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Book Urban Biodiversity and Equity

Download or read book Urban Biodiversity and Equity written by Lambert and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2023-09-26 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This advanced textbook moves beyond a basic scientific comprehension of urban ecosystems to understand the essential details of how scientists, policy makers, and practitioners develop solutions to effectively manage urban biodiversity. Such efforts necessitate unravelling the complex components that bolster or constrain biodiversity including human-wildlife interactions, resource availability, climate fluctuations, novel species relationships, and landscape heterogeneity. However, key to an understanding of these processes is also recognizing the tremendous social variation inherent within and across urban areas. The diversity of urban human communities fundamentally shapes how society designs, builds, and manages urban landscapes. This means that urban environmental management unavoidably must account for human social variation. Unfortunately, urban systems have a history and continued legacy of social inequality (e.g., systemic racism and classism) that govern how cities are both built and managed. This novel text not only highlights these connections, but also illustrates the interdisciplinary approaches needed for advancing a new, justice-centred approach to nature conservation. Urban Biodiversity and Equity is suitable for graduate level students and professional researchers from both natural and social science disciplines studying the ecology, conservation, and management of urban environments and their biodiversity. It will also be of relevance and use to a broader audience of urban ecologists, urban planners, and urban wildlife practitioners.

Book Urban Biodiversity

    Book Details:
  • Author : Alessandro Ossola
  • Publisher : Routledge
  • Release : 2017-11-28
  • ISBN : 1315402564
  • Pages : 471 pages

Download or read book Urban Biodiversity written by Alessandro Ossola and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-11-28 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban biodiversity is an increasingly popular topic among researchers. Worldwide, thousands of research projects are unravelling how urbanisation impacts the biodiversity of cities and towns, as well as its benefits for people and the environment through ecosystem services. Exciting scientific discoveries are made on a daily basis. However, researchers often lack time and opportunity to communicate these findings to the community and those in charge of managing, planning and designing for urban biodiversity. On the other hand, urban practitioners frequently ask researchers for more comprehensible information and actionable tools to guide their actions. This book is designed to fill this cultural and communicative gap by discussing a selection of topics related to urban biodiversity, as well as its benefits for people and the urban environment. It provides an interdisciplinary overview of scientifically grounded knowledge vital for current and future practitioners in charge of urban biodiversity management, its conservation and integration into urban planning. Topics covered include pests and invasive species, rewilding habitats, the contribution of a diverse urban agriculture to food production, implications for human well-being, and how to engage the public with urban conservation strategies. For the first time, world-leading researchers from five continents convene to offer a global interdisciplinary perspective on urban biodiversity narrated with a simple but rigorous language. This book synthesizes research at a level suitable for both students and professionals working in nature conservation and urban planning and management.

Book Urban Ecosystem Justice

Download or read book Urban Ecosystem Justice written by Scott T. Kellogg and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Merging together the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and urban environmental education, Urban Ecosystem Justice promotes building fair, accessible, and mutually beneficial relationships between citizens and the soils, water, atmospheres, and biodiversity in their cities. This book provides a framework for re-centering issues of justice and fairness in sustainability discourse while challenging the profound ecological alienation experienced by urban residents. While the urban sustainability movement has had many successes in the past few decades, there remain areas for it to grow. For one, the benefits of sustainability have disproportionately benefited wealthier city residents, with concerns over equity, justice and social sustainability frequently taking a back seat to economic and environmental considerations. Additionally, many city dwellers remain estranged from and unfamiliar with ecological processes, with urban environments often thought of as existing outside of nature or as hopelessly degraded. Through a citizen-centered lens, the book offers a guide to reconciling these issues by demonstrating how questions of equity, access, and justice apply to the biophysical dimensions of the urban ecosystem: soil, water, air, waste, and biodiversity. Drawing heavily from the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and ecological design, this book lays out a science of cities for people: a pedagogical platform that can be used to promote ecological literacy in underrepresented urban communities through affordable and decentralized means. This book provides both a theoretical and practical field guide to students and researchers of urban sustainability, city planners, architects, policymakers and activists wishing to develop reciprocal relationships with urban ecologies"--

Book Climate Change and Cities

Download or read book Climate Change and Cities written by Cynthia Rosenzweig and published by . This book was released on 2018-03-29 with total page 855 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Climate Change and Cities bridges science-to-action for climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in cities around the world.

Book Urban Biodiversity and Design

Download or read book Urban Biodiversity and Design written by Norbert Muller and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-05-10 with total page 649 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With the continual growth of the world's urban population, biodiversity in towns and cities will play a critical role in global biodiversity. This is the first book to provide an overview of international developments in urban biodiversity and sustainable design. It brings together the views, experiences and expertise of leading scientists and designers from the industrialised and pre-industrialised countries from around the world. The contributors explore the biological, cultural and social values of urban biodiversity, including methods for assessing and evaluating urban biodiversity, social and educational issues, and practical measures for restoring and maintaining biodiversity in urban areas. Contributions come from presenters at an international scientific conference held in Erfurt, Germany 2008 during the 9th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biodiversity. This is also Part of our Conservation Science and Practice book series (with Zoological Society of London).

Book Urban Ecosystem Justice

    Book Details:
  • Author : Scott Kellogg
  • Publisher : Routledge
  • Release : 2021-09-22
  • ISBN : 1000450678
  • Pages : 257 pages

Download or read book Urban Ecosystem Justice written by Scott Kellogg and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-09-22 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Merging together the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and urban environmental education, Urban Ecosystem Justice promotes building fair, accessible, and mutually beneficial relationships between citizens and the soils, water, atmospheres, and biodiversity in their cities. This book provides a framework for re-centering issues of justice and fairness in sustainability discourse while challenging the profound ecological alienation experienced by urban residents. While the urban sustainability movement has had many successes in the past few decades, there remain areas for it to grow. For one, the benefits of sustainability have disproportionately benefited wealthier city residents, with concerns over equity, justice, and social sustainability frequently taking a back seat to economic and environmental considerations. Additionally, many city dwellers remain estranged from and unfamiliar with ecological processes, with urban environments often thought of as existing outside of nature or as hopelessly degraded. Through a citizen-centered lens, the book offers a guide to reconciling these issues by demonstrating how questions of equity, access, and justice apply to the biophysical dimensions of the urban ecosystem: soil, water, air, waste, and biodiversity. Drawing heavily from the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and ecological design, this book lays out a science of cities for people: a pedagogical platform that can be used to promote ecological literacy in underrepresented urban communities through affordable and decentralized means. This book provides both a theoretical and practical field guide to students and researchers of urban sustainability, city planners, architects, policymakers, and activists wishing to develop reciprocal relationships with urban ecologies.

Book Urban Biodiversity and Ecological Design for Sustainable Cities

Download or read book Urban Biodiversity and Ecological Design for Sustainable Cities written by Keitaro Ito and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-03-23 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book highlights various designs for urban green spaces and their functions. It provides an interesting meeting point between Asian, European and North America specialists (researchers, planners, landscape architects) studying urban biodiversity; urban biodiversity and green space; relations between people and biodiversity. The most important feature of this book is the unique point of view from each contributor towards “the relationship between nature and people in urban areas”, in the context of the ecosystem and biodiversity in urban areas and how to manage them. All chapters explore and consider the relationship between humans and nature in cities, a subject which is taking on increasing importance as new cities are conceptualized and planned. These discussion and examples would be useful for urban ecology researchers, biologists, city planners, government staff working in city planning, architects, landscape architects, and university instructors. This book can also be used as a textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate city planning, architecture or landscape architecture courses.

Book Urban Ecosystem Justice

Download or read book Urban Ecosystem Justice written by Scott T. Kellogg and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Merging together the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and urban environmental education, Urban Ecosystem Justice promotes building fair, accessible, and mutually beneficial relationships between citizens and the soils, water, atmospheres, and biodiversity in their cities. This book provides a framework for re-centering issues of justice and fairness in sustainability discourse while challenging the profound ecological alienation experienced by urban residents. While the urban sustainability movement has had many successes in the past few decades, there remain areas for it to grow. For one, the benefits of sustainability have disproportionately benefited wealthier city residents, with concerns over equity, justice and social sustainability frequently taking a back seat to economic and environmental considerations. Additionally, many city dwellers remain estranged from and unfamiliar with ecological processes, with urban environments often thought of as existing outside of nature or as hopelessly degraded. Through a citizen-centered lens, the book offers a guide to reconciling these issues by demonstrating how questions of equity, access, and justice apply to the biophysical dimensions of the urban ecosystem: soil, water, air, waste, and biodiversity. Drawing heavily from the fields of urban ecology, environmental justice, and ecological design, this book lays out a science of cities for people: a pedagogical platform that can be used to promote ecological literacy in underrepresented urban communities through affordable and decentralized means. This book provides both a theoretical and practical field guide to students and researchers of urban sustainability, city planners, architects, policymakers and activists wishing to develop reciprocal relationships with urban ecologies"--

Book Routledge Handbook of Urban Biodiversity

Download or read book Routledge Handbook of Urban Biodiversity written by Charles H. Nilon and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2023-10-16 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook provides a state-of-the-art, comprehensive overview of the expanding field of urban biodiversity. The field of urban biodiversity has emerged from within the broad discipline of urban ecology in the past two decades and is now a significant field in its own right. In view of this, the Routledge Handbook of Urban Biodiversity presents a thorough treatment of this field detailing the history of urban biodiversity, theoretical foundations, current state of knowledge, and application of that knowledge. The handbook is split into four parts: Part I: Setting the Stage for Urban Biodiversity Research and Practice Part II: Foundational Concepts and Theory in Urban Biodiversity Research Part III: Population and Community Ecology of Key Urban Taxa Part IV: Urban Biodiversity Practice: Management, Planning, and Design for Healthy Communities This volume contains interdisciplinary and global contributions from established and early career academics as well as professionals and practitioners, addressing two key fields in urban biodiversity: fundamental research focused on answering questions about the mechanisms explaining the distribution of species among and within cities; and applied research and work by practitioners to address concerns about urban biodiversity conservation, restoration, planning, design, and public involvement. This handbook is essential reading for students, academics, and professionals interested and working in the fields of urban biodiversity, ecology, nature conservation, urban planning, and landscape architecture.

Book Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

Download or read book Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change written by Melissa R. Marselle and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-06-11 with total page 494 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book identifies and discusses biodiversity’s contribution to physical, mental and spiritual health and wellbeing. Furthermore, the book identifies the implications of this relationship for nature conservation, public health, landscape architecture and urban planning – and considers the opportunities of nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. This transdisciplinary book will attract a wide audience interested in biodiversity, ecology, resource management, public health, psychology, urban planning, and landscape architecture. The emphasis is on multiple human health benefits from biodiversity - in particular with respect to the increasing challenge of climate change. This makes the book unique to other books that focus either on biodiversity and physical health or natural environments and mental wellbeing. The book is written as a definitive ‘go-to’ book for those who are new to the field of biodiversity and health.

Book The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology written by Ian Douglas and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2010-12-21 with total page 1163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The birds, animals, insects, trees and plants encountered by the majority of the world’s people are those that survive in, adapt to, or are introduced to, urban areas. Some of these organisms give great pleasure; others invade, colonise and occupy neglected and hidden areas such as derelict land and sewers. Urban areas have a high biodiversity and nature within cities provides many ecosystem services including cooling the urban area, reducing urban flood risk, filtering pollutants, supplying food, and providing accessible recreation. Yet, protecting urban nature faces competition from other urban land uses. The Handbook of Urban Ecology analyses this biodiversity and complexity and provides the science to guide policy and management to make cities more attractive, more enjoyable, and better for our own health and that of the planet. This Handbook contains 50 interdisciplinary contributions from leading academics and practitioners from across the world to provide an in-depth coverage of the main elements of practical urban ecology. It is divided into six parts, dealing with the philosophies, concepts and history of urban ecology; followed by consideration of the biophysical character of the urban environment and the diverse habitats found within it. It then examines human relationships with urban nature, the health, economic and environmental benefits of urban ecology before discussing the methods used in urban ecology and ways of putting the science into practice. The Handbook offers a state-of the art guide to the science, practice and value of urban ecology. The engaging contributions provide students and practitioners with the wealth of interdisciplinary information needed to manage the biota and green landscapes in urban areas.

Book Urban Ecosystems

    Book Details:
  • Author : Robert A. Francis
  • Publisher : Routledge
  • Release : 2013-03-12
  • ISBN : 1136479694
  • Pages : 231 pages

Download or read book Urban Ecosystems written by Robert A. Francis and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-03-12 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With over half of the global human population living in urban regions, urban ecosystems may now represent the contemporary and future human environment. Consisting of green space and the built environment, they harbour a wide range of species, yet are not well understood. This book aims to review what is currently known about urban ecosystems in a short and approachable text that will serve as a key resource for teaching and learning related to the urban environment. It covers both physical and biotic components of urban ecosystems, key ecological processes, and the management of ecological resources, including biodiversity conservation. All chapters incorporate case studies, boxes and questions for stimulating discussions in the learning environment.

Book Applied Urban Ecology

    Book Details:
  • Author : Matthias Richter
  • Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
  • Release : 2011-09-19
  • ISBN : 1444345001
  • Pages : 490 pages

Download or read book Applied Urban Ecology written by Matthias Richter and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-09-19 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Applied Urban Ecology: A Global Framework explores ways in which the environmental quality of urban areas can be improved starting with existing environmental conditions and their dynamics. Written by an internationally renowned selection of scientists and practitioners, the book covers a broad range of established and novel approaches to applied urban ecology. Approaches chosen for the book are placed in the context of issues such as climate change, green- and open-space development, flood-risk assessment, threats to urban biodiversity, and increasing environmental pollution (especially in the “megacities” of newly industrialized countries). All topics covered were chosen because they are socially and socio-politically relevant today. Further topics covered include sustainable energy and budget management, urban water resource management, urban land management, and urban landscape planning and design. Throughout the book, concepts and methods are illustrated using case studies from around the world. A closing synopsis draws conclusions on how the findings of urban ecological research can be used in strategic urban management in the future. Applied Urban Ecology: A Global Framework is an advanced textbook for students, researchers and experienced practitioners in urban ecology and urban environmental research, planning, and practice.

Book Urban Ecology in the Global South

Download or read book Urban Ecology in the Global South written by Charlie M. Shackleton and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-04-20 with total page 462 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Against the background of unprecedented rates of urbanisation in the Global South, leading to massive social, economic and environmental transformations, this book engages with the dire need to understand the ecology of such settings as the foundation for fostering sustainable and resilient human settlements in contexts that are very different to the Global North. It does so by bringing together scholars from around the world, drawing together research and case studies from across the Global South to illustrate, in an interdisciplinary and comprehensive fashion, the ecology of towns and cities in the Global South. Framed using a social-ecological systems lens, it provides the reader with an in-depth analysis and understanding of the ecological dynamics and ecosystem services and disservices within the complex and rapidly changing towns and cities of the Global South, a region with currently scarce representation in most of the urban ecology literature. As such the book makes a call for greater geographical balance in urban ecology research leading towards a more global understanding and frameworks. The book embraces the complexity of these rapid transformations for ecological and environmental management and how the ecosystems and the benefits they provide shape local ecologies, livelihood opportunities and human wellbeing, and how such knowledge can be mobilised towards improved urban design and management and thus urban sustainability.

Book Managing Cities as Urban Ecosystems  Analysis Tools for Biodiversity Stewardship in Los Angeles

Download or read book Managing Cities as Urban Ecosystems Analysis Tools for Biodiversity Stewardship in Los Angeles written by Isaac Thomas Brown and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 509 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As key locations for impacts and benefits associated with biodiversity, urban areas are a critical frontier for improved stewardship. While cities across California have long been global leaders in managing threatened and endangered species, Los Angeles recently embarked on a more comprehensive approach to biodiversity when the Los Angeles City Council passed the May 10, 2017 Biodiversity Motion (Motion 25A, Council File No. 15-0499). The motion directed the development of a customized biodiversity index focused on conservation and access to biodiversity, among other products. The motion was in line with the City's official goal of no-net-biodiversity loss by 2035. Together, this goal and motion suggest that biodiversity in LA shall not only be protected, but that its benefits will also be maximized to support urban resiliency and livability. This doctoral dissertation is organized into three chapters describing key analysis tools and results associated with the LASAN Biodiversity Team's process of implementing the Biodiversity Motion. As a first step, the LASAN team convened a transdisciplinary group of scholars, practitioners, and City staff to measure an established index, the Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity, to provide a baseline measurement of biodiversity and a starting point for creating a the customized Index (LA City Index). Chapter 1 presents the initial Singapore Index measurement process and proposes indicators, preliminary measurement methods, and a long-term LA City Index measurement strategy. The LA City Index includes indicators that account for three core themes of urban biodiversity: conservation of native biodiversity, equitability and social aspects of biodiversity, and governance and management activities. The LA City Index is tailored specifically to the Los Angeles context and to monitor progress toward the 2035 no-net-loss target. It is intended to be institutionalized within municipal environmental management practices and a central tool in implementing a future LA Biodiversity Policy. The results presented in Chapter 1 drove the decision to map ecological subregions, or "ecotopes", for Los Angeles (Chapter 2). A key point of consensus early in the initial process was that, at over 300,000 acres (121,000 hectares) of extremely diverse ecological conditions, the future LA City Index needed to better account for the distribution and variation of biodiversity across the City, versus the cumulative City-wide assessment provided for the Singapore Index. Ecotopes combine landform, microclimate, and biotic characteristics, key building blocks of biodiversity, to differentiate subregional-scale spatial units for measuring and reporting the LA City Index results. They are also envisioned as future management units to address biodiversity and related urban ecosystem stewardship of ecosystem services, pollution, and ecological hazards. Chapter 2 presents the theoretical basis and methods for selecting and partitioning 27 subregional ecotopes associated with the City of Los Angeles. The final chapter, Chapter 3, presents measurement methods, results, and stewardship implications associated with two key indicators of the LA City Index: habitat quality and connectivity of landscapes and open space. The research integrates high-resolution land cover and vegetation datasets, and connectivity modeling tools, to estimate and map habitat quality across the City and surrounding areas at a 10-foot (3-meter) spatial resolution. Connectivity of habitat areas is then modeled using Omniscape at a 30-foot resolution for the Elysian Valley sub-area as a proof of concept for the broader City. The result is a quantitative, spatial, "wall-to-wall" valuation of urban landcover as habitat for native biodiversity to live and move, ranging from the most natural to the most urban locations. This spatially explicit measure of connectivity provides an important tool toward quantifying biodiversity change in the City. Results suggest implications for both habitat conservation and equitable access to urban nature, two key objectives of the Biodiversity Motion and 2035 no-net-loss biodiversity target. It also provides an important dataset for incorporating biodiversity stewardship considerations into urban and landscape design and planning. These tools are intended to become institutionalized within the City of Los Angeles's urban biodiversity stewardship activities and serve as a model for Cities worldwide. Their process of development demonstrates a model of the "ecology for cities" paradigm by engaging a transdisciplinary group of experts to inform products that are responsive to both stewardship needs and trends in research. Such actionable, place-based science is central to shaping the physical ecology of cities while expanding opportunities for new directions in research. These products are, therefore, also well aligned with the Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE) dissertation goal of producing "scholarly and original work applied towards solving a significant environmental problem [that]...typically address policy as well as technical dimensions...". Change in cities is often rapid, and the potential to shape urban biodiversity is immense. Along with ecosystem services, ecological hazards, and pollution, biodiversity is integral to comprehensive urban ecosystem stewardship. Cities are just beginning to formally address urban ecology comprehensively, and rapid expansion of stewardship is necessary to accommodate urgent climate-driven changes to urban ecosystems. Cities' ability to provide urban forest cooling benefits, accommodate changing flood regimes, or maintain equitable access and conservation of biodiversity within fragmented urban landscapes are a few examples of the importance of urban ecology and biodiversity stewardship toward urban resiliency. The scientific community must also rapidly respond to support stewardship decision making, and transdisciplinary models like the one demonstrate a path toward actionable scientific research. Effective urban ecosystem stewardship will not only succeed in achieving resilience and sustainability in the face of the climate crisis but will leverage ecology and biodiversity to support the next generation of urban enrichment.

Book The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim

Download or read book The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Cities and Landscapes in the Pacific Rim written by Yizhao Yang and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2022-03-17 with total page 1165 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This handbook addresses a growing list of challenges faced by regions and cities in the Pacific Rim, drawing connections around the what, why, and how questions that are fundamental to sustainable development policies and planning practices. These include the connection between cities and surrounding landscapes, across different boundaries and scales; the persistence of environmental and development inequities; and the growing impacts of global climate change, including how physical conditions and social implications are being anticipated and addressed. Building upon localized knowledge and contextualized experiences, this edited collection brings attention to place-based approaches across the Pacific Rim and makes an important contribution to the scholarly and practical understanding of sustainable urban development models that have mostly emerged out of the Western experiences. Nine sections, each grounded in research, dialogue, and collaboration with practical examples and analysis, focus on a theme or dimension that carries critical impacts on a holistic vision of city-landscape development, such as resilient communities, ecosystem services and biodiversity, energy, water, health, and planning and engagement. This international edited collection will appeal to academics and students engaged in research involving landscape architecture, architecture, planning, public policy, law, urban studies, geography, environmental science, and area studies. It also informs policy makers, professionals, and advocates of actionable knowledge and adoptable ideas by connecting those issues with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. The collection of writings presented in this book speaks to multiyear collaboration of scholars through the APRU Sustainable Cities and Landscapes (SCL) Program and its global network, facilitated by SCL Annual Conferences and involving more than 100 contributors from more than 30 institutions. The Open Access version of chapters 1, 2, 4, 11, 17, 23, 30, 37, 42, 49, and 56 of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781003033530, have been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Book Urbanization  Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services  Challenges and Opportunities

Download or read book Urbanization Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Challenges and Opportunities written by Thomas Elmqvist and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-09-21 with total page 771 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urbanization is a global phenomenon and the book emphasizes that this is not just a social-technological process. It is also a social-ecological process where cities are places for nature, and where cities also are dependent on, and have impacts on, the biosphere at different scales from local to global. The book is a global assessment and delivers four main conclusions: Urban areas are expanding faster than urban populations. Half the increase in urban land across the world over the next 20 years will occur in Asia, with the most extensive change expected to take place in India and China Urban areas modify their local and regional climate through the urban heat island effect and by altering precipitation patterns, which together will have significant impacts on net primary production, ecosystem health, and biodiversity Urban expansion will heavily draw on natural resources, including water, on a global scale, and will often consume prime agricultural land, with knock-on effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services elsewhere Future urban expansion will often occur in areas where the capacity for formal governance is restricted, which will constrain the protection of biodiversity and management of ecosystem services