Kanazawa City has been recognized this year as a model city for urban ecosystem regeneration in the “Generation Restoration Project,” which is part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration resolved at the UN General Assembly in March 2019. This project aims to implement a package of measures to address the political, technical, and financial challenges to promote ecosystem restoration in urban areas within the framework of the “UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and the Global Framework for Biodiversity” (especially Target 12).
At the core of the project will be 8 pilot cities and 11 model cities selected through a September 2023 selection process. These cities will support each other, particularly the pilot cities, in scaling up the implementation of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS).
From December 13 to 15, 2023, representatives, sponsors, and experts from the pilot and model cities gathered in Paris, France, for a three-day kick-off meeting and workshop. They shared successful examples and project plans from their respective cities, engaging in discussions that included expert input. Yoko Tomita (UNU-IAS OUIK Coordinator), represented Kanazawa City and shared examples of urban nature conservation and restoration efforts in the city. She particularly focused on biodiversity initiatives that leverage historical and cultural landscapes, such as irrigation systems and Japanese gardens, as well as responsible tourism strategies implemented as part of the SDG Future Cities initiative. Participants provided feedback emphasizing that “the protection of the landscape through the preservation or restoration of cultural heritage, along with the concurrent protection of urban nature and biodiversity, is unique and reflects the cultural identity of the region.”
Toronto and Seattle, also model cities, introduced their conservation efforts regarding urban and suburban forests, alongside volunteer initiatives.
The workshop included a guided tour of Paris led by a city official. The tour featured the Jardins de l’Archipel des Berges de Seine Niki de Saint-Phalle, a small park created by connecting five moored barges along the Seine River, as well as community gardens, pedestrianized streets near schools, and areas adorned with flowerbeds and trees. The official noted, “Until a few years ago, there were only three types of fish in the Seine River, but now there are dozens of species. Along with this, the number of bird species living in Paris has also increased. One of the reasons for the success of the project was the subsidies provided to farmers in the upstream areas to promote organic farming without the use of pesticides, ultimately improving the river’s environment.”
