City of London Briefings
Enhancing green spaces in London where all natural pollinators can thrive, and their habitats can be enjoyed by all.
Climate change is at the core of ‘Build Back Better’ conversations, and the City of London is committed to making London a greener city while addressing climate change and economic stability. Adaptation to climate change has nature at its core, and the evidence of plants – the ‘living green’ – in creating and accelerating the change that is needed for vibrant city life is compelling.
These briefings aim to provide the latest evidence for the benefits of plants in creating liveable, resilient cities and present practical examples of how these benefits are realised. The focus of this series is on adapting to climate change.
The AIPH video series has been embedded here for you to explore. PLT’s Vice Chair Dr Heather Barrett-Mold OBE is the moderator for videos #6, The Critical Dynamics of City Biodiversity and Global Conservation, and #8, The City of London Update of Climate Action.
1. The City of the Future is Green: This video provides viewers with an introductory briefing. It is opened by the Lord Mayor of the City of London Alderman William Russell. Sir Roger Gifford, a Senior Banker at SEB in London, is the guest speaker.
2. Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management in Cities: In this briefing, viewers can tour virtually around the world with Robert Brears and learn how leading cities are using innovative, multifunctional NBS for mitigating urban flooding and improving water quality while providing multiple co-benefits. Learn from Prof. James Hitchmough how other cities have met challenges in rethinking integration of water management to deliver multifunctional benefits with design and plant selection.
3. Green Roofs and Walls – an Extra-Dimensional Approach to City Greening: The innovative thinking of horizontal and vertical spaces enables retrofitting living green into city infrastructure, delivering solutions to the impacts of climate change, supporting local biodiversity, and improving the visual urban landscape. This briefing reports on the implementation and planning of green roof and walls in response to legislation and financial incentives that support greater uptake. Dr Daniela Rizzi, Senior Officer for Nature-Based Solutions and Biodiversity at ICLEI Europe, is joined by Mr Dusty Gedge, President Federation of European Green Roofs and Walls, and Mr Kelvin Kan, Principal Architect & Facade Consultant, and founder of AgFacadesign in Singapore, to discuss advances in city greening.
4. The Intersection Between Built Infrastructure, Nature, and Wellbeing: Moderated by Toronto City Councillor Jennifer McKelvie, this briefing hears from Dr Curtis Gubb, Environmental Consultant at Cundall, London, UK on the synergistic relationship between biophilia, indoor environmental quality and productivity, and Ms Marion Waller, Advisor to the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, on ‘Reinventing Paris: toward an ecological restoration of Paris’.
5. The Policy and Practice of Urban Forests – Urban Heat Island Effect and Urban Forests: Moderated by Prof Rob Adams AM, City Design for the City of Melbourne, this briefing hears from Prof Dr Cecil van Konijnendijk, Director of the Nature-based-solutions Institute, on ‘From nature’s benefits to policy implementation – The urban forestry experience’, and Mr Ian Shears, Principal of Ian Shears Green Infrastructure + Urban Forestry, on ‘Unleashing the potential of nature – from knowledge to practice’.
6. The Critical Dynamics of City Biodiversity and Global Conservation: Moderated by Dr Heather Barrett-Mold, Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, this session welcomes Mrs Hilary Russell, The Lady Mayoress, City of London, Dr Mike Maunder, Executive Director, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, and Marina Ruta, Lead of the BiodiverCities by 2030 Initiative by the World Economic Forum.
7. The Benefits of Plants in Improving the Air Quality of Cities: Moderated by Dr Audrey Timm, AIPH Technical Advisor, this session welcomes Dr Henrik Sjöman from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Dr Tijana Blanusa, RHS Principal Horticultural Scientist based at the University of Reading.
8. The City of London Update on Climate Action: Moderated by Dr. Heather Barrett-Mold, Immediate Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, this briefing welcomes, to speak, Alderman Alison Gowman and Mr Gordon Roy from the City of London Corporation.