The commitment of cities, provinces and other local authorities is crucial to the achievement of the objectives of the National Biodiversity Strategy at all levels. Local action could be facilitated through the enhancement and dissemination of appropriate policy tools and guidelines, and the diffusion of best practices supporting the multifunctional use of natural spaces. In particular, biodiversity concerns should be integrated into existing local action plans, like the Local Agendas 21, communal plans for rural development, as well as in plans that are being developed. Capacity-building programmes and exchange platforms can provide appropriate technical assistance and/or guidance. Awareness-raising campaigns for local residents on the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and appropriate subsidies for local authorities should be put in place to stimulate and support local commitment to biodiversity. The importance of a bottom- up information flow is crucial as residents are good reporters of their environment. This can be promoted for example through the organization of events or above-mentioned exchange platforms to collect observations on specific themes related to biodiversity. Cities and local authorities are encouraged to monitor and report on their progress by means of standardized biodiversity indices, such as the city biodiversity index (CBI).

Biodiversity must keep or regain its place in the urban space as it performs important natural functions while contributing to physical and mental health, recreation, education and public awareness. To this end, it is important to better preserve and connect green spaces and open spaces around and within urbanized areas by developing a green infrastructure. Most importantly, their quality needs to be improved to facilitate their multifunctional use. Historically, we note that, despite heavy land use and dense urbanization, urban areas often host an important natural heritage for the same historical reasons that led to the human presence and economic development in this location. This is notably the case in the Brussels-Capital Region.