Introduction Empowering individuals Working together Operating sustainably Governance and engagement Appendix 2023 Environmental Repo爀琀 Bringing nature back to cities Restoring habitat for monarch bu琀琀e爀昀lies We’re also bringing nature back to many cities where we operate. Global search interest in “pollinators” and We’re taking steps to help address the threat facing “tree planting” reached all-time highs in 2022. 139 California’s monarch bu琀琀e爀昀lies—pollinators that are impo爀琀ant to our ecosystem. In 2020, California only saw In urban areas around the world, we’re designing nature 2,000 monarch bu琀琀e爀昀lies during the winter: a more than into the built environment to improve urban biodiversity 90% decline from the millions of monarchs that visited the and connect people to nature. For example, our Pla琀昀orm G  138 state in the 1980’s and 1990’s. building in London’s King’s Cross neighborhood will include Given our signi昀椀cant presence in California, in 2021, a biodiverse green roof and planting pale琀琀e designed to suppo爀琀 native birds, bats, bees, and insects, designed we announced our aim to suppo爀琀 the creation, in collaboration with the London Wildlife Trust. A densely restoration, and/or enhancement of 600 acres of habitat planted outdoor roof garden with a rainwater irrigation for monarchs and other pollinators across California, system will provide a habitat for protected species of including creating more habitat on our campuses. We’ve bats and birds, as well as o昀昀ering a quiet green space for put $500,000 toward this e昀昀o爀琀 on our campuses, and breaks during the work day. We’re collaborating with the Google.org granted another $500,000 to the Xerces London Wildlife Trust as pa爀琀 of a wider initiative to protect Society and Peninsula Open Space Trust for habitat work our native species and improve local biodiversity. across the state. In city centers lacking greenspace, the urban heat island To date, this has helped to restore and enhance more e昀昀ect produces higher temperatures, leading to increased than 500 acres of monarch and pollinator habitat across  140 energy needs, air pollution, and heat-related illness. California, including creating nearly 5 acres of new habitat Google is helping to abate the urban heat island e昀昀ect on our campuses in 2022. by prioritizing plantings, green open spaces, and tree canopy cover on our campuses, as well as reducing impermeable su爀昀aces like concrete. 2022 HIGHLIGHT We published insights from some of this work in an We’ve provided grants to help academic paper, aiming to inspire others and provide them restore and enhance more than with tools and techniques for integrating nature into dense urban areas. 500 acres of monarch and pollinator habitat across California. A monarch bu琀琀e爀昀ly at our Charleston East campus. (Photo: Rick Miskiv for Google) 69