China Cities Day: How Cities Are Leading the Way in Global Biodiversity
Kobie Brand, Deputy Secretary-General of ICLEI, joined the Event and delivered an opening remark 
Jean Lemire , Envoy for Climate Change and Nordic and Arctic Affairs, Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie, Quebec 
Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Vice President, Investment Solutions, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) 
Jun Hu, Director of Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy (PRCEE), Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China 
Group photo of the Opening speakers 
Guoqiang Pan Vice Mayor of Baishan Municipal People’s Government 
Hai Yu, Deputy Director, Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy (PRCEE),
Ministry of Ecology and Environment. 
Ke Wu, Deputy Director-General Level Ecological Environment Inspector, Department of
Ecology and Environment of Guizhou Province. 
Liang Jim Lim, Group Director/ Conservation concurrent Senior Director/ International
Biodiversity Conservation, National Parks Board (NParks). 
Daniela Reina, Advisor to the Mayor’s Office and Deputy Director of the Office of Relations
and Cooperation, Mayor's Office of Cali, Colombia 
Cuncao Fu, Wuhan Environmental Observer, presenter at Wuhan Television. 
Junzhi Liu , Executive Vice‑Mayor of the Shijiazhuang Municipal People’s Government. 
Kin Fung Chan , Assistant Director, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region 
Qichang Lin, First‑level Inspector, Department of Ecology and Environment of Heilongjiang Province. 
Lili Gu, Director of Ecological Civilisation Promotion Centre, Beilun Branch, Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment. 
Roby Biwer, Councillor, Municipality of Bettembourg; Member, European Committee of the Regions (Luxembourg) 
Rovana Reale Bortolini, Director-General, Sustainability Projects and Policies. City of Porto Alegre, Brazil 
First Roundtable 
Second Roundtable As the world seeks solutions to urgent challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss, cities and regions play a dual role: they are not only key implementers but also innovators in policy development. The strategies and experiences of urban centers are therefore invaluable in tackling these global issues. Since cities worldwide often face similar obstacles, fostering mutual learning and sharing knowledge is essential.
On October 23, ‘China Cities Day’ was held at the Subnational and Local Authorities hub in the blue zone. The event was co-organized by ICLEI, the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China, and the Tsinghua University Research Center for Ecological Civilization.
Representatives from nine Chinese local governments and seven from six other countries—including Canada, Singapore, South Korea, Colombia, Brazil, and Luxembourg—participated. They engaged in lively discussions on urban biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, green transitions, and international cooperation. By sharing local practices, participants collaboratively explored ways to advance the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
Inspiring Leadership: Setting the Stage for Transformative Change
The ‘China Cities Day’ event was chaired by Zhu Shu, ICLEI East Asia Secretariat Director and China Representative. The opening session featured powerful remarks from Kobie Brand, Deputy Secretary-General of ICLEI; Jean Lemire, Special Envoy for Climate Change, Nordic and Arctic Affairs of Québec; Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Vice President for Investment Solutions at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; and Hu Jun, Director of the Research Center for Environment and Economy at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China.
Kobie Brand highlighted the steadfast commitment of Chinese local governments to implementing the KMGBF. With more than 40 Chinese cities joining the ‘CitiesWithNature’ platform, the event became a dynamic showcase of innovative urban biodiversity actions. It also established a vital forum for building international partnerships, encouraging knowledge exchange, and promoting collaborative progress among cities worldwide.
Catalyzing Urban Leadership: Knowledge, Tools, and Global Impact
At the event, ICLEI East Asia introduced two groundbreaking resources: “Cities in Harmony with Nature: Case Studies of Urban Biodiversity Conservation in China” and the Chinese edition of the Cities Biodiversity Index (CBI). The case compendium showcases exemplary urban initiatives, highlighting the commitment, innovation, and progress of Chinese cities toward a vision of harmonious coexistence with nature. The CBI offers an essential framework for Chinese cities to systematically assess, monitor, and manage biodiversity, empowering urban leaders to embed conservation into every facet of planning and governance.
The event was focused on two high-impact themes. The first session spotlighted achievements in urban biodiversity conservation both in China and globally, facilitating the exchange of best practices and local solutions for implementing the KMGBF. Case studies ranged from sustainable urban development and strategic biodiversity planning to ecological restoration and nature-based solutions. The second session explored the dynamic interplay between urban green transformation and sustainable development, revealing how biodiversity conservation, the green economy, climate action, and the global sustainability agenda are deeply interconnected—and how new drivers of progress arise from ecological stewardship.
Unlocking Success: Collaborative Solutions and Proven Best Practices
As cities rapidly evolve, they confront multifaceted challenges related to the environment, ecology, and sustainable development. The pressing questions they face include how to achieve economic growth while safeguarding the environment, how to combat the intensifying threats posed by climate change, and how to address the heightened vulnerability of specific landscapes and species.
Despite the diverse natural landscapes and climatic conditions—from mountainous forests and coastal industrial ports to fragile karst formations, and from tropical climates to subarctic conditions—the strategies implemented across regions reveal noteworthy commonalities that can serve as models for others:
- Systematic Landscape Management: Effective biodiversity conservation extends beyond managing isolated land parcels; it encompasses the holistic management of entire ecosystems as unified functional units. By coordinating efforts across mountainous areas, rivers, wetlands, and coastal zones, local authorities can prevent habitat fragmentation and sustain the essential large-scale natural processes vital for wildlife survival.
For example, Baishan City in Jilin Province has unified the management of mountains, water, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands. Beilun District in Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, has consolidated terrestrial and marine ecological spaces under a comprehensive plan. Hong Kong’s extensive country park network designates 40% of its land for nature conservation, recreational use, and outdoor education.
- Smart Technological Infrastructure: The success of urban biodiversity conservation increasingly relies on transitioning from manual, seasonal field assessments to automated, real-time monitoring systems. By employing advanced digital infrastructure, city authorities can swiftly identify ecological threats, monitor wildlife populations, and enforce environmental regulations through precise analytics.
Shijiazhuang City, for instance, is implementing smart governance that includes an integrated monitoring network and a digital management chain for continuous monitoring, assessment, simulation, and decision-making. Wuhan has established a smart wetland information system that leverages environmental DNA technology for round-the-clock ecological monitoring. Furthermore, Singapore has developed a mapping platform to facilitate data sharing and process integration among various stakeholders.
- Eco-Value Transformation: The relationship between economic growth and environmental protection is crucial. Urban areas have the potential to transform healthy ecosystems into powerful engines of economic development, rather than merely conserving them. By creating sustainable, non-extractive industries, cities can tap into the value of nature while achieving strong economic outcomes.
For example, Guizhou has developed high-value, non-invasive regional forestry, herbal medicine, and honeybee farming. Similarly, Baishan has introduced sustainable cultural tourism brands—both “Summer” and “Winter”—that promote eco-friendly travel. Beilun, on the other hand, has replaced its heavy industrial waterfront with low-impact ecotourism and research hubs.
- Targeted Species Rescue: Cities and regions are not just home to humans; they also support unique and endangered species. Some cities have successfully saved highly vulnerable, iconic local species from extinction by consolidating scientific, legal, and spatial resources. The successful conservation of such emblematic species lays the groundwork for developing methodologies, funding models, and habitats necessary to protect the many other species that coexist with them.
For instance, Hong Kong has focused on protecting the Chinese pangolin, the three-banded box turtle, and the yellow-breasted bunting, while Wuhan has made strides in saving the finless porpoise and Baer’s pochard. Guizhou is focused on the Gray snub-nosed monkey and Mount Fanjing fir, and Heilongjiang is championing the Amur tiger, Amur leopard, and red-crowned crane. Each city presented its endemic species and outlined its conservation efforts during the event.
- Global Platform Alignments: Collaborating with international platforms enables cities to standardize their data, benchmark their progress against global counterparts, and showcase their achievements on a worldwide scale. Baishan is eager to engage with the ‘CityWithNature’ initiative, focusing on ecological restoration, species conservation, and the significance of ecological value.
Heilongjiang aims to create a cooperative network among cold-region cities, resource-based cities, and border cities to share insights on green transformation and tackle shared challenges collaboratively. Meanwhile, Guizhou hopes to establish an international exchange platform to share its valuable experiences in restoring fragile karst ecosystems, community-based co-management, and preserving agricultural cultural heritage with other karst mountain regions across the globe.
In conclusion, the insights shared during ‘China Cities Day’ illustrate the profound potential of cities to spearhead biodiversity conservation and climate action. By fostering collaboration, leveraging innovative approaches, and exchanging experiences, cities can significantly advance global efforts to protect our planet’s vital ecosystems.