In March 2025, the City of Cape Town became a global hub for innovation in urban ecosystem restoration. The city hosted a four-day workshop, organized by UNEP in partnership with ICLEI, which provided a unique platform for subnational governments and technical urban experts from the 24 cities part of the Generation Restoration initiative to come together and exchange knowledge, best practices, and real-world experiences. From nature-based solutions (NbS) to sustainable financing and inclusive governance, participants shared how they are building more resilient cities while restoring the urban ecosystems that sustain them.
This story highlights some of the most insightful takeaways from these productive and inspiring exchanges, showcasing how local action, community leadership, and bold innovation are shaping the future of urban restoration.
Cities Are Part of the Problem and the Solution
Cities are often seen as symbols of environmental degradation, but that narrative is shifting. Around the world, urban areas are emerging as powerful drivers of ecosystem restoration. The Generation Restoration initiative highlights the growing leadership of cities in embedding NbS into their development strategies. Restoration is no longer an add-on. It is becoming central to how cities reimagine infrastructure, community wellbeing, and climate resilience.
From urban tree planting in Toronto in Canada, to urban wetland rehabilitation in Iloilo in the Philippines, the Generation Restoration cities demonstrate that local action can have global significance. Many projects that began as small-scale pilots are now shaping formal policies and attracting broader investment. There is a shared recognition that the future of restoration lies not just in technical solutions but in people-centered approaches that respond to the unique social, cultural, and ecological dynamics of each city and its unique context.
Putting Communities at the Heart of Restoration
One clear takeaway from the workshop: lasting urban restoration only works when people are at the center of the effort. Cities from all regions emphasized that community ownership is critical not just for maintaining restored ecosystems but for embedding restoration as a shared, long-term value and for restoration projects to thrive long after the ribbon cutting.
In Kisumu, Kenya, students adopting trees in school clubs built a new generation of environmental stewards, while Glasgow’s Forest and Woodland Strategy has strengthened community pride and ownership by involving residents in tree planting and maintenance activities.
As participants noted, restoration is not just about restoring ecosystems, it is about restoring relationships between people and nature. Building trust, investing in community capacity, and celebrating local leadership are essential to make urban restoration truly transformative.
Bridging Local Action with Global Vision
In his keynote address during the Cape Town workshop, Professor Bruce Hewitson from the University of Cape Town called for bridging climate action with biodiversity conservation, grounded in local knowledge and equitable collaboration. He emphasized that effective action must reflect the realities of each community, from climate risk to cultural values, and that climate responses must integrate humility, transparency, and inclusivity. One of his most powerful messages was that the dominance of climate research from the Global North has created knowledge gaps that can only be addressed through greater collaboration and local empowerment.
This emphasis on context and inclusivity resonated throughout the workshop. Cities are increasingly recognizing that restoration efforts must be co-created with the communities they serve. In places like Kanazawa, Japan, and Sirajganj, Bangladesh, engaging youth and honoring traditional knowledge are key strategies for cultivating long-term environmental stewardship. The restoration of an old landfill in Quezon City in the Philippines, led by former waste worker communities, illustrates how inclusive engagement can drive both environmental and social transformation.
From Community Gardens to Citywide Policy
A key insight from the workshop was the shift from pilot projects to systemic change. Across continents, cities are embedding restoration in long-term urban policy, supported by multi-sector partnerships. In Cape Town, community “Friends Groups” co-manage natural areas with the city. In São Paulo, Brazil, revenue from park concessions helps fund the maintenance and expansion of green infrastructure. Cities like Montréal in Canada and Manaus in Brazil are creating biodiversity catalogues and planting native species that support pollinators, reduce heat, and generate income.
These efforts reflect a new level of ambition. Cities are not only restoring nature, they are restoring community trust, social equity, and public health. And they are doing so in the face of significant challenges: political transitions, fragmented governance, limited funding, and the pressure to prioritize short-term development over long-term ecological investment.
Financing, Scaling, and Sustaining Restoration
Financing remains one of the most significant barriers cities face in scaling restoration. But the workshop revealed that solutions are emerging. Seattle’s “One Seattle” approach, for instance, unifies city departments and builds partnerships with private sector actors like Microsoft. The city of Dakar in Senegal demonstrated how creating a greenbelt around the city increases access to nature and promotes ecotourism. Meanwhile, cities like Mendoza in Argentina and Kochi in India are exploring how secondary revenue streams, such as eco-tourism or environmental service fees, can ensure financial sustainability.
What cities need, however, goes beyond funding. They require technical capacity, standardized tools for measuring impact, and stronger communication strategies to engage funders and communities alike. Across the workshop, there was an urgent call for frameworks that help cities demonstrate the co-benefits of NbS, from climate adaptation and public health to job creation and education.
A Shared Commitment to Go Further
By the end of the workshop, one message was clear: cities are not waiting for permission to lead. They are building coalitions, testing new ideas, and turning community values into tangible outcomes. Restoration, for them, is not only about planting trees or cleaning rivers. It is about shifting mindsets, rebalancing power, and shaping futures that are inclusive, resilient, and alive with nature.
Cities are at the forefront in tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis, and Generation Restoration is giving them a platform to build momentum.
About Generation Restoration (2023-2025)
The UNEP Generation Restoration project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), focuses on scaling up urban ecosystem restoration. Running from 2023 to 2025, UNEP, in collaboration with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and ICLEI’s Global Biodiversity Centre, is working with 24 cities to address key political, technical, and financial challenges. The project has two key components: advocating for public and private investment in ecosystem restoration and job creation through nature-based solutions and empowering city stakeholders globally to replicate and scale restoration initiatives. This initiative stands as a contribution to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Global Biodiversity Framework.
About the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
The UN General Assembly has declared 2021–2030 a UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Led by the UN Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, together with the support of partners, it is designed to prevent, halt, and reverse the loss and degradation of ecosystems worldwide. It aims at reviving billions of hectares, covering terrestrial as well as aquatic ecosystems. A global call to action, the UN Decade draws together political support, scientific research, and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration.