Pandemic urban development is leading us away from nature

Recovery plans in Europe in the COVID-19 pandemic era have stimulated construction-led development, which has eclipsed nature-based agendas in terms of scale, size, and policy. One estimate is that only 0.3% of spending on urban infrastructure globally is directed towards various nature-based solutions and other ecosystem efforts supporting human well-being. In the future we will urgently need to employ nature-based approaches in crisis management for the power and potential of nature to be fully employed in pursuit of urban recovery. We strongly recommend that nature-based approaches be an explicit requirement to secure funding for future recovery plans.

Automated summary

Recovery plans in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic have prioritized construction-led development over nature-based agendas. Only 0.3% of global spending on urban infrastructure is dedicated to nature-based solutions and ecosystem efforts, hindering their potential in supporting human well-being. Urgent adoption of nature-based approaches in crisis management is needed for a holistic urban recovery. We strongly recommend making nature-based approaches a requirement to secure funding for future recovery plans.