The 2026 Nature-based Solutions Summer School inaugurated in Guangzhou, China

Taking place from 26 May to 4 June across Guangzhou and Hong Kong, this second annual edition of the course is convening cross-border officials and professionals to advance standardised, practical Nature-based Solutions (NbS) against the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution. 

The opening ceremony was attended by Wu Jun, Deputy Director General of International Department, Ministry of Natural Resources; Liu Siyuan, Deputy Director General of Department of Natural Resources of Guangdong Province; Lai Chun-chi, Deputy Director of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong; Heger Amandine, Deputy Director, Climate and Sustainable Development at the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity (MECB) in Luxembourg; and, more than 50 participants from China and other countries. 

Referring to the triple planetary crisis, IUCN’s Deputy Director General Stewart Maginnis outlined the unique role and various pathways that NbS play in addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and enhancing ecosystem resilience. 

From IUCN’s perspective, this annual NbS Summer School serves as a pivotal international and cross-border cooperation platform for pooling global wisdom and practical experience in ecological governance.  As a key initiative to promote the mainstreaming of NbS, the event bridges the gap between international standard frameworks and regional implementation, enabling in-depth exchanges on innovative, scalable and replicable NbS practices among global practitioners, policymakers and researchers.

Moving forward, IUCN will continue to deepen long-term collaborative partnerships with Chinese government and institutional stakeholders, further refine global NbS technical guidance and application systems, and leverage such high-level exchange platforms to accelerate global efforts in tackling climate change, conserving biodiversity and restoring ecosystems, ultimately bolstering progress towards sustainable development.

For more information about the IUCN Global Standard for NbS and related resources, visit inbs.iucn.org

Photo credit: Guangzhou Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau