General guidance for NbS

Recently, NbS have become more visible in policy and economy, resulting in the development of a global standard. This standard is designed to guide the practical implementation of NbS, as well as support conservation and policy development. The standard can also help to establish a common understanding of what NbS are amongst NbS practitioners. 

The IUCN Global Standard for NbS identifies eight criteria for best-practise, to ensure full realization of the potential of NbS. All NbS should follow a general set of principles to adhere to these standards: 

How to plan an NbS

There is no one-size-fits all approach to planning NbS, because each project is dependent on the type of NbS that is chosen, combined with the context (i.e. country, ecosystem type, local conditions) in which it is applied. NbS implementation should therefore be tailored to each location's individual characteristics, using place- and context-specific assessments. However, there are helpful steps that can be followed when implementing NbS projects, also known as the NbS project cycle. 

General guidance for NbS in the Nordics

A previous Nordic Council of Ministers project on implementation processes in eight Nordic pilot projects identified some common key aspects which affect the success or failure of NbS project planning and implementation in a Nordic context. Many of these aspects are also in line with leading frameworks on NbS and can be related to the IUCN standard for NbS.  

The A-DVICE handbook focuses on the different kinds of policies, such as strategies, incentive programs and laws that may be useful when planning NbS in the Nordic region. In that handbook, you can read about policies on the local, regional and national levels in the Nordic region. This includes guidance on international goals and obligations, the Nordic policy landscape, policy integration and cross-sectoral approachesfinancial instruments, education, capacity building and awareness raising, voluntary measures and stakeholder engagement, and assessment frameworks for NbS.

Why do we need guidance for NbS?

  • Aid a common understanding of NbS, fast-track policy development and transformative societal change 

  • Equip users with a robust framework for planning and design of NbS 

  • Ensure actions help solve societal challenges 

  • Assess outcomes and success of NbS 

  • Ensure NbS are effective, scalable, and sustainable 

  • Mainstream nature-based approaches in policy and practice -increase scale and impact  

  • Prevent negative outcomes or misuse  

  • Help funding agencies, policymakers and other stakeholders assess the effectiveness of interventions