Through a wide portfolio of Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), UNEP is working hand-in-hand with local governments to integrate Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into urban planning and implement demonstrative EbA interventions that showcase the numerous benefits and co-benefits of these solutions to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Through the GEF-funded CityAdapt project in Latin America and the Caribbean, and in Asia and the Pacific, as well as the GCF readiness Nature4Cities, UNEP is enhancing climate resilience of urban communities, while building a strong knowledge base on technical requirements, legislative successes or financing opportunities that serve for replicability and scaling up. As interest from local and national governments grow in these areas, UNEP aims to enhance support through new initiatives.
Urban nature can play a key role in increasing cities’ resilience against extreme heat. Trees, vegetation, water bodies, rooftop gardens, and green surfaces mitigate the Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE) and improve thermal comfort in and around buildings, simultaneously reducing mechanical cooling demand and bringing social cohesion and higher quality of life and health to communities.
Through the UNEP-led Cool Coalition, a concerted effort is being made to address the pressing challenges presented by urban heat islands and to enhance thermal comfort in and around buildings. Key components of this approach include the development of targeted knowledge, policy frameworks, financing support tools, and implementation assistance.
With the "Beating the Heat: A Sustainable Cooling Handbook for Cities" UNEP seeks to empower planners and policymakers to take comprehensive approaches to cool down sustainably, including through nature-based solution. The Nature for Cool Cities Challenge, launched at COP27, aims at inspiring and guiding cities to embrace nature-based cooling solutions.
