IUCN Urban Nature Indexes

The IUCN Urban Alliance—a broad coalition of IUCN constituents concerned with urban dimensions of nature conservation—has unveiled a new knowledge product for measuring the ecological performance of cities: the IUCN Urban Nature Indexes (UNI).

Scope and structure of the UNI

The UNI can be subdivided into six themes: consumption drivers, human pressures, habitat status, species status, nature’s contributions to people, and governance responses. Each theme contains five indicator topics amounting to 30 in total.

  • Theme 1

    Consumption Drivers

    This theme reflects the impacts of cities that result from the resources (e.g. food, energy, water, goods) used by its inhabitants and businesses and often have global reach.

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  • Theme 2

    Human Pressures

    This theme refers to human-induced disturbances (e.g. noise, light and water pollution) of natural habitat within cities’ jurisdiction.

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  • Theme 3

    Habitat Status

    This theme captures the extent to which natural habitats are protected, restored and/or connected at city level.

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  • Theme 4

    Species Status

    This theme includes indicators of species diversity and extinction risk and services provided by nature.

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  • Theme 5

    Nature's Contributions to People

    This theme provides insight into the multiple benefits (e.g. health, employment, culture) provided by nature.

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