Urban Nature Exchange in Paris: Insights and Key Learnings
The Urban Nature Exchange (UNE) in Paris brought together our UNP+ cities and experts to explore innovative ways of integrating nature into urban spaces. Over two days, participants took part in discussions, hands-on activities and site visits, learning from Paris' ambitious greening projects and sharing insights on biodiversity, participatory governance and policy strategies.
Day 1 opened with a warm welcome from Deputy Mayor Christophe Najdovski, who highlighted Paris' vision to become a "garden city". He highlighted the city's efforts to reclaim streets and rooftops for green spaces, including plans to green 500 more streets by 2030. The day continued with a session on impact indicators, where cities began to select key metrics to measure the success of their greening projects. A tour of Chappelle Street showed how urban greening can transform low-income neighbourhoods, and participants documented their experiences through a photo essay exercise that will be shared soon through our media channels.
On day two, the focus shifted to the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), with cities discussing its implications and how to align their efforts with national restoration plans. The day also included discussions on participatory governance and its role in ensuring that urban greening is equitable and inclusive. The event concluded with a reflective walk through historic and modern parks in Paris, comparing different approaches to urban planning and sustainable green spaces.
Key Learnings from UNE Paris
- Clear indicators are essential to track the benefits of greening efforts and to secure long-term political and financial support. Cities need standardised tools to assess economic, social and environmental impacts.
- Urban nature needs to be inclusive and accessible. Field visits showed how greening efforts in low-income neighbourhoods can improve quality of life, but also raised concerns about gentrification and displacement. Community engagement is key to securing long-term support.
- While businesses can support urban greening, relying on them for funding can be risky. Transparent policies are needed to prevent greenwashing and ensure that private investment serves the public good.
- Discussions on the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR) highlighted the role of cities in shaping national restoration plans and securing stronger commitments to urban biodiversity.
- Urban greening challenges: Urban greening efforts face several challenges that cities must overcome. Public resistance can arise due to lack of awareness, social tensions or concerns about change, highlighting the need for greater community engagement from the outset. Beyond implementation, long-term maintenance is crucial - planting trees alone is not enough without proper watering and maintenance to ensure sustainability. Cities are also grappling with spatial prioritisation - should efforts focus on dense urban centres where green space is scarce, or extend to suburban areas for a broader ecological impact? Finding the right balance is an ongoing debate.
The UNE in Paris was just the beginning - our next in-person Urban Nature Exchange will take place in Burgas in June. We look forward to continuing these discussions and learning from and with each other.
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