Abstract

Cities are simultaneously vulnerable ecosystems exposed to risks such as heatwaves, floods, and air pollution, while also holding potential to drive biodiversity conservation and resilience. As cities play an increasingly critical role in achieving global biodiversity targets, the International Union for Conservation of Nature developed the Urban Nature Indexes (UNI) to assess urban ecological performance. This paper introduces the UNI methodology and discusses strategic directions for its application in Korea. The UNI is grounded in the Driving forces-Pressures-State-Impact-Response framework and the Urban Bioshed Impact Areas model, enabling assessment of ecological impacts within and beyond city boundaries. It comprises six themes and 30 indicator topics. For Korea, we highlight priorities including indicator localization, data infrastructure development, and policy integration. Applying the UNI in Korea is expected to strengthen national biodiversity strategies and position cities as active contributors to global sustainability agendas.