First International Symposium on Urban Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (Asia Region) Held at IUE

February 26, 2025

The First International Symposium on Urban Biodiversity and Sustainable Development (Asian Regional) was successfully convened at the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IUE-CAS) in Xiamen from February 20-21.

Jointly organized by the Biodiversity Committee of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with co-organization from IUE-CAS, UNEP's International Ecosystem Management Partnership, and the ISC's Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme, the symposium received guidance from China's 21st Century Agenda Management Center.

The event gathered 140 distinguished participants representing 31 global universities, 14 research institutions, and 21 various organizations. Over two days of intensive discussions, experts and policymakers examined critical issues surrounding biodiversity conservation in urban environments and sustainable development pathways for rapidly growing cities.

The symposium featured 32 presentations across four thematic sessions, comprehensively showcasing the latest research achievements and practical experiences in urban ecology. These sessions covered diverse topics including urban biodiversity monitoring and conservation, nature-based solutions and sponge city development, urban environmental health and ecological restoration, as well as public participation and urban sustainable development.

This conference not only provided novel perspectives for urban biodiversity research but also offered valuable theoretical and practical guidance for urban biodiversity conservation. Participating experts unanimously agreed that integrating science, policy and practice can more effectively promote the sustainable development of urban ecosystems. Looking ahead, they emphasized the need to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and global cooperation to deepen the integration of urban biodiversity research with policy implementation, thereby contributing knowledge and solutions toward achieving global sustainable development goals.