Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Cities. Integrated Strategies for Urban Sustainability

Urban biodiversity is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone of sustainable cities, yet difficult to mainstream into local policies. Within the framework of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), this study investigates how biodiversity is framed, governed, and communicated in four Italian cities (Milan, Florence, Genoa, and Palermo). Drawing on documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews, it examines governance structures, communication strategies, and citizen engagement, while inductively identifying monitoring as a fourth critical but underdeveloped dimension. Findings confirm persistent barriers such as institutional fragmentation, short-term funding, and lack of indicators, which constrain integration and continuity. At the same time, enabling conditions emerge through civic initiatives, collaborative rewilding, citizen science, and participation in European networks that provide resources and legitimacy. Comparative evidence shows that while none of the cities achieves full alignment across governance, participation, communication, and monitoring, each demonstrates transformative potential when these dimensions interact. The study conceptualises this four-dimensional configuration as a sustainability-biodiversity nexus, as both an analytical lens and a governance strategy to embed biodiversity at the core of urban sustainability. By highlighting barriers and enablers, it contributes to the debate on urban socio-ecological transitions and offers insights for municipalities seeking to align biodiversity with long-term sustainability agendas.