Urban biodiversity — adding life to our cities

From the depths of oceans to the highest summits, from icy waters to baking deserts, life flourishes in every corner of our planet. On 22 May, World Biodiversity Day, the European Environment Agency shows how by mimicking nature we can redesign our cities to enhance green space and biodiversity. The EEA facade will be covered by 5 000 plants drawing a map of the European continent. Simultaneously, a new EEA assessment on urban ecosystems — the sixth in a series of '10 messages for 2010' — reveals that with the right policies and tools, urbanisation does not need to be a threat to biodiversity in cities and beyond.