Nature Positive Cities Efforts to Advance the Tranistion Barranquilla 2025

2 Assessment of the enabling environment Challenges identified –Urban conservation and environmental management plans exist, but ecosystem assessments remain limited, hindering the design of effective, context-specific strategies. –Despite the proven long-term benefits of NbS, traditional grey solutions are still preferred for their perceived short-term profitability and reliability. –Harmonizing environmental management instruments across stakeholders offers a chance to build a unified framework with clear municipal priorities and measurable sustainability goals. –NbS require continuous maintenance and monitoring, yet current regulations lack clarity on long-term responsibilities, threatening their durability beyond initial implementation. –Progress in sustainable urban design is evident, but the absence of clear standards limits the inclusion of green infrastructure and ecological restoration in development projects. –Weak regulatory mechanisms fail to promote private-sector involvement in NbS; incentives such as tax benefits, carbon credits or payments for ecosystem services remain underdeveloped or unused. Improvement areas –Strengthen education and public-sector understanding of the measurable economic and environmental benefits of NbS for cities. –Simplify policies and plans to make it easier for practitioners to understand: –Existing policies and environmental targets –Where to implement measures that favour nature and are environmentally conscious –Design and implement regulatory incentives – such as tax benefits, expedited permitting or public recognition – to encourage private-sector participation in NbS projects, including from real estate developers, utility companies and industrial zones. –Develop legal and financial tools (including land acquisition mechanisms, ecological easements or PPPs for joint management) to support the restoration of degraded or strategic areas. –Incorporate specific NbS indicators into urban and environmental monitoring systems, enabling more effective impact assessments and regulatory compliance tracking for implemented projects. Image credit: Barranquilla City Hall Nature Positive: Cities’ Efforts to Advance the Transition – Barranquilla 25