Green infrastructure and biodiversity: Designing healthy, sustainable cities
For too long, the notion of a “sustainable Metro Manila” has been dismissed as an ideal that could wait until after economic growth or infrastructure expansion.
But today, the urgency is undeniable. The signs of climate change are around us: hotter summers, stronger typhoons, and unpredictable rains. If the past two decades were about discussing sustainability, the present demands we live it not as an optional value, but as a daily necessity. And one of the most concrete ways to do this is by rethinking how we design our cities.
The case for green infrastructure
Enter green infrastructure–a concept that is as practical as it is visionary.
Green infrastructure refers to strategically planned networks of natural and semi-natural systems providing essential services for urban life. Instead of relying only on concrete, pipes, and machines, it works with nature to perform the same functions–often more effectively and beautifully.
These include parks and green corridors that cool cities and provide places for recreation; wetlands and rivers that absorb floodwaters and clean the air; as well as green roofs and walls that insulate buildings and provide biodiversity habitats.
Each of these may seem small in isolation, but together they form a system that supports life in the city.
What is often overlooked is that these are not “aesthetic add-ons.” They are as critical as the bridges, highways, and airports. Without them, urban areas choke, overheat, and collapse under pressure.
Why biodiversity matters in cities
Hand in hand with green infrastructure is biodiversity–the richness of plant and animal life that sustains ecosystems.
Many think biodiversity belongs only in forests or coral reefs. But cities can, and must, host biodiversity too.
There is also a growing body of research on the psychological benefits of biodiversity. Exposure to trees, birdsong, and even small pockets of green has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve mood. In other words, nature in cities is not a luxury–it is part of preventive healthcare.
When we talk about healthy and sustainable cities, we must remember that biodiversity connects well-being, equity, and quality of life.
Health as the true measure of a city
A sustainable city is not defined only by carbon targets or resource efficiency. Its ultimate test is health.
Think of a park. On paper, it sequesters carbon, lowers air temperature, and manages stormwater. But in human terms, it reduces stress, encourages exercise, fosters social bonds, and builds resilience.
In Metro Manila, we feel this difference viscerally. A walk along Edsa under the noon sun leaves us drained, stressed, and unhealthy. By contrast, walking under the acacia trees in UP Diliman’s Academic Oval feels restorative. The environment itself shapes our bodies and minds.
Green infrastructure, then, is not just environmental policy. It is public health policy.
A call to rethink our cities
If there is one message I want to emphasize, it is this: green infrastructure and biodiversity are not optional extras. They are foundations of survival, health, and prosperity.
Cities must be designed for efficiency, commerce, human well-being, and ecological balance. Every tree planted, every river restored, every park opened to the public is a step toward a healthier and more sustainable city.
We have models abroad and initiatives locally. We have the science, the tools, and the talent. What remains is the collective will.
Metro Manila’s future and that of many cities like it depend on whether we see our urban environments as living systems. Healthy cities create healthy people. And healthy people sustain a healthy planet.
The choice is ours.
The author has more than 25 years of experience in architectural and interior design, corporate real estate, construction, property, and facilities management. He is also a pioneering LEED AP and WELL AP practitioner in the Philippines
