How nature-first master planning has helped two cities create new green identities

In rapidly developing cities, master planning is essential for incorporating nature into the urban layout.

Two cities, Singapore and Barranquilla in Colombia, exemplify the benefits of incorporating nature into city infrastructure, particularly by increasing climate hazard resilience, and promoting citizen health and socioeconomic development.

Launched in 2021, Singapore’s City in Nature vision is a plan to create a green, liveable and sustainable home for all citizens by 2030. This includes conserving and restoring nature, expanding community parks, strengthening the connection between green spaces, and raising animal health and welfare standards in Singapore. However, delivering on this promise requires strong collaboration across the public and private sectors.

To date, Singapore has preserved 7,800 hectares of green space, with the government looking to extend the network to add 1,000 hectares over the next 10-15 years. The city-state has created green spaces using 370 km of park connectors, which has established Singapore as a global leader in urban greening.

Singapore’s 48% green coverage, including large and well-connected areas, promotes biodiversity, combats urban heat island effects and absorbs rainwater, which enhances resilience to climate change. Permeable surfaces, green roofs, bioswales and water harvesting systems have been developed across the city to complement its park spaces. Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, for example, is a linear park alongside a naturally meandering river. It also doubles as a flood control system, showcasing the effective integration of nature-based solutions with urban infrastructure.

The city has seen vast improvements in air quality and ecological resurgence with the successful planting of more than half a million trees since 2020. The OneMillionTrees movement seeks to enhance urban greenery and biodiversity by increasing the number of trees planted throughout Singapore, including on streetscapes and in gardens, parks and park connectors and nature reserves.

In the Colombian city of Barranquilla, recent economic growth has been paired with an increase in access to public healthcare, more public green space and high-quality infrastructure.

A "BiodiverCity" puts nature at the heart of its infrastructure investments. Barranquilla set out an anchoring master plan, the Gran Malecón project, in 2017 to develop community and green spaces alongside the Magdalena River. This has been vital for rejuvenating engagement in areas that were previously hotspots for criminal activity.

This award-winning programme has now evolved to incorporate larger green projects, such as the 650-hectare eco-park Ciénaga de Mallorquín. It serves as the new centrepiece of the city’s transition to a greener future while empowering local communities through ecotourism and economic opportunities.

This riverfront project and master plan were combined with Todos al Parque, an initiative that developed sports fields, introduced green areas and appointed park rangers to manage and maintain green spaces. Since the start of the programme, more than 1.9 million square meters of the city’s public space have been recovered.

Barranquilla’s priority has been to respond to space constraints and to direct population growth outside of ecologically valuable spaces. This means balancing economic needs, infrastructure and green areas amid land scarcity challenges. Integrating nature into dense urban environments requires innovative solutions and the buy-in of local populations to address pressing challenges through targeted solutions.

Private companies in Singapore, especially real estate developers, have contributed to shaping its densely populated urban landscape by integrating sustainable practices and innovative green solutions. These efforts support Singapore’s national vision and regulatory mechanisms designed to promote a nature-positive urban environment.

City Developments Limited (CDL), for example, was the first South East Asian corporation to establish net zero targets aligned with the World Green Building Council. The Tree House Condominium, designed by CDL, includes a 24-storey wall that holds the Guinness World Record for the largest vertical green wall. The building is designed to reduce interior temperatures by up to 3°C.

Companies in Singapore are encouraged to conduct biodiversity impact assessments (BIA). Since 2010, CDL has conducted BIA on greenfield sites near natural habitats and incorporated measures to mitigate their impact and reintroduce native species. Flagship projects have already identified 99 native animal species and 32 plant species that require protection, as well as guiding landscaping to support local biodiversity.

Similarly, in Barranquilla, the private sector has been key in the city’s green transformation through its collaboration with local administrations and developers. By aligning investments with the city’s strategic vision, developers have been actively involved in creating subsidized housing and occasionally building new green spaces.

This virtuous cycle has ensured that parks and green areas are developed under the guidance of the city’s parks programme, encouraging urban rejuvenation. Increased property values resulting from these improvements can be captured and reinvested into further urban development, creating a sustainable model for growth.

Nature-first cities are the cities of the future. Those that can successfully harness the skills and capabilities of the private sector will be able to incorporate nature into the city’s operational blueprint.

This article is part of Nature Positive: Leaders’ Insights for the Transition in Cities, a report by the Global Commission on Nature-Positive Cities offering a range of strategies and practical solutions adaptable to diverse urban environments and supporting a shift towards nature-positive city developments.

Nature-Positive Cities is an initiative by the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Oliver Wyman.