending a strong signal of support for the protection of our natural resources in cities. This Pact takes into account the understanding that we can only overcome the challenges of climate change and species extinction if we do it together, and with local commitment.”

The Pact translates international commitments to preserve biodiversity to concrete local measures and sets 28 goals, of which signatory cities need to implement at least 15. Examples include measures to protect and increase biodiversity in urban areas, expand green infrastructure, renature land, and establish environmental education programmes. The Pact’s success will rely on cooperation, co-design and proactive partnerships with urban communities and economic players.

ICLEI Europe will support Berlin with the roll-out of the initiative in cooperation with its consortium partners International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and ICLEI Africa/CBC. Holger Robrecht, Deputy Regional Director of ICLEI Europe said: "It is our honour to support our member Berlin in this globally important initiative. The Berlin Urban Nature Pact provides an actionable pathway showcasing the capacity of regions, cities and their communities for implementing the Kunming - Montreal global biodiversity framework.Through the Berlin Pact, cities will lead the way in addressing the global biodiversity emergency by protecting and restoring nature, ensuring the resilience of their communities and generating many other benefits.”

The official launch of the Pact is slated for October 2024 during the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia where Berlin will invite cities around the globe, who have already expressed their interest, to join the Pact. Cities committing to the Pact would align themselves with a global network of urban practitioners dedicated to placing nature front and centre when planning and developing their cities, and tackling the social, economic and environmental challenges of climate change. Signatories would establish an international community of practice, through which they can find mutual inspiration for solutions to common problems, strengthen partnerships, and learn from one another. Additional interaction and knowledge exchange about Urban Nature Plans (UNPs) as a tangible tool will take place at the 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns in Aalborg (Denmark) from 1-3 October 2024.

 

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