Cities are driving nature restoration

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I WANT EXAMPLES

 Explore case studies of urban nature restoration from around the world.
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I WANT PRACTICAL GUIDANCE

 Discover guides, toolkits, and resources to start or expand your city’s work.
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I WANT TO CONNECT

 Opportunities to join restoration networks and connect with others.
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Welcome to the Generation Restoration Knowledge Platform!

Here you can find examples, guides, and opportunities to scale nature restoration in your city.

While cities only occupy 3% of the Earth's land surface, as they grow, they take space from agricultural and industrial lands that then expand into other ecosystems. Adopting nature-based solutions to protect, conserve and restore degraded ecosystems in urban and peri-urban environments is key to mitigate the impact of climate change and pollution on urban communities, while contributing to global environmental goals.

This platform consolidates the learnings of the Generation Restoration Cities initiative (2023–2025), a UNEP project in which 25 cities worldwide piloted and showcased the implementation of urban nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration. Fourteen pilot cities received direct funding and technical assistance, while thirteen role model cities shared experience, innovations, and lessons. The project was funded by the Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and implemented by UNEP in coordination with ICLEI’s Cities Biodiversity Center.

Join us in reversing the tide of ecological degradation!

Explore Projects Worldwide

Project in numbers
24 Pioneering Cities
19 Countries Engaged
5,300,000 USD Invested
7 Ecosystems under restoration
75,000,000 City dwellers reached

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News
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Events
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Resource Library
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UNEP and Cities

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Spatial Planning Tool
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About #GenerationRestoration

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Cities are both drivers of ecosystem degradation and vulnerable to it. Urban areas occupy less than 1 per cent of the Earth’s land surface but house more than half of its people.

The Generation Restoration Cities project (2023 - 2025) is dedicated to reversing the tide of ecological degradation in urban areas.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with global experts, has handpicked 24 #GenerationRestoration cities after receiving more than 250 applications: fourteen cities are receiving direct funding and technical assistance to implement innovative pilot projects to scale up the implementation of urban NbS and restore their urban ecosystems, and a growing number of Role Models are set to accompany and support them as Champions of Restoration.  

The project is financed by the Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by UNEP with the support of and in coordination with the UN Decade Secretariat and ICLEI’s Global Biodiversity Center.

The project will also identify restoration opportunities in finance and job markets, by highlighting the benefits of investing in restoration for job creation, and by showing a pathway to closing the investment gap to meet global commitments on biodiversity and climate.

This initiative stands as a contribution to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Global Biodiversity Framework.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was adopted during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 15) in December 2022. The GBF sets out an ambitious pathway to reach the global vision of a world living in harmony with nature, with 4 goals for 2050 and 23 targets for 2030.  

The GBF recognises that local action at the city level is crucial for humanity to make peace with nature. The Generation Restoration Cities project is making a significant contribution to achieving the GBF Target 12, which emphasises the importance of urban nature in the broader effort to restore biodiversity. 

By supporting cities in protecting, conserving, and restoring urban ecosystems, the Generation Restoration Cities project aligns with the goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which now acknowledges the pivotal role of urban areas in ecosystem restoration. This initiative not only enhances local biodiversity but also builds resilience, demonstrating how urban nature-based solutions can drive meaningful, on-the-ground change that contributes to global biodiversity and restoration targets, while also contributing to the SDGs, the Paris Agreement, and desertification targets.

At the heart of Generation Restoration lies the concept of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS), harnessing the power of nature to address urban challenges. NbS not only helps to regenerate ecosystems, but it also strengthens the resilience of cities, mitigating the effects of climate change such as droughts and floods, reducing heat, and promoting sustainable development.

By harnessing the transformative power of NbS, the pilot city projects have a multitude of positive effects on urban ecosystems and communities. These include enhancing urban biodiversity, building resilience to climate change, improving air and water quality, strengthening community engagement and empowerment, and creating green jobs and other economic opportunities. Generation Restoration hopes to lay the foundations for a more sustainable and resilient urban future, where cities thrive in harmony with nature while promoting the well-being of people and the planet.

  • Enhanced Quality of Life: Green spaces in urban areas offer recreational opportunities, improve mental health, and enhance the overall well-being of residents. 
  • Economic Benefits: Property values tend to increase in areas with ample green space, and urban ecosystems can attract tourism and businesses. Also, ecosystem restoration investments offer significant socioeconomic benefits, with up to $30 returns and 600 jobs created for every $1 invested. 
  • Educational Opportunities: Urban ecosystems provide unique opportunities for environmental education and engagement with nature. 
  • Resilience to Natural Disasters: Diverse and healthy ecosystems can help buffer urban areas against natural disasters like storms and extreme weather events.
  • Biodiversity Conservation: Urban ecosystems provide habitats for a variety of plants, animals, and insects, supporting biodiversity even in heavily populated areas. For instance, restoring just 15 percent of land and halting further conversion could avoid up to 60 percent of expected species extinctions.
  • Climate Regulation: Vegetation in urban areas helps mitigate climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide, providing shade, and reducing the urban heat island effect. For instance, restoration could remove 13 to 26 gigatons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and is essential for keeping global temperature rise below 2°C.
  • Air and Water Quality Improvement: Plants filter pollutants from the air and water, improving overall environmental quality and public health. 
  • Heat Reduction: Cities, which are especially prone to warming, can fend off some of the worst effects of heatwaves by planting trees, restoring water bodies, and tapping into other natural solutions. Natural solutions are especially important because they help reduce temperatures without contributing to climate change. UNEP data finds that simply planting trees on city streets would give 77 million people a 1°C reprieve on hot days.
  • Flood Mitigation: Restored wetlands and green spaces absorb rainwater, reducing runoff and lowering the risk of flooding.