Building Biodiversity: Supporting Nature in London

The way we have been accustomed to designing our cities, with paved streets and grand buildings, is proving to be less resilient to the effects of climate change. Even after the pandemic, the desire to live in cities remains strong. There is often a false perception that urban living and country living are fundamentally different from each other. The countryside is viewed as full of open, green landscapes and full of nature, while urban living is viewed as the opposite; grey and crowded.



This report challenges this idea and makes clear that wherever humans locate themselves, they need nature around them to thrive and survive. Cities have a big environmental and climate impact and they must be changed to help us and the planet survive. Increasing biodiversity in cities is therefore crucial.



Nature and green infrastructure play an important role in our everyday lives: they provide us with somewhere to walk the dog, exercise or play, and somewhere to meet friends and relax. They help us feel calm and happy, bring people together and create a sense of identity and belonging. They improve air quality and reduce overheating. They are places where we can grow the food that feeds our families and can generate economic value in a myriad of ways. Sixty percent of people in the UK live in cities and so they must be diverse and green to allow us to thrive and lead healthy lives. We have seen the importance of this during the pandemic as many people’s eyes were opened as to how crucial nature and open spaces are to our wellbeing. London is leading on promoting biodiversity and the Mayor has committed to rebuilding a greener, cleaner and fairer city as we recover from the pandemic.



This report showcases the best examples of urban biodiversity in London and in other cities, to show what can be done when policymakers resolve to promote nature by improving green spaces and biodiversity. It shows how this is key to improving people’s health and wellbeing, tackling air pollution, the climate crisis and in strengthening the social bonds of our community

Download Leonie Cooper AM Building Biodiversity