Nature-based Solutions

Nature-based Solutions leverage nature and the power of healthy ecosystems to protect people, optimise infrastructure and safeguard a stable and biodiverse future.

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About Nature-based Solutions 

Nature-based Solutions address societal challenges through actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified ecosystems, benefiting people and nature at the same time.  

They target major challenges like climate change, disaster risk reduction, food and water security, biodiversity loss and human health, and are critical to sustainable development.   

The design, implementation, and evaluation of Nature-based Solutions are supported by the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions. The Global Standard helps users shape their solutions and make them truly effective through 8 criteria and 28 indicators, supported by guiding questions. 

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USD 57 billion

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in flooding damages averted by mangroves in China, India, Mexico, US and Viet Nam each year

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One third

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of climate mitigation needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement can be provided by Nature-based Solutions

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USD 170 billion

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estimated global benefits in ecosystem services from Nature-based Solutions focused on climate

The benefits of Nature-based Solutions for biodiversity and human well-being flow from healthy ecosystems

Our work

IUCN pioneered the concept of Nature-based Solutions 20 years ago, first formulating a formal definition of NbS, then developing a rigorous standard to inform the design, implementation and evaluation of interventions: the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions.   

 

The Global Standard for NbS is accompanied by a guide and an online self-assessment tool

 

The IUCN NbS Management Hub supports governments to mainstream NbS in national policies and strategic plans and helps communities and non-governmental organisations to improve actions on the ground.  

 

IUCN’s work on Nature-based Solutions is governed by IUCN’s International Standard Committee and is supported by experts from the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) and its NbS Thematic Group

 

The Union offers stakeholders from all sectors the opportunity to learn how to apply Nature-based Solutions in their professional context through a Professional Certificate on NbS. This online course is offered by the IUCN Academy

 

 

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