![Words of Eco-Logia – 21st May 2026
Welcome to a new weekly column of Eco-Logia!
EPISODE 7: What does Urban Functional Biodiversity refer to?
How do you feel when you come into contact with the green spaces of your city? Maybe more relaxed, regenerated and energetic! it is not by chance. #Urban Functional #Biodiversity is about various natural #species and their specific functional traits (e.g., nitrogen fixation, pollination, water retention) that maintain #ecosystems and provide essential #services in heavily populated areas. Boosting #climate regulation, favouring flood #control, reducing #pollution, providing recreational spaces and improving human #wellbeing, resilience and health are some of the most significant #benefits they generate.
Being inspired by #Nature’s balance helps #architects, #designers and urban #planners to select vegetation able to optimises specific ecological functions, such as #water infiltration or biodiversity support. Integrating interconnected #green spaces (e.g.: parks, green roofs) and #blue spaces (ponds, wetlands) promotes #habitat connectivity and strengthens urban biodiversity. Moreover, engaging local residents and stakeholders in the planning and management of urban nature, encourages a shared vision of the development of densely inhabited areas, boosting mental and physical health.
Main Strategies for Enhancing Urban Functional Biodiversity are:
· Biodiversity-Sensitive Design]: that is integrating native, multi-functional plant species into urban design, including vertical gardens and green roofs.
· Ecological Restoration: that is actively restoring urban green and blue spaces to enhance habitat diversity and ecological function.
· Inclusive Governance: that is engaging local residents and stakeholders in the planning and management of urban nature.
🎬 Editing, Layout and Contents by: © MonacoEcoArt](https://scontent-iad6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/704041748_18591891829048354_6937176257147723648_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=PYxUxb_2XnAQ7kNvwG70Jky&_nc_oc=AdpPJAx-NC-KQhn6pH9PuFK0azGFO0fF1ndC_8SDb5VZEdGlfGn922aNcFdRqOFXpC0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad6-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=G9ZMcQuUWNaRPBCLOisc1g&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQFf43YIO04n8rlvSGVl9yAcsPVanbSlE-CfKY4m6StP-h5eOhD4l4MuwFCRuwgMsas0GsvKBgZu&oh=00_Af6AWLd8Zn7VUjbg4EUwhyAsw-UKrZOfJAyEZ2eaI8MLtA&oe=6A2096C2)
The Monaco City Council focuses on public digital signage to increase energy efficiency.
- M Abti
- Feb 8, 2025
- 3 min read
The Principality of Monaco has committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in five years, compared with 1990. Energy saving is one of the pillars of the action with particular attention to the consumption of buildings and public lighting. The Monaco's Government also aims at promoting good practices to foster energy transition both at work and in private life, through the support of the Mission pour la Transition Énergétique (Mission for the Energy Transition), a public entity addressed to companies and citizens in view of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions while encouraging the use of renewables.
The Mairie de Monaco (Monaco City Council) aligns with government policies by presenting a new strategy for public signage. On the 6th February 2025, Georges Marsan, Mayor of Monaco, jointly with Georges Gambarini, Municipal Councillor and Delegate to the Service de l’Affichage et de la Publicité (Signage and Advertising Service), presented to the press the action plan aimed at removing seventeen traditional advertising panels and replacing them with energy-efficient digital displays. The outcome, in line with the aesthetic standards, aims to reconcile economic and environmental needs to achieve a higher urban quality of life through high-tech
Georges Marsan, Mayor of Monaco highlighted: « The City Council assures the quality of life of Monegasques and residents. In this respect, the harmonious integration of public signage in the urban landscape is considered as a priority. The Monaco City Council is therefore actively committed to fight against visual pollution. Focused on display brightness, the Mairie is then moving towards less energy-consuming LED (Note: Light Emitting Diode) panels ».
Georges Gambarini, Municipal Councillor, concluded: « The public signage acts as a reference point for local life and community. The revenues of the service contribute to the necessary budgetary balance of the City Council and it provides financial flexibility in support of daily projects ».
The Digital Signage is increasingly been used for business marketing in order to enhance corporate visibility while meeting ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) criteria, to measure company's' performance in terms of reducing their environmental impact. Using LED panels, powered by clean energy from renewables can actively contribute to reduce paper, plastic and ink waste and CO2 emissions.
Moreover, thanks to their multifunctionality, the LED walls offer many services at the same time, in a long term perspective. Notably, they can advertise, educate, inform, entertain and alert.
Last but not least, LEDs are particularly thin, light and long-lasting, requiring less maintenance than other types of devices while decreasing the amount of bulky waste. Furthermore, their brightness can be adapted to the surrounding environmental conditions, such as direct sunlight or darkness at night, avoiding energy waste.
So, the Principality of Monaco and the City Hall are working closely together to make the Country highly energy efficient through a cross sectional task force involving all economic, social and institutional sectors. ***
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By Maurice Abbati
Journalist; Editor; Communication, Media and Public Relations Specialist
Lecturer and Author in English language of Technical Articles and the Manual: "Communicating the Environment to Save the Planet, a Journey into Eco-Communication" by Springer International Publishing.
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