Coming Soon! The Urban Biodiversity Accelerator

A joint offering of Center for Regenerative Solutions, the City of Boulder, Colorado’s Climate Initiatives Program, ICLEI Europe and ICLEI USA, Instituto Humboldt, and Xerces Society. the Urban Biodiversity Accelerator was first announced at the United Nations’ 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity in Colombia. 

As cities worldwide seek to implement the ambitious biodiversity protection and enhancement goals set in global venues and frameworks, the Urban Biodiversity Accelerator offers a pragmatic and action-oriented solution to the challenge of putting ambition into relevant community-benefiting action. 

Launching in 2025 across three global regions–Europe, North America, and Latin America–the Urban Biodiversity Accelerator will emphasise collaborative learning and tailored capacity-building efforts on urban biodiversity and ecosystem management through our UrbanByNature programme.

The Accelerator aims to equip urban leaders with the tools, knowledge, and partnerships needed to move from policy frameworks to on-the-ground, equity-centred actions that foster biodiversity, climate resilience, and long-term sustainable community development. 

Providing a structured, yet tailored, framework for collaboration, exchange, and dynamic capacity-building, the Accelerator will cover the following:

• Scaling Nature-Based Solutions: The Accelerator supports cities in rapidly deploying and scaling up proven nature-based solutions that address climate resilience, biodiversity loss, and community health.
• From Commitments to Action: The Urban Biodiversity Accelerator bridges the gap between ambitious global biodiversity commitments and real-world urban implementation, turning high-level targets into tangible local outcomes.
• Equity and Community-Centred Solutions: Urban biodiversity efforts must prioritise equity, ensuring that all communities benefit from and contribute to nature-based solutions, especially in vulnerable urban areas. The Accelerator also introduces strategies to create equity-centred economic and community development benefits from the biodiversity actions being implemented.
• Cross-Sectoral and Cross-Regional Collaboration: Successful urban biodiversity strategies depend on strong partnerships across regions and sectors—this Accelerator provides a platform to foster and sustain these collaborations.
• Innovative Financing for Urban Biodiversity: Unlocking new and sustainable financing mechanisms, such as green bonds and blended finance, is critical to scaling nature-based solutions. The Accelerator connects cities with tools and partners to explore these opportunities.
• Capacity Building for Long-Term Success: The Accelerator equips city officials and stakeholders with the skills, tools, and technical support needed to build lasting urban biodiversity strategies that align with global frameworks.

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