Green Cities for Health and Wellbeing –
The key role of trees and forests for resilience and climate change interventions”
Organized by FAO, in collaboration with CBD, ICLEI and UN-Habitat.
WUF, Naples, 5 September 2012, 12h00 to 13h30 (Room 5)
The Urban and Peri-Urban Forestry program of FAO will hold, during the 6th World Urban Forum, a side-event on the 5th September (12h00 to 13h30). The event, entitled “Green Cities for Health and Wellbeing – The key role of trees and forests for resilience and climate change interventions”, is meant to highlight the role of green infrastructures in building more resilient and healthy cities. Trees and forests contribute in fact in addressing global and local challenges, such as lowering the impact of climate change, conserving biodiversity, participating to green economy and improving food security and health within and around cities. Invited speakers will share their experiences on practices that guide towards a vision of green cities, such as good governance, urban design and harmonized urban-rural relationship. The event is organized by FAO in collaboration with CBD, ICLEI and UN-Habitat.
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Description of the event:
UN-HABITAT Priority Substantive Area: Urban Planning and Design (Regional and Metropolitan Planning)
Title: Green Cities for Health and Wellbeing – The key role of trees and forests for resilience and climate change interventions
Organized by: FAO (Forestry Department and “Food for the Cities” multi-disciplinary initiative)
Contact: Michelle Gauthier, FAO
Partners: UN-Habitat, ICLEI, CBD
Abstract
Cities are facing complex challenges related to increasing population and development of buildings and infrastructures, while they have to manage impacts of crisis: financial crisis, soaring food and energy prices, climate change and extreme weather events (island heat effect, rain and wind storms, floods and drought). Consequences on food and nutrition security, poverty and environmental degradation, including depletion of biodiversity, need to be faced. Pollution and sedentary lifestyles are dramatically affecting human health of urban dwellers. Green infrastructures, relying on forest and trees, contribute to build more resilient and healthy cities by helping them facing climate change challenges, protecting cities biodiversity. Invited speakers from municipalities (e.g. Milan), international organizations (ICLEI, HABITAT, CBD) will present the solutions they are putting in place in order to design, implement and manage greener cities. They will share their experiences on how it contributes to addressing food and nutrition security, health, and green economy challenges.
