Strengthening Urban Biodiversity

• 27 May 2025

For Prelims: Biodiversity, International Day for Biological Diversity, United Nations, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, Urban Heat Island Effect, Wetlands, Forest Survey of India (2023), Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Reserved Forest, Ramsar Site, Miyawaki Method.  

For Mains: Need of urban biodiversity and Ways to strengthen urban biodiversity in India. 

Source: TH 

Why in News? 

Urban biodiversity is vital for a healthy planet and human well-being but faces severe threats, from habitat loss and climate change. On International Day for Biological Diversity (22^nd May), the theme “Harmony with nature and sustainable development” stresses the urgent need to integrate ecological conservation into urban growth. 

What is Urban Biodiversity?

• About: Urban Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms (plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms) found within cities and urban areas.  
  • It includes all life forms in human-dominated environments, such as parks, gardens, green roofs, wetlands, and built structures. 
• Key Components:  
  • Green spaces: Parks, gardens, green belts, lawns, roadside trees. 
  • Blue spaces: Lakes, rivers, canals, ponds, wetlands. 
  • Built structures: Walls, roofs, and abandoned buildings that provide habitats (e.g., bats in attics, birds nesting on buildings). 
  • Wildlife corridors: Paths that allow animals to move between green patches (e.g., tree-lined streets) 
• Prominent Examples: 
  • Wetlands within cities, e.g., the Okhla Bird Sanctuary in Delhi, Varthur Lake in Bengaluru. 
  • Urban forests and biodiversity parks, e.g., the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai.  
  • Rivers and lakes passing through cities, supporting aquatic biodiversity (e.g., In Pune, the Mutha and Mula rivers demonstrate high biodiversity, with many freshwater invertebrate species). 

What is the Significance of Urban Biodiversity Conservation for India? 

• Mitigating Climate Change & Pollution: Urban green spaces reduce urban heat island effect e.g., Frankfurt’s green belts lowered temperatures by 3.5°C.  
  • Trees sequester carbon, filter air pollutants, and reduce noise pollution (a 10m-wide tree line cuts noise by 5 decibels). 
  • Wetlands and urban forests help in flood control and groundwater recharge. 
• Health & Well-being Benefits: Parks and green spaces offer a vital escape from “concrete jungles,” enhancing mental health, reducing stress, and providing recreational opportunities, while also supporting important pollinators like bees and butterflies that help secure food supply. 
  • E.g., Green walls shield Delhi from the hot desert winds blowing in from Rajasthan to the west. 
• Economic Benefits: Urban trees in mega cities deliver ecosystem services valued at Rs 8 crore per sq. km annually, including air purification, temperature moderation, stormwater management, and aesthetic benefits. 
  • Proximity to parks and water bodies also raises property values, boosting local economies. 
• Global Commitments: The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Target 12 emphasizes integrating green and blue spaces into urban planning. 
  • The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) highlights the need to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. 

What are the Key Issues Affecting Urban Biodiversity in India? 

• Rising Urban Sprawl: In 2025, nearly 50% of the global population lives in urban areas, projected to reach 70% by 2050 pressurising natural green spaces. 
  • The Forest Survey of India (2023) shows major cities have an average forest cover of just 10.26%, with Mumbai highest at 25.43% and Ahmedabad lowest at 3.27%. 
  • From 2021 to 2023, Chennai and Hyderabad lost 2.6 and 1.6 sq. km of forest, reflecting urban growth at the expense of biodiversity. 
• Heat Island Effect: Concrete-dominated cities like Delhi are 4–6°C hotter than rural areas, stressing urban wildlife.  
  • The surface urban heat island effect drives birds to suburban areas, impacting their breeding and foraging. 
• Loss of Urban Wetlands & Water Bodies: The East Kolkata Wetlands, a Ramsar site, are under increasing threat from encroachment, endangering critical habitats for migratory birds such as the Northern Pintail.  
  • Alarmingly, just 15% of Chennai's wetlands survive today—a steep drop from 80% in earlier decades when the city’s urban footprint was much smaller. 
• Pollution: Urban pollution—air, water, soil, and noise—harms biodiversity by disrupting animal health, communication, and ecosystems, as seen in Delhi’s toxic air and Bangalore’s polluted Bellandur Lake.

What Measures can be Adopted to Enhance Urban Biodiversity in India?   

• Promoting Green Infrastructure: Promoting green infrastructure like parks, urban forests, wetlands, and green roofs boosts urban biodiversity and climate resilience.  
  • Adopting UN Habitat’s 3-30-300 Rule—3 trees in view, 30% canopy cover, and parks within 300m—enhances ecosystem services, cools cities, and supports wildlife.   
• Development of City Biodiversity Index: The City Biodiversity Index, currently implemented in states like Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, assesses native species, ecosystem services, and governance to help cities create Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (LBSAPs) for conservation and enhanced human well-being, and should be expanded to all major Indian cities in a phased manner. 
  • The International Council for Local Environmental Initiative (ICLEI) Asia developed a City Biodiversity Index using 23 indicators for cities like Kochi, Gangtok, and Nagpur. 
• Restore and Protect Urban Water Bodies: There is an urgent need to manage garbage dumping and treat sewage pollution in urban lakes using conventional or nature-based solutions, alongside legal protection to prevent further loss of lakes and wetlands. 
  • E.g., The Madras Race Club land at Guindy is being transformed into a lake to enhance groundwater recharge, while the Pallikaranai marsh in Chennai—once a wasteland and garbage dump—has been partly restored and declared a reserved forest and Ramsar site. 
• Decentralized Greening: Decentralized greening empowers communities through pocket parks, gardens, and street trees, boosting local biodiversity.  
  • E.g.,Chennai’s Koyambedu market project 2021 regenerated 141 plant species and attracted key bird and butterfly species, outperforming the Miyawaki method by mimicking a natural three-layered forest on small urban lands. 
• Integrating Biodiversity into Urban Planning: Enhancing urban biodiversity in India requires integrating biodiversity into urban planning through mandatory impact assessments and city-level action plans with green corridors and habitat connectivity. 
  • Strict penalties and enforcement are needed to prevent environmental violations and ensure sustainable urban growth. 
  • The Supreme Court of India’s firm action against the mass tree destruction in Hyderabad’s Kancha Gachibowli area for IT development sets a key precedent for urban biodiversity protection. 

International Day for Biological Diversity 

• About: The United Nations declared 22nd May as the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to raise awareness about biodiversity. 
  • Originally, the day was celebrated on 29th December, marking the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).  
  • However, in 2000, the UN moved the date to 22nd May to honor the adoption of the CBD’s text on that day in 1992. 
• Biological Diversity: Biodiversity as a concept, first coined by Walter G. Rosen in 1985 and includes the wide variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms, as well as the genetic differences within species (like different crop varieties and livestock breeds) and the variety of ecosystems (lakes, forests, deserts, agricultural landscapes) where many living beings interact. 
  • These resources are the foundation of human civilization e.g.,  
    • Fish provide 20% of animal protein for about 3 billion people,  
    • Plants make up over 80% of the human diet, and  
    • About 80% of people in rural areas of developing countries rely on traditional plant-based medicines for basic healthcare. 
  • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated the years 2011-2020 as the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, aiming to advance the implementation of a strategic plan for biodiversity. 

Conclusion 

Urban biodiversity is vital for climate resilience, health, and economic prosperity. With rising urbanization, integrating green-blue spaces through policies like the 3-30-300 rule, City Biodiversity Index, and community-driven conservation is crucial. Legal protection, decentralized greening, and wetland restoration can ensure sustainable cities, balancing development with ecological harmony for future generations. 

Drishti Mains Question:

“Harmony with nature and sustainable development” is key to conserving urban biodiversity. Discuss the challenges and strategies for promoting biodiversity in rapidly urbanizing cities.

UPSC Civil Services Examination Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Prelims

Q. With reference to the role of UN-Habitat in the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future, which of the statements is/are correct? (2017)

• UN-Habitat has been mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities to provide adequate shelter for all. 
• Its partners are either governments or local urban authorities only. 
• UN-Habitat contributes to the overall objective of the United Nations system to reduce poverty and to promote access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. 

Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

(a) 1, 2 and 3 

(b) 1 and 3 only 

(c) 2 and 3 only 

(d) 1 only 

Ans: (b)

Q. As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following  statements is correct? (2019)  

(a) Waste generators have to segregate waste into five categories.   

(b) The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships only   

(c) The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities.   

(d) It is mandatory on the part of the waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district.   

Ans: (c)

---

Mains

Q. The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Discussing the reasons for urban floods, highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (2016)

Q. Do government’s schemes for up-lifting vulnerable and backward communities by protecting required social resources for them, lead to their exclusion in establishing businesses in urban economies? (2014)