Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity: A call to policymakers

Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez; Stefan Arndt; Michael Osei Asibey; Benno Andreas Augustinus; Albert Bach; Monica Ballinas; Victor L. Barradas; David N. Barton; Juergen Bauhus; Linda Beaumont; Jean François Bissonnette; Matthew Brookhouse; Pedro Calaza-Martínez; Carlo Calfapietra; Tiago Capela Lourenço; Paloma Cariñanos; Matteo Clemente; Tenley Conway; Kees de Hoogh; Karen De Pauw; Morgane Dendoncker; Cynnamon Dobbs; Peter Duinker; Ujala Ejaz; Ana Alice Eleuterio; Theodore Endreny; Diego Esperon-Rodriguez; Claire Farrell; Rachael V. Gallagher; Thomas Gates; Zhengfei Guo; Nanamhla Gwedla; Richard Hauer; Martin Hermy; Peta Jeffries; Edith Juno; Rachel Knudten; Gervais Lee; Elizaveta Litvak; Stephen Livesley; Natalie Love; Gabriele Manoli; Renee M. Marchin; Alexander J.F. Martin; Pierre Masselot; Robert I. Mcdonald; Timon McPhearson; Christian Messier; Julie Messier; Rachel Morgain; Harini Nagendra; Mark Nieuwenhuijsen; Lukas G. Olson; Johan Östberg; Diane Pataki; Sebastian Pfautsch; Sally A. Power; Mohammad A. Rahman; Thomas Randrup; Peter B. Reich; Alessio Russo; Paul D. Rymer; Rossano Schifanella; Philip Sen; Charlie Shackleton; Mahmuda Sharmin; Megan Shooter; Davide Siclari; Sivajanani Sivarajah; Johanna Deak Sjöman; Henrik Sjöman; Ingjerd Solfjeld; Annick St-Denis; Jonah Susskind; Jens Christian Svenning; Christopher Szota; María Toledo-Garibaldi; Olivier Villemaire-Côté; Jess Vogt; Ariane Wagenknecht; Mingxuan Wan; Linsheng Wen; Subashini Anuradha Wijeratne; Geoffrey Williams; Nicholas Williams; Sylvia Wood; Hong Wu; Pengbo Yan; Yuyu Zhou; Carly Ziter; Benewindé Jean Bosco Zoungrana; Mark G. Tjoelker

doi:10.1002/ppp3.70125

Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity: A call to policymakers

Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez
, Stefan Arndt
, Michael Osei Asibey
, Benno Andreas Augustinus
, Albert Bach
, Monica Ballinas
, Victor L. Barradas
, David N. Barton
, Juergen Bauhus
, Linda Beaumont
, Jean François Bissonnette
, Matthew Brookhouse
, Pedro Calaza-Martínez
, Carlo Calfapietra
, Tiago Capela Lourenço
, Paloma Cariñanos
, Matteo Clemente
, Tenley Conway
, Kees de Hoogh
, Karen De Pauw

Morgane Dendoncker, Cynnamon Dobbs, Peter Duinker, Ujala Ejaz, Ana Alice Eleuterio, Theodore Endreny, Diego Esperon-Rodriguez, Claire Farrell, Rachael V. Gallagher, Thomas Gates, Zhengfei Guo, Nanamhla Gwedla, Richard Hauer, Martin Hermy, Peta Jeffries, Edith Juno, Rachel Knudten, Gervais Lee, Elizaveta Litvak, Stephen Livesley, Natalie Love, Gabriele Manoli, Renee M. Marchin, Alexander J.F. Martin, Pierre Masselot, Robert I. Mcdonald, Timon McPhearson, Christian Messier, Julie Messier, Rachel Morgain, Harini Nagendra, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Lukas G. Olson, Johan Östberg, Diane Pataki, Sebastian Pfautsch, Sally A. Power, Mohammad A. Rahman, Thomas Randrup, Peter B. Reich, Alessio Russo, Paul D. Rymer, Rossano Schifanella, Philip Sen, Charlie Shackleton, Mahmuda Sharmin, Megan Shooter, Davide Siclari, Sivajanani Sivarajah, Johanna Deak Sjöman, Henrik Sjöman, Ingjerd Solfjeld, Annick St-Denis, Jonah Susskind, Jens Christian Svenning, Christopher Szota, María Toledo-Garibaldi, Olivier Villemaire-Côté, Jess Vogt, Ariane Wagenknecht, Mingxuan Wan, Linsheng Wen, Subashini Anuradha Wijeratne, Geoffrey Williams, Nicholas Williams, Sylvia Wood, Hong Wu, Pengbo Yan, Yuyu Zhou, Carly Ziter, Benewindé Jean Bosco Zoungrana, Mark G. Tjoelker

University of Melbourne
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)
CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP)
Pompeu Fabra University
Autonomous University of Barcelona
Centro de Investigacion en Ciencias de Informacion Geoespacial
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Norwegian Institute for Nature Research
University of Freiburg
Macquarie University
Université Laval
Australian National University
Spanish Association of Public Parks and Gardens (AEPJP)
National Research Council of Italy
University of Lisbon
University of Granada
Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación del Sistema Tierra en Andalucía
Tuscia University
University of Toronto
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
University of Basel
Ghent University
Botanic Garden Meise
Université catholique de Louvain
Universidad de los Andes Chile
Dalhousie University
Aarhus University
Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Universidad de Guadalajara
Western Sydney University
The University of Hong Kong
Rhodes University
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
KU Leuven
Charles Sturt University
National Wildlife Federation
Arizona State University
Chicago Botanic Garden
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
University of Oxford
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
The Nature Conservancy
City University of New York
Humboldt University of Berlin
New York University
Institute of Ecosystem Studies
Stockholm Resilience Centre
Université du Québec en Outaouais
Université du Québec à Montréal
University of Waterloo
Azim Premji University
University of British Columbia
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Queensland University of Technology
University of Turin
Institute for Scientific Interchange Foundation
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Le Centre d'étude de la forêt (CEF)
Gothenburg Botanical Garden
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Norwegian University of Life Sciences
SWA Group
Instituto de Ecologia, A.C.
DePaul University
University of New South Wales
Pennsylvania State University
Fujian Normal University
Michigan State University
Habitat
Guilin Tourism University
Concordia University
Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will live in cities (UN, 2018), increasing the demand for urban green spaces. Urban areas are facing increasing risks from climate change, including heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, and growing social inequality, which challenges urban planning and design. Urban forests form the backbone of green infrastructure supporting resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities. Importantly, their cost-effective benefits advance sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	14-19
Number of pages	6
Journal	Plants People Planet
Volume	8
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.70125
Publication status	Published - Jan 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
SDG 13 Climate Action
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

canopy cover targets
climate resilience and adaptation
community engagement
ecosystem services
environmental justice
green infrastructure
nature-based solutions
social equity

Access to Document

10.1002/ppp3.70125

Cite this

Esperon-Rodriguez, M., Arndt, S., Asibey, M. O., Augustinus, B. A., Bach, A., Ballinas, M., Barradas, V. L., Barton, D. N., Bauhus, J., Beaumont, L., Bissonnette, J. F., Brookhouse, M., Calaza-Martínez, P., Calfapietra, C., Lourenço, T. C., Cariñanos, P., Clemente, M., Conway, T., de Hoogh, K., ... Tjoelker, M. G. (2026). Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity: A call to policymakers. Plants People Planet, 8(1), 14-19. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.70125

@article{3cab61e7e1d2473db3accb65f601cf40,

title = "Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity: A call to policymakers",

abstract = "By 2050, nearly 70\% of the global population will live in cities (UN, 2018), increasing the demand for urban green spaces. Urban areas are facing increasing risks from climate change, including heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, and growing social inequality, which challenges urban planning and design. Urban forests form the backbone of green infrastructure supporting resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities. Importantly, their cost-effective benefits advance sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.",

keywords = "canopy cover targets, climate resilience and adaptation, community engagement, ecosystem services, environmental justice, green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, social equity",

author = "Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez and Stefan Arndt and Asibey, \{Michael Osei\} and Augustinus, \{Benno Andreas\} and Albert Bach and Monica Ballinas and Barradas, \{Victor L.\} and Barton, \{David N.\} and Juergen Bauhus and Linda Beaumont and Bissonnette, \{Jean Fran{\c c}ois\} and Matthew Brookhouse and Pedro Calaza-Mart{\'i}nez and Carlo Calfapietra and Louren{\c c}o, \{Tiago Capela\} and Paloma Cari{\~n}anos and Matteo Clemente and Tenley Conway and \{de Hoogh\}, Kees and \{De Pauw\}, Karen and Morgane Dendoncker and Cynnamon Dobbs and Peter Duinker and Ujala Ejaz and Eleuterio, \{Ana Alice\} and Theodore Endreny and Diego Esperon-Rodriguez and Claire Farrell and Gallagher, \{Rachael V.\} and Thomas Gates and Zhengfei Guo and Nanamhla Gwedla and Richard Hauer and Martin Hermy and Peta Jeffries and Edith Juno and Rachel Knudten and Gervais Lee and Elizaveta Litvak and Stephen Livesley and Natalie Love and Gabriele Manoli and Marchin, \{Renee M.\} and Martin, \{Alexander J.F.\} and Pierre Masselot and Mcdonald, \{Robert I.\} and Timon McPhearson and Christian Messier and Julie Messier and Rachel Morgain and Harini Nagendra and Mark Nieuwenhuijsen and Olson, \{Lukas G.\} and Johan {\"O}stberg and Diane Pataki and Sebastian Pfautsch and Power, \{Sally A.\} and Rahman, \{Mohammad A.\} and Thomas Randrup and Reich, \{Peter B.\} and Alessio Russo and Rymer, \{Paul D.\} and Rossano Schifanella and Philip Sen and Charlie Shackleton and Mahmuda Sharmin and Megan Shooter and Davide Siclari and Sivajanani Sivarajah and Sj{\"o}man, \{Johanna Deak\} and Henrik Sj{\"o}man and Ingjerd Solfjeld and Annick St-Denis and Jonah Susskind and Svenning, \{Jens Christian\} and Christopher Szota and Mar{\'i}a Toledo-Garibaldi and Olivier Villemaire-C{\^o}t{\'e} and Jess Vogt and Ariane Wagenknecht and Mingxuan Wan and Linsheng Wen and Wijeratne, \{Subashini Anuradha\} and Geoffrey Williams and Nicholas Williams and Sylvia Wood and Hong Wu and Pengbo Yan and Yuyu Zhou and Carly Ziter and Zoungrana, \{Benewind{\'e} Jean Bosco\} and Tjoelker, \{Mark G.\}",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1002/ppp3.70125",

language = "English",

volume = "8",

pages = "14--19",

journal = "Plants People Planet",

issn = "2572-2611",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "1",

}

Esperon-Rodriguez, M, Arndt, S, Asibey, MO, Augustinus, BA, Bach, A, Ballinas, M, Barradas, VL, Barton, DN, Bauhus, J, Beaumont, L, Bissonnette, JF, Brookhouse, M, Calaza-Martínez, P, Calfapietra, C, Lourenço, TC, Cariñanos, P, Clemente, M, Conway, T, de Hoogh, K, De Pauw, K, Dendoncker, M, Dobbs, C, Duinker, P, Ejaz, U, Eleuterio, AA, Endreny, T, Esperon-Rodriguez, D, Farrell, C, Gallagher, RV, Gates, T, Guo, Z, Gwedla, N, Hauer, R, Hermy, M, Jeffries, P, Juno, E, Knudten, R, Lee, G, Litvak, E, Livesley, S, Love, N, Manoli, G, Marchin, RM, Martin, AJF, Masselot, P, Mcdonald, RI, McPhearson, T, Messier, C, Messier, J, Morgain, R, Nagendra, H, Nieuwenhuijsen, M, Olson, LG, Östberg, J, Pataki, D, Pfautsch, S , Power, SA, Rahman, MA, Randrup, T, Reich, PB, Russo, A, Rymer, PD, Schifanella, R, Sen, P, Shackleton, C, Sharmin, M, Shooter, M, Siclari, D, Sivarajah, S, Sjöman, JD, Sjöman, H, Solfjeld, I, St-Denis, A, Susskind, J, Svenning, JC, Szota, C, Toledo-Garibaldi, M, Villemaire-Côté, O, Vogt, J, Wagenknecht, A, Wan, M, Wen, L, Wijeratne, SA, Williams, G, Williams, N, Wood, S, Wu, H, Yan, P, Zhou, Y, Ziter, C, Zoungrana, BJB & Tjoelker, MG 2026, 'Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity: A call to policymakers', Plants People Planet, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 14-19. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.70125

TY - JOUR

T1 - Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity

T2 - A call to policymakers

AU - Esperon-Rodriguez, Manuel

AU - Arndt, Stefan

AU - Asibey, Michael Osei

AU - Augustinus, Benno Andreas

AU - Bach, Albert

AU - Ballinas, Monica

AU - Barradas, Victor L.

AU - Barton, David N.

AU - Bauhus, Juergen

AU - Beaumont, Linda

AU - Bissonnette, Jean François

AU - Brookhouse, Matthew

AU - Calaza-Martínez, Pedro

AU - Calfapietra, Carlo

AU - Lourenço, Tiago Capela

AU - Cariñanos, Paloma

AU - Clemente, Matteo

AU - Conway, Tenley

AU - de Hoogh, Kees

AU - De Pauw, Karen

AU - Dendoncker, Morgane

AU - Dobbs, Cynnamon

AU - Duinker, Peter

AU - Ejaz, Ujala

AU - Eleuterio, Ana Alice

AU - Endreny, Theodore

AU - Esperon-Rodriguez, Diego

AU - Farrell, Claire

AU - Gallagher, Rachael V.

AU - Gates, Thomas

AU - Guo, Zhengfei

AU - Gwedla, Nanamhla

AU - Hauer, Richard

AU - Hermy, Martin

AU - Jeffries, Peta

AU - Juno, Edith

AU - Knudten, Rachel

AU - Lee, Gervais

AU - Litvak, Elizaveta

AU - Livesley, Stephen

AU - Love, Natalie

AU - Manoli, Gabriele

AU - Marchin, Renee M.

AU - Martin, Alexander J.F.

AU - Masselot, Pierre

AU - Mcdonald, Robert I.

AU - McPhearson, Timon

AU - Messier, Christian

AU - Messier, Julie

AU - Morgain, Rachel

AU - Nagendra, Harini

AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark

AU - Olson, Lukas G.

AU - Östberg, Johan

AU - Pataki, Diane

AU - Pfautsch, Sebastian

AU - Power, Sally A.

AU - Rahman, Mohammad A.

AU - Randrup, Thomas

AU - Reich, Peter B.

AU - Russo, Alessio

AU - Rymer, Paul D.

AU - Schifanella, Rossano

AU - Sen, Philip

AU - Shackleton, Charlie

AU - Sharmin, Mahmuda

AU - Shooter, Megan

AU - Siclari, Davide

AU - Sivarajah, Sivajanani

AU - Sjöman, Johanna Deak

AU - Sjöman, Henrik

AU - Solfjeld, Ingjerd

AU - St-Denis, Annick

AU - Susskind, Jonah

AU - Svenning, Jens Christian

AU - Szota, Christopher

AU - Toledo-Garibaldi, María

AU - Villemaire-Côté, Olivier

AU - Vogt, Jess

AU - Wagenknecht, Ariane

AU - Wan, Mingxuan

AU - Wen, Linsheng

AU - Wijeratne, Subashini Anuradha

AU - Williams, Geoffrey

AU - Williams, Nicholas

AU - Wood, Sylvia

AU - Wu, Hong

AU - Yan, Pengbo

AU - Zhou, Yuyu

AU - Ziter, Carly

AU - Zoungrana, Benewindé Jean Bosco

AU - Tjoelker, Mark G.

PY - 2026/1

Y1 - 2026/1

N2 - By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will live in cities (UN, 2018), increasing the demand for urban green spaces. Urban areas are facing increasing risks from climate change, including heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, and growing social inequality, which challenges urban planning and design. Urban forests form the backbone of green infrastructure supporting resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities. Importantly, their cost-effective benefits advance sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

AB - By 2050, nearly 70% of the global population will live in cities (UN, 2018), increasing the demand for urban green spaces. Urban areas are facing increasing risks from climate change, including heatwaves, flooding, wildfires, and growing social inequality, which challenges urban planning and design. Urban forests form the backbone of green infrastructure supporting resilient, equitable, and sustainable cities. Importantly, their cost-effective benefits advance sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

KW - canopy cover targets

KW - climate resilience and adaptation

KW - community engagement

KW - ecosystem services

KW - environmental justice

KW - green infrastructure

KW - nature-based solutions

KW - social equity

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105026388815

U2 - 10.1002/ppp3.70125

DO - 10.1002/ppp3.70125

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105026388815

SN - 2572-2611

VL - 8

SP - 14

EP - 19

JO - Plants People Planet

JF - Plants People Planet

IS - 1

ER -

Urban forests as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and biodiversity: A call to policymakers

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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