While they're traditionally viewed as concrete jungles rather than natural oases, cities are increasingly taking a leadership role when it comes to protecting biodiversity.
Cities will take the spotlight in the coming days during a summit for subnational governments at the UN biodiversity summit in Montreal, known as COP15.
Gil said that for the first time, the biodiversity framework being negotiated by the nations gathered in Montreal contains a specific draft target that includes increasing size and access to nature in urban areas. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante has been encouraging her counterparts to sign the "Montreal pledge," composed of 15 actions that include increasing protected green space, reducing pesticide use and working to eliminate plastic waste. The city also recently announced a plan to protect pollinators and has promised more corridors to connect green spaces.
Shin Koseki, who holds the UNESCO Chair in Urban Landscape at the Universite de Montreal, said that while cities will never have the same amount of animal and plant life as untouched nature, they can help improve biodiversity both within their own borders and outside them. Koseki and Gil both acknowledge that cities face challenges when it comes to championing biodiversity, but they believe those obstacles can be overcome.
Another problem cities face, especially in Canada, is that they have a limited funding base and depend on other orders of government to finance many of their ambitions.
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