Gover nance Policy and r egulation Financing Challenges identified –Decentralized management of natur e across the city governance levels means many biodiverse areas are neglected and community engagement is lacking. Improvement areas –Prioritize and coor dinate delivery of cross-agency solutions and ensure all initiatives are accessible to all stakeholder groups. –T rack community-based organization (CBO) projects and integrate them into nature-management processes.Challenges identified –Social and economic crises (e.g. af fordable housing) may be prioritized over delivery of the nature agenda. – The lack of a formal, standalone biodiversity strategy or natur e action plan detailing targets, specific initiatives and nature investment/management priorities impedes the city’s ability to deliver initiatives with tangible nature outcomes. –Dif ficult-to-enforce policies (such as the Biodiversity Program) and limited incentives for the private sector to invest in nature mitigate the impact of finance. Improvement areas –Formalize a dedicated natur e action plan to identify and implement nature-specific solutions for the city. –Reassess city codes thr ough a nature lens and redesign policies to facilitate and encourage greater private-sector nature-positive action.Challenges identified –Reliance on limited gover nment finance and restrictions on public funding allocations prevent investment in nature-positive initiatives. –T ransaction costs are high due to burdensome application requirements and reporting. –Financing comes on a pr oject-by-project basis, limiting the scale and impact of the nature-related initiatives. Improvement areas –Str engthen relationships and collaboration with the private sector to unlock catalytic finance for nature and facilitate partnership on nature initiatives. –Explor e external financial mechanisms such as green and multilateral development banks to provide loans and guarantees for project preparation and environmental projects. –Invest in community stewar dship initiatives that can maintain green spaces, while collaborating with government departments.Challenges and recommendations Nature Positive: Cities’ Efforts to Advance the Transition 8

Nature Positive Cities Efforts to Advance the Transition San Francisco 2025