Penn IUR Joins Global Leaders in Cape Town for Urban Ecosystem Restoration Workshop

As cities worldwide grapple with the dual challenges of climate change and environmental degradation, the Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR) is supporting global efforts that place nature at the heart of sustainable urban development. Last month, Amanda Lloyd, Global Programs Director at Penn IUR, participated as a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) partner in the Generation Restoration global workshop for urban nature-based solutions (NbS) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The workshop was hosted from March 25–28, 2025, by ICLEI Africa (Local Governments for Sustainability) Cities Biodiversity Center in partnership with UNEP and brought together representatives from 19 international cities. These included both “role model” and “pilot” cities committed to restoring urban ecosystems as part of UNEP’s Generation Restoration (GenRes) grant program for urban nature-based solution projects. This initiative contributes to the broader goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

As an invited UNEP partner, Lloyd represented Penn IUR’s role in advancing interdisciplinary research on financing urban nature. “It was an honor to learn from and share insights with cities leading the way in ecosystem restoration and urban nature-based solutions,” said Lloyd. “The discussions underscored the urgency—and the opportunity—of integrating nature-based solutions into urban planning, especially as cities face the triple environmental crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.”

A Global Platform for Urban Solutions

The Cape Town workshop emphasized peer-to-peer learning and practical knowledge sharing across a diverse group of local government officials, urban planners, ecologists, and policy experts. Sessions focused on:

• Success stories and lessons from implementing and scaling ecosystem restoration projects;
• Opportunities for collaboration with donors, technical assistance providers, and partner cities; and 
• Building long-term global city networks to advance urban nature restoration and nature-based infrastructure solutions beyond 2025.

The workshop also included in-depth site visits to several of Cape Town’s restoration initiatives. Delegates explored coastal dune restoration projects in Blaauwberg and Bloubergstrand on Table Bay and protected wetland areas in Overstrand. The workshops were hosted by the City of Cape Town Environmental Education Centre in Green Point Park, adjacent to the central business district. As a model city, these on-the-ground experiences highlighted initiatives that align closely with Cape Town’s broader vision for urban resilience and ecological stewardship.

Penn IUR’s Role: Connecting Research and Practice

Lloyd’s participation in the Generation Restoration workshop builds on Penn IUR’s mission to bridge urban research with real-world application, including the recent October 2024 report From Grey to Green, Better Data to Finance Nature in Cities. The report, part of UNEP’s State of Finance for Nature in Cities series, drew on the experience of GenRes cities to improve the integration of nature finance in urban planning and mainstream urban NbS across more government departments. Through its global programs, the Institute supports collaborations that connect academia with practitioners to shape evidence-based urban policy and planning.

“Penn IUR’s participation supports the goals of Generation Restoration but also reinforces our broader commitment to advancing knowledge that helps cities thrive—socially, economically, and ecologically,” Lloyd said.

Penn IUR will continue collaborating with UNEP and ICLEI in the coming year to improve urban nature finance. As the initiative heads its final phase in December 2025, increasing cross-sector knowledge exchange among cities will remain critical to ensuring that urban restoration efforts and nature-based solutions take root and flourish worldwide.

About Generation Restoration Cities

Launched by UNEP in partnership with ICLEI and other global stakeholders, Generation Restoration Cities is a capacity-building initiative aimed at embedding ecosystem restoration in the fabric of urban development. By working directly with cities across continents, the program supports the design and implementation of scalable, community-based restoration projects.

For more information about Penn IUR’s global initiatives, visit http://penniur.upenn.edu/initiatives.