Pathways for the consistent & effective implementation of NbS: the role of the IUCN Global Standard

The adoption of the resolution “Nature-based Solutions for supporting sustainable development” at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA Res. 5.5) was a significant milestone in advancing the uptake and mainstreaming of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) across development sectors.

The recently concluded Intergovernmental Consultations on Nature-based Solutions in Nairobi, Kenya highlighted a need for identifying standards and criteria to address divergences and provide a framework for implementation of Nature-based Solutions, as well as identifying and documenting best practices and case studies for NbS. It was also acknowledged that in addition to standards and criteria, implementing high-integrity NbS requires robust knowledge transfer, access to guidance for those implementing interventions, adequate financing as well as enabling policies at the global, national, and subnational levels.

The IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions offers clear criteria that guide the integration and mainstreaming of high-integrity NbS at policy, finance and actions on the ground. Over the past years, the IUCN NbS Standard has been used as a tool by various Member States to enable and increase the scale and impact of NbS and assess the effectiveness of interventions.