Our mission and vision
In September 2020, FAO launched its Green Cities Initiative (GCI) at the 75th session of the United National General Assembly.
The FAO GCI envisions vibrant and inclusive cities where urban green and productive spaces catalyze biodiversity, climate resilience, social cohesion, and economic prosperity, bridging the gap between citizens and nature, and between urban and rural areas.
The mission of the FAO GCI, by 2030, is to make a tangible impact on the health and well-being of people in 1000 cities while actively addressing urbanization challenges. The GCI mission is achieved by integrating urban and peri-urban forestry, agriculture and bioeconomy into the fabric of urban life.
Such a multi-functional green infrastructure approach is promoted as lever for sustainable urban development and cities involved can enhance environmental, social and economic well-being of urban population
The FAO GCI assists cities to identify, develop and implement strategies tailored to their context contributing to green urban regeneration, increasing health and well-being of urban and peri-urban populations, supporting mitigation and adaptation to climate shocks and minimization of the carbon footprint, strengthening urban-rural linkages, and promoting sustainable urban development.Our strategy
The GCI strategy is built on three interconnected pillars operating at multiple levels:
Knowledge management
- Promoting the creation of a global community of practices to accelerate learning from each other's successes and promote innovation.
- Facilitating knowledge exchange and peer learning networks among cities to share experiences and best practices.
- Forging partnerships with relevant organizations at local, regional, national, and global levels to leverage resources, expertise, and networks in support of multifunctional green infrastructure initiatives.
- Facilitating informed decision-making through a framework for data analysis to identify gaps and challenges in maximizing ecosystem goods and services.
Capacity development
- Empowering key stakeholders through workshops and training sessions to build their capacity in designing and implementing holistic approaches to urban agriculture and forestry.
- Facilitating access to grants and financial incentives for pilot projects and preparation studies to mainstream multifunctional green infrastructure.
- Supporting action research and demonstration projects to pilot innovative approaches related to green infrastructure, providing opportunities for hands-on learning (i.e. Go Green Mombasa).
- Facilitating partnerships between local governments, research institutions, NGOs, and community-based organizations to share resources and expertise, encouraging participatory planning and community involvement.
Awareness raising
- Advocating for urban agriculture and forestry globally as key enablers of sustainable urban development, uniting municipal, national, and global efforts to enhance cities' involvement in global discussions.
- Engaging in policy influencing activities to advocate for sustainable urban development best practices and policies.
- Identifying champion cities and celebrating their success stories to encourage collaboration and decentralized cooperation.
- Implementing impact analysis of field projects to measure short and long-term benefits
