WEBINAR: Measuring Biodiversity Progress & Impact: Exploring the 3-30-300 Rule and Science-Based Approaches

Speakers: Ingrid Coetzee, Director Biodiversity, Nature & Health, ICLEI Africa and Global Cities Biodiversity Center; and
Dr Thami Croeser, Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University.

The inclusion of a whole-of-government approach within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) emphasizes the critical need for political will and comprehensive recognition across all levels of government. Local and subnational governments play a pivotal role in biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of resources. As the closest level of governance to communities and ecosystems, they are uniquely positioned to address the opportunities and challenges for systemic change within their mandates and management.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) supports the involvement of subnational and local governments in shaping mechanisms for planning, monitoring, reporting, and review. In Decision 15/6, local and subnational governments are invited- on a voluntary basis- to contribute commitments that support national biodiversity strategies and action plans, as well as the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), and to share these commitments through CBD-recognized online platforms.

In this context, it is crucial to address urban biodiversity metrics and target-setting, which are vital for measuring and reporting on the contributions of subnational and local governments to the GBF and the nature-positive agenda. This webinar, co-convened by ICLEI Oceania and ICLEI Cities Biodiversity Center, highlights science-based methodologies that allow for standardized reporting, while taking into account local and regional contexts and capacities. Key approaches and initiatives include the "3-30-300 rule," a recently proposed metric that establishes minimum standards for access to nature in cities for human well-being. This rule specifies that homes, schools, and workplaces should have a view of three trees, be located in neighborhoods with over 30% tree canopy cover, and be within a 300-meter walk of a park. Also explored is CitiesWithNature, a partnership initiative recognized in CBD Decision 15/12, which cities can use to access tools, resources, and track their contributions to the GBF; along with other initiatives like Cities Biodiversity Index and the Berlin Urban Nature Pact.

The webinar also delves into the resources and capacities needed to put these frameworks into practice and align national commitments with local and regional biodiversity actions within the global biodiversity agenda.

To watch the webinar recording, please click here. To read the responses to the questions which were not answered in the session, please click here.

Climate and Nature: Councils CaN!

Recognising the critical linkages between climate and nature, and the need for councils, capital cities and regions across Australia to urgently, and more effectively connect their climate and nature actions, ICLEI Oceania has curated a unique, integrated suite of Climate and Nature action offerings to support Australian councils – large or small, metropolitan, regional or remote – on their sustainability journeys.

The Climate and Nature (CaN) action suite includes practical tools, expert technical support and peer learning platforms to support Australian councils in accelerating local and state-level action, contributing not only to their current and future communities, but also to local and global targets, as direct, urgent and concrete responses the climate and biodiversity emergencies.

Australian councils (CaN) choose to participate in one or multiple initiatives/activities, creating their own path of climate and nature-related support, according to their needs and budget, regardless of how advanced their progress is in these areas of action.

The ICLEI São Paulo Strategic Vision 2024 – 2030

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ICLEI Activity Reporting

Every year, ICLEI undertakes hundreds of activities, alongside our local and regional government Members, to deliver sustainable development through our five pathways of zero emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development. Explore our activities here.

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Climate emergency resolution template (2019)

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Australian Local Government climate review (2018)

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ICLEI In the urba era (2018)

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This publications offers a snapshot of the motivation and approach behind the Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues launched by ICLEI.

ICLEI ACCCRN ENGAGEMENT BUILDING PROJECTS (2017)

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ZERO CARBON COMMUNITIES

Councils are encouraged to connect and map local community groups with through the Zero Carbon Communities map.

COP23 - CITIES & REGIONS ADVANCING GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTION (2017)

A report on how subnational and national levels of governance can together implement and track cohesive climate solutions.

COP23 - BRIDGING THE LOCAL AND GLOBAL (2017)

A report on how local and global governance systems can work together to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.

LINKING DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND LOSS & DAMAGE (2014)

This publication details new projects funded by the APN in 2014 under its Climate Adaptation Framework. These focused activities tackle the links between climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the context of loss and damage (L&D).

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CLIMATE ADAPTATION TOOLKIT (2008)

Launched in 2008, the Local Government Climate Adaptation Toolkit was one of the first adaptation toolkits developed globally. This ground-breaking resource developed by ICLEI Oceania as part of its Cities of Climate Protection Protection has been widely referenced by other organisations as they developed their own adaptation approaches