With the Decision C98/17 (98th Meeting of the IUCN Council, 10-11 February 2020), the IUCN Council “endorsed the adoption of an IUCN Nature-based Solution Standard noting that the application of the standard is an evolving process that will need to be monitored and revised accordingly.”
Following the ISEAL Code of Good Practice for Sustainability Systems (Code v1.0), the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions: first edition (hereafter Standard) is to be revised every five years to ensure it remains relevant over time. As the Standard was launched in 2020, it is now time to update it.
The objective is to enhance the clarity and usability of the IUCN Global Standard for NbS to ensure it remains relevant and useful across sectors and regions.
THE UPDATE PROCESS
The update process will develop in three phases:
-
Consultations: Consultations will be launched in mid-December 2024 to elicit comments and feedback from users of the Standard across regions and sectors. Consultations will be conducted through i) an Online Survey targeting the Community of Practice of the Standard, ii) an Online Expert Survey and semi-structured interviews, targeting a group of 50 NbS experts (Expert Group), and iii) an extensive literature review. Consultations will last 60 days, and will close on February 18, 2025.
-
Drafting the Updated Standard: All comments and feedback received will be summarised into a Synopsis and discussed with the Core Working Group (CWG), which includes representatives of the IUCN Secretariat, the Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) and the International Standard Committee (ISC). Comments and feedback will be analysed to update the IUCN Global Standard for NbS, Guidance document and Self-assessment tool.
-
Revision and Endorsement: The updated Standard, Guidance document and Self-Assessment tool will be reviewed by the ISC to ensure the Standard’s integrity is maintained and its update is consistent and aligned with the ISEAL Code of Good Practice. The IUCN Programme and Policy Committee (PPC) will also review the documents in late March 2025. The final version 2.0 of the Standard will be then submitted for endorsement to the IUCN Council in May 2025.
PURPOSE OF THE SURVEY
The objective of this Survey is to solicit your comments, feedback and suggestions on how to improve the clarity, usability and relevance of the following documents:
-
The IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions: first edition (referred to as Main document in the survey): A framework for the design, verification and scaling up of NbS.
-
The Guidance for using the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions: first edition (referred to as Guidance document in the survey): The scientific basis and guidance on the objective, scope and application of the IUCN Global Standard for NbS.
-
The IUCN Self-Assessment Tool: A tool to help design new NbS, upscale pilots by identifying gaps, and self-assess past projects and future proposals.
WHY SHOULD YOU TAKE PART IN THIS CONSULTATION
This Survey invites you to share your views and feedback on the IUCN Global Standard for NbS, the Guidance document and the Self-Assessment tool, share your personal experience in applying the Standard to design, verify, or scale up NbS interventions or for any other purpose, and to provide any best practices, case studies or tools you consider relevant to improve the Standard and its application.
HOW YOUR RESPONSES WILL BE USED
Your responses will be confidential and will not be shared or attributed unless you specifically give permission. Your contact details will not be used for any other purpose than for the consultation and update of the IUCN Global Standard for NbS. All data will be handled in accordance with the IUCN data policy.
This survey consists of five sections:
-
Section B: Gathers feedback on the usability, accessibility, and the level of effort required to understand, consult, and use the IUCN Global Standard for NbS main document, the Guidance document, and the Self-assessment tool.