The Green Cities Communiqué - The First International Green Cities Conference 14–15 October 2025 | Rome, Italy

22/10/2025

The Green Cities joint communiqué signed by FAO and UN-Habitat and adopted at the First International Green Cities Conference on 15 October 2025 sets out a shared vision for greener, healthier and more resilient cities. It calls for stronger integration of urban, peri-urban and rural systems, the creation of inclusive and healthy environments for all, and the use of innovation, data and knowledge to drive transformation.

FAO Green City principles and criteria - A pathway for defining, activating and recognizing integrated urban action

22/10/2025

The FAO Green Cities Principles and Criteria establish a framework to guide cities on their pathway toward becoming greener, healthier and more resilient. The framework translates the shared FAO Green City vision into enabling criteria that help cities assess readiness, track progress, mobilize finance and engage citizens in shaping inclusive and sustainable urban environments.

Lessons learned from city region food systems under multiple shocks and stresses - A synthesis report

30/11/2024

Multiple shocks and stresses, such as climate change, pandemics and conflicts, have disrupted global agrifood systems, affecting food security, nutrition, and livelihoods. The COVID-19 pandemic, in particular, emphasized the urgent need for local governments to strengthen food system resilience to withstand health, climate, and economic challenges.

Capturing the values and making the business case for nature-based solutions - A step by step guide

31/08/2024

This guide is designed to facilitate Nature based solutions adoption in urban areas by leveraging the economic value and countless benefits they have on communities and ecosystems. By providing step-by-step instructions and tools for capturing and communicating the values of NBS, this Guide and its complementary Workbook will support you in building a comprehensive business case for NBS.

Capturing the values and making the business case for NBS - Workbook

31/08/2024

This Workbook is a complementary resource to the Capturing the values and making the business case for nature-based solutions guide. It is not intended to replace the Guide, but rather serves as a dedicated tool for carrying out exercises, ticking off checkboxes when a task is completed, and approaching the nature-based solution(s) (NBS) valorization journey with more ease and clarity.

Urban forests: a global perspective

16/10/2023

Urban forestry is not a one-size-fits-all solution; each city and region, with its own unique set of challenges and opportunities, requires tailored strategies. In recognition of the diversity and distinctiveness of urban forestry issues and their potential for mitigating environmental and socioeconomic inequality across the globe, FAO has asked experts around the world to share their views on how urban forests and trees are perceived and managed in their respective geographical areas.

Circular bioeconomy in Abidjan: from food waste to the fork - BioDAF Project

30/06/2023

The Abidjan metropolitan area has over 6 million inhabitants and its urban population is growing by more than +3% every year. Access to employment, waste management and the sustainability of its food system are some of the many challenges associated with this very strong growth. As part of its circular economy strategy, the Autonomous District of Abidjan intends to implement the FAO's Green Cities Initiative within its territory, and has therefore requested technical assistance from the FAO.

Benefits of urban trees

01/05/2023

Building sustainable and resilient city region food systems - Assessment and planning handbook

30/04/2023

This Handbook is designed for technical staff in local and national institutions, and practitioners in cities/city regions that are implementing the city region food system (CRFS) assessment and planning process. Its purpose is to help familiarizing with the CRFS approach and key terminology, and guide the implementation of an assessment and planning following different steps and modules.

Building a resilient and sustainable future - Join the FAO Green Cities Initiative

24/04/2023

This leaflet is a simple overview of the Green Cities Initiative that focuses on improving the urban environment, strengthening urban-rural linkages and the resilience of urban systems, services and populations to external shocks.

Urban forestry and urban greening in drylands - Improving resilience, health, and wellbeing of urban communities

01/09/2022

The present document is intended to be used to provide a solid backgroudn to role of urban forests in supporting urban resilience in drylands, raise governments' interest in joining the programme, and attract both technical and resource partners to support its implementation.

Urban and peri-urban agriculture sourcebook - From production to food systems

03/01/2022

The purpose of this book is to set out the key lessons learned and to provide recommendations and guidance based on existing cases and examples for a wide range of actors involved in urban food systems. In particular, the aim is for this publication to serve as a sourcebook for local decision-makers, policy advisors, urban planners, specialists, practitioners and others involved in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA).

Green Cities Action Programme - building back better

01/01/2021

The main objective of the Green Cities Action Programme is to increase people’s wellbeing through increased availability of and access to products and services provided by green spaces including urban and peri-urban forestry, agriculture and by sustainable food systems.

Growing greener cities in Latin America and the Caribbean

30/03/2014

This report looks at progress made in “growing greener cities” in Latin America and the Caribbean – cities in which urban and peri-urban agriculture is recognized by public policy, included in urban development strategies and land-use planning, supported by agricultural research and extension, and linked to sources of technological innovation, investment and credit, and to urban markets and consumers.

On-farm practices for the safe use of waste water in urban and peri-urban horticulture - A training handbook for farmer field schools

30/09/2012

Many farmers in developing countries grow crops, especially vegetables, in urban and peri-urban environments using wastewater, raw or diluted, to irrigate their crops. Such wastewater is often heavily contaminated with disease-causing organisms and chemical agents that can seriously harm the health of the farmers,the traders who handle crops and the people who consume them.

Growing greener cities in Africa

30/07/2012

African policymakers need to act now to steer urbanization from its current, unsustainable path toward healthy, greener cities that ensure food and nutrition security, decent work and income, and a clean environment for all their citizens. This report highlights a key component of sustainable urban development: urban and peri-urban horticulture (UPH).