Introduction

Cities drive 80% of global GDP, and they’re on the front lines of the biodiversity crisis. Today, $31 trillion in urban economic output is at risk due to ecosystem collapse, natural resource depletion, and biodiversity loss. Yet, only 37% of the world’s 500 most populous cities have developed a dedicated strategy focused on nature or biodiversity preservation.

Meanwhile, climate-related shocks like floods, droughts, and heatwaves are hitting urban centres harder and more frequently. The message is clear: nature loss isn’t a future threat - it’s a present disruptor.

To respond effectively, cities must understand both the risks they face and the nature-based solutions available to them.

Why Should Cities Look to Improve their Nature Efforts?

Ecosystem decline, driven by human activity, is undermining the natural systems that sustain life, cities included. A 50-year review by IPBES confirms the accelerating loss of biodiversity and its consequences.

With a majority of the global population now living in urban areas, the ties between cities and nature are stronger than ever. Cities depend on nature, impact it, face risks from its loss, and hold unique opportunities to restore it. These risks are:

Physical: Extreme weather events disrupting lives and infrastructure
Systemic: Food insecurity from collapsing agricultural yields
Transition: Regulatory shifts, policy risks, and market volatility

But nature-positive actions can deliver significant returns. These opportunities include:

Creating Pockets of Urban Forests: These cool city temperatures, clean the air, better regulate stormwater, and improve biodiversity
Wetland Recovery: This absorbs excess water, controls erosion and restores habitats
Green spaces: Enhances physical and mental well-being, and improves air quality

What Does It Mean to Be Nature Positive?

There is a growing call to move beyond simply minimizing environmental harm and toward a proactive vision: restoring and regenerating nature. This is the essence of becoming nature positive, ensuring that by 2030 we halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and by 2050, ecosystems are valued, protected, and thriving.

To drive progress, we need clear ambition and measurable baselines. Nature-positive commitments should align with the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), supporting both planetary health and human well-being.

Cities can assess and elevate their efforts using the AR3T framework, which outlines four levels of action:

Avoid: Prevent harm from the outset
Reduce: Minimize unavoidable impacts
Restore & Regenerate: Repair degraded ecosystems and enhance resilience
Transform: Reimagine urban systems to coexist with thriving biodiversity

This framework offers a path for cities to lead—not just adapt—in the global nature transition.

*Source: WEF, Nature Positive Guidelines for Transition in Cities (2024)*

So How Do Cities Become More Nature Positive?

To become truly nature-positive, cities must move from intention to action. This next section outlines three essential steps: commitment, strategy development, and implementation that city leaders can take to drive meaningful progress and embed nature into urban planning and policy with accountability.

1️⃣ Committing to Nature Action

For cities to lead in the nature-positive transition, public commitments are not just symbolic, they are strategic. By formally pledging to protect and restore nature, city governments signal intent, build accountability, and attract support from global networks and investors focused on sustainable development.

Key steps include:

Make a public commitment to act in defense of nature and leave ecosystems in a better state than before.
Join international platforms that support transparency and collaboration on nature action, such as

Resources such as ICLEI’s CitiesWithNature Action Platform, the Urban Nature Accelerator by C40 Cities and the global disclosure system by CDP can prove useful as pledging and disclosure platforms for cities looking to initiate their nature-positive journey.

These tools help cities benchmark progress, share learnings, and integrate biodiversity goals into broader climate and development strategies.

2️⃣ Developing A Nature Strategy

Once a public commitment is made, the next step is turning that intent into action through a dedicated citywide nature strategy. This strategy should articulate a clear vision, aligned with measurable targets across all four realms of nature: atmosphere, land, freshwater, and ocean. Crucially, it should complement—and not compete with—your existing climate strategy.

To build an effective nature strategy, cities should:

Evaluate dependencies and impacts on nature and identify nature-related risks and opportunities
Set clear nature-related objectives and define a roadmap for delivering targeted actions
Assess city’s enabling environment (governance, policy, finance, data, stakeholder engagement, capabilities) and determine prioritized actions for strengthening it
Define and prioritize high-impact nature-positive actions, including both policy measures and nature-based solutions, as well as defined objectives and targets

This strategy becomes the blueprint for integrating nature into every aspect of urban development and decision-making.

3️⃣ Implementing Nature Actions and Report on Progress

For city leaders, delivering on a nature strategy requires more than vision—it demands execution and accountability. Implementation should combine policy instruments with nature-based solutions to achieve measurable ecological, social, and economic outcomes.

Key actions includes:

Develop an implementation roadmap aligned with your nature strategy, outlining roles, timelines, and resources.
Establish a robust monitoring system to track progress, measure impact, and inform decision-making.
Regularly report on outcomes against defined objectives and targets to ensure transparency, build trust, and attract continued investment.

By embedding nature into urban delivery systems and governance, city executives can demonstrate tangible leadership in shaping a more resilient, nature-positive future.

Conclusion

For city leaders, the case for embedding nature into urban strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential. With nearly half of global GDP at risk due to nature degradation, safeguarding biodiversity is both a resilience imperative and a competitive advantage. Cities that lead on nature action will be better equipped to attract investment, protect their communities, and unlock innovation across sectors. By committing to action, developing integrated strategies, and reporting progress transparently, urban leaders can position their cities at the forefront of the nature-positive transition. Tools exist. The urgency is clear. What’s needed now are leaders who will act decisively.

Future-Proofing Cities: Nature-Positive Action for Resilient Economies