IUCN launches EU-funded project to explore the potential of nature credits in three EU Member States

As EU Member States finalise their National Restoration Plans, identifying innovative sources of finance for biodiversity restoration has become increasingly important.

To support this effort, IUCN has launched a new project funded through the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI). The project will explore the opportunities and challenges associated with nature credits and nature markets in Croatia, the Netherlands and Poland, providing national authorities with the knowledge and evidence needed to assess whether and how these emerging approaches could contribute to financing nature restoration.

The initiative comes at a time when public budgets face increasing pressure and discussions on the future EU budget are underway. By examining the potential role of private finance mechanisms, the project seeks to help Member States make informed decisions on the feasibility, design and governance of nature credit schemes within their national contexts.

On 2 June 2026, IUCN convened representatives from the European Commission’s SG REFORM, Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV), national authorities from the participating countries, and expert teams to officially launch the project.

The discussions demonstrated a strong willingness among participants to collaborate, deepen their understanding of nature credits and markets, and assess how these approaches could be applied in their national contexts.

By October 2027, the project will deliver:

• An assessment of existing indicators and methodologies to support the design of nature credits. 
• Financing mechanism and value proposition for nature credits beyond the return on investment..  
• Recommendations for high-integrity governance of nature credit schemes. 
   

The findings of the project will also contribute to the work of the European Commission’s Expert Group on Nature Credits, established in 2025 following the publication of the Roadmap towards Nature Credits.

To learn more about nature credits, explore the IUCN brief: https://iucn.org/resources/other-brief/nature-credits