BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 20. Nature is no longer
seen as an additional element of the urban environment, but as a
basic urban infrastructure in Europe, Regional Director for Europe
at Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) Matthew Bach said
at a session entitled "Building Nature-Positive Cities Housing,
Resilience, and Sustainable Urban Futures" within the framework of
the 13th session of the World Forum of Cities (WUF13) in Baku,
Trend reports.
According to Bach, a comprehensive regulatory framework for
nature restoration and biodiversity has been established in
Europe.
He noted that following the adoption of the 2030 Biodiversity
Strategy and the entry into force of the Nature Restoration
Regulation, EU countries have begun developing national ecosystem
restoration plans.
"Nature is not a 'nice-to-have' or an afterthought. It is key
urban infrastructure," he emphasized.
Bach also noted that European cities are integrating
nature-based solutions into climate and spatial planning.
He cited examples of Mannheim, Germany, where the Green Deal
intersectoral team operates, and Burgas, Bulgaria, which uses urban
nature plans to improve air quality and sustainable mobility.
The ICLEI representative emphasized that financing nature
projects remains a key challenge.
According to him, blended financial mechanisms are needed to
implement such initiatives, including government co-financing and
international bank lending.
He added that financing is only possible with well-designed
projects and integrated urban planning.
Today marks the fourth day of WUF13 in Baku.
The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the
New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women
and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban
prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and
Azerbaijani flags also took place.
The second day stood out for the inaugural Leaders' Summit,
featuring high-level discussions on the global housing crisis,
urbanization policy, and urban resilience. Concurrently, the
opening of the Mexico City pavilion took place, serving as a
significant platform for expanding cooperation with the Latin
American region and preparing for WUF14.
The third day of WUF13 featured a comprehensive program of
events covering the global housing crisis, the formation of safe
and inclusive cities, climate resilience, artificial intelligence
and urban governance, green urbanization, social equity, and
sustainable transport.
WUF13, which has attracted more than 40,000 registered
participants from 182 countries, will continue until May 22. Held
under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and
communities,” the forum brings together governments, international
organizations, experts, and representatives of civil society to
strengthen global cooperation in the field of sustainable urban
development.
