Cities face unprecedented pressure to protect the health of their residents, provide access to outdoor green spaces, and address social disparities. At the same time, cities are facing rising costs from climate change, a global economic downturn and the prospect of tight municipal budgets.

Forests and other nature-based solutions (NBS) can provide valuable health and economic benefits for city residents while fighting climate change, often at good value for money. But cities can cause unanticipated problems and aggravate existing inequalities if they fail to design their forest-related plans and policies thoughtfully.

This virtual event will highlight the latest research and practice from Cities4Forests, an initiative led by more than 60 cities around the world, to better conserve, manage, and restore forests and other natural infrastructure. The event will showcase city leadership from Medellín, Colombia which has implemented an award-winning Green Corridors program. Speakers will also demo two new online resources from Cities4Forests:

  • Urban Forests for Healthier Cities: Policy, Planning, Regulations, and Institutional Arrangements
  • Social Equity Considerations for Cities’ Decision Making Related to Inner, Nearby, and Faraway Forests

These guides are being deployed as a tool to help cities adapt to climate change through the Global Commission on Adaptation’s Cities Action Track. They will also be highlighted at the upcoming Climate Adaptation Summit in January.

The event will be hosted in both English and Spanish.

Speakers

  • Ana María Villa, Professional of the Ecological Structure Unit, Secretary of the Environment, Medellín, Colombia
  • Terra Virsilas, Urban Development Associate, Cities4Forests, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
  • Ayushi Trivedi, Research Analyst II, Gender and Social Equity Initiative, WRI