国产探花

World Cities Day Event Recap: Urban Afforestation for Resilience

Urban afforestation can enhance cities鈥� resilience, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. We recently hosted an in-person event in Riyadh to celebrate World Cities Day – in this article we’ve highlighted key insights from the event presentation and panel discussion.

Urbanisation is inevitable, with . This rapid growth positions cities at the forefront to combat the climate crisis, which brings challenges such as land degradation. Urban afforestation is a crucial strategy to help combat this desertification and mitigate climate change impacts. Given that , addressing desertification is a significant environmental challenge. 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with approximately a third of its land classified as desert, is heavily impacted by desertification. However, the nation has strongly committed to tackling this issue. It will host the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Sixteenth Conference of Parties (COP 16) in Riyadh from 2 -13 December 2024. 

To discuss these efforts, our event featured insights from a representative of Green Riyadh, the National Centre for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC), and a senior advisor to the high-level climate champions. The session was hosted by Hrvoje Cindri膰 from 国产探花, who leads the urban strategies team in the Middle East. 

Host:

Guest speakers:

What did we learn?

1. Desertification is more than just the encroachment of deserts or sand dune movements onto valuable lands. It encompasses land degradation in arid and semi-arid landscapes due to human pressure on fragile ecosystems, deforestation, and climate change. With more people moving to live in cities, there is a growing demand for natural resources for sustenance. Urban sprawl also exacerbates land degradation by encroaching on otherwise valuable agricultural and natural lands. While urbanisation is inevitable, and a significant driver of desertification, it can be mitigated through planning of growth and comprehensive afforestation initiatives. These initiatives can help restore degraded lands, enhance urban resilience, and create sustainable urban environments. 

2. Trees in urban settings capture more carbon and offer potential holistic solutions, such as using treated water for irrigation. Bringing water, as a uniquely circular resource, into the development process is critical. This urban approach fosters partnerships for climate action by bringing together various stakeholders. It enables balanced urban development that fosters a harmonious relationship between the natural and built environments. However, it is crucial to create and enforce policies that promote urban afforestation in arid and semi-arid regions to ensure the sustainability of these urban afforestation initiatives. 

3. One of the most significant challenges for urban afforestation in arid cities is the provision of tree seedlings. Nature cannot be hurried, and time for seedlings to grow cannot be ramped up as workforce and or material use. To ensure long-term sustainability, it is also essential to focus on selecting plant species that are resilient to harsh climates and require minimal water and maintenance. Additionally, integrating the informal sector into the supply chain will maximise the impact and ensure the sustainability of urban afforestation efforts, with food production another important benefit in less developed countries.