Nature, Land, and Cities: What nature positive cities look like in the Arab region

The escalating challenges of the climate crisis and increasing pressure on and degradation of land systems prompt countries to act swiftly to protect their people and ecosystem services. The MENA region, the most urbanized region in the world, is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, already experiencing higher temperatures and increased frequency of extreme weather events e.g., drought, flash floods, and heatwaves, besides exacerbated water stresses and desertification. In response to these pressures, and to help achieve Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and work towards the G20 ambition to reduce degraded land by 50% by 2040 under the G20 Global Land Initiative at the UNCCD, integrated land use and landscape management and the adoption of science-based targets and frameworks that promote nature-based solutions (NbS) are essential.

Cities can enhance their resilience and adaptive capacities by working with nature and its ecosystems, bringing nature into the city, and enhancing resilient urban-rural linkages. Strengthening and safeguarding surrounding ecosystems enhances the provision of necessary basic services for city dwellers and their livelihoods.

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