AIPH Green City Briefing: Inspiring green cities of the future

Creating cities suitable for the next generation means creating urban environment that are resilient and sustainable.

For young people growing up in cities, urban green spaces provide a vital place to connect with nature. Featuring the winner of the AIPH Green City Award Youth Jury Winner, join this webinar to hear how innovative urban design is integrating green infrastructure as a response to the challenge of creating future proof cities.

Programme

13:00 – Welcome by MC Sudha Kottillil, Global Youth Biodiversity Network

13:15 – Presentation by Dr Nadina Galle

When one thinks of nature, images of idyllic mountain landscapes and lush pine forests often come to mind. However, for 80% of Western populations residing in urban centres, the importance of nature within city landscapes is equally significant. With climate change impacting communities globally, nature plays an increasingly crucial role in supporting and protecting our cities. It offers solutions to diverse challenges such as mental health, flood resilience, and wildfire management.
According to ecological engineer and 2024 National Geographic Explorer, Dr. Nadina Galle, nature stands as our most vital infrastructure in addressing both public health and climate resilience—it just needs a little support.
In her debut book, THE NATURE OF OUR CITIES: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet, Nadina combines humor and poignancy to provide a nuanced examination of urban life in the 21st century. The book explores our growing detachment from nature and introduces an unexpected ally—technology. This ally not only helps us reconnect with nature but also improves public health and strengthens cities against the impacts of climate change.
During her presentation for the AIPH Green City Briefing series, Nadina takes us on a captivating and urgent journey. She showcases how scientists and citizens worldwide are harnessing technology and the natural world to safeguard their cities—a phenomenon she terms the “Internet of Nature.”

13:30 – The Winning City of the AIPH Youth Award 2024 

Three cities were selected as finalists for the AIPH Youth Award by the impressive Youth Jury.

• Green Factor Tool – City of Melbourne, Australia
• Rita Lee Park – Rio Olympic Park Legacy – Rio de Janeiro City Hall, Brazil
• Climate Change Strategy – City of Joondalup, Australia

The winning city will be announced on 25th September 2024 at the gala dinner event at the Future Green City World Congress  in Utrecht, the Netherlands. AIPH is proud to be a partner of this event. Registrations are open to attend the congress.

13:45 – Q&A

14:00 – Briefing closes

MC: Sudha Kottilil

Sudha Kottillil is a researcher and ecologist from India working on marine conservation, fisheries management and sustainable fisheries with a focus on elasmobranchs (sharks, rays and skates). She has a master’s degree in Environmental Studies and Natural Resource Management following an undergraduate degree in Zoology and Biotechnology. Previously she has also carried out research and worked on different terrestrial conservation projects. She is part of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), where she engages in the UN policy space to push for youth inclusion and participation in biodiversity related decision-making platforms. As part of GYBN she attended CBD COP15 and the 7th GEF Assembly. She is also one of the coordinators of the India chapter of GYBN – Indian Youth Biodiversity Network.

Dr Nadina Galle

Dr. Nadina Galle is a Dutch-Canadian ecological engineer, TEDx and keynote speaker, and author of the book “The Nature of Our Cities: Harnessing the Power of the Natural World to Survive a Changing Planet,” released by HarperCollins in 2024. Renowned for championing the concept of the “Internet of Nature,” she leads a global movement of innovators leveraging emerging technologies to cultivate vibrant, nature-infused communities. Galle won the European Space Agency’s top prize for her groundbreaking work on individual tree crown delineation to combat urban deforestation and has garnered numerous academic and entrepreneurial accolades. Among these is a Fulbright scholarship for a fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Senseable City Lab, where she maintains a research affiliation. Recently named a 2024 National Geographic Explorer, she investigates how cities across Latin America are embracing the “Internet of Nature” to forge resilient ecosystems.

Winning City of the AIPH Youth Award 2024

The name of this city will be announced on 25th September 2024 at the gala dinner event at the Future Green City World Congress  in Utrecht, the Netherlands. AIPH is proud to be a partner of this event. Registrations are open to attend the congress.