IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

This solution demonstrates how large-scale solar energy development can be aligned with nature-based solutions (NbS) to address land degradation, water scarcity, and climate resilience. Implemented in Yulin, Shaanxi Province, and Yinchuan, Ningxia Province, the projects integrate photovoltaic infrastructure with ecological restoration and water retention strategies, transforming degraded sandy land into multifunctional landscapes.

Beneath the solar panels, water-retaining agents are incorporated into the soil to form distributed “micro-reservoirs” that capture limited rainfall, reduce evaporation, and support vegetation growth. The resulting vegetation has shown strong establishment compared to typical solar farm conditions. This improved vegetation cover enhances soil stability, reduces desertification risks, and strengthens ecosystem resilience, while maintaining efficient energy production with reduced cleaning frequency and lower water demand.

The Public Water Management Company “Srbijavode”, in cooperation with the protected area manager “Ecological Society Gradac” achieved significant ecological restoration and educational outreach in the Gradac River area. The project involved riverbed clearing by mechanically removing obstacles to river flow, such as large fallen tree trunks, stumps and over 3,500 m³ of sediment, to enhance river flow and restore ecological balance. PWC “Srbijavode” implemented bioengineering interventions by installing willow-wattle structures to provide a nature-based solution for preventing riverbank erosion along a pilot area of 150 m. Throughout the project, scientists from the Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković” conducted biodiversity assessments to ensure minimal negative impact on the ecosystem and to highlight the Gradac River’s good water quality. The Ecological Society Gradac engaged with over 250 primary school students in the Valjevo area through educational workshops.

The Mrigadayavan Palace, built in 1924 between the beach towns of Cha-Am and Hua Hin, was the summer house of King Vajiravudh, who ruled until 1925. To prevent coastal erosion and protect this cultural landmark, The Marine Department of Thailand (Ministry of Transport) constructed groins, seawalls, and jetties along the beach near the palace. These rigid structures cost USD 8.4 million in subsidies.

National experts, partners, and the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) measured the impact of subsidies on ecosystems in Thailand. After the team found that rigid coastal structures had accelerated erosion instead of preventing it, they presented these results to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment).

As a result, the Thai cabinet ceased subsidies for coastal rigid structures near the palace. Existing structures were replaced with nature-based solutions, restoring the ecosystem and protecting cultural heritage.

In Panama’s western highlands, small coffee farmers face growing pressures from pests, plant diseases and climate change. Heavy reliance on chemical pesticides has harmed biodiversity, degraded soils and threatened pollinators. This solution shows how endophytic fungi, microorganisms that live naturally inside plants, can serve as effective biological pest control adapted to local conditions. Fungal strains were identified and transformed into low-cost formulations that were tested on coffee farms, where they significantly reduced the need for chemical inputs. The initiative brings together scientists, government institutions and local communities, with a strong focus on training and empowering women farmers. By addressing biodiversity loss, land degradation and gaps in technical capacity, the project strengthens sustainable livelihoods and climate resilience. Farmers benefit through higher yields, lower costs and healthier ecosystems, creating a scalable model for sustainable coffee production in Panama and beyond.

The IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions™ was developed during a two-year process, aiming at setting a common basis of understanding for NbS, and providing a robust framework to design, implement, assess, adapt and improve NbS. The first version of the Global Standard for NbS has eight criteria and 28 indicators, and it was launched in 2020, supported by the IUCN Resolution 060.

To support the implementation phase of the NbS Global Standard, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) carefully selected 21 case studies around, to analyse, learn from and showcase examples of NbS good practice; and explore in detail how the IUCN Global Standard for NbS can be applied in different contexts. The case studies’ authors were provided with the NbS Global Standard’s Self-Assessment Tool, and assessed how well their case study met the eight criteria and 28 indicators. The 21 case studies were implemented in a diversity of contexts across the globe and in different regions, in equally diverse types of biomes – ranging from marine and coastal, to freshwater, terrestrial (including polar alpine biomes, forest, woodlands and grasslands biomes) to intensive land use biomes (including three cities) – as well as in two business-related cases to illustrate how NbS can also be implemented in a business context.

The Green Project in Gashora Sector, Bugesera District, Eastern Rwanda, transformed the country’s driest agro-ecological zone through regenerative, farmer-led land restoration. Facing severe land degradation, poor soil fertility, and widespread poverty, the project implemented agroforestry-based conservation agriculture using shrub-tree hedgerows, rotation cropping, and organic mulching. Designed as a low-cost, inclusive and replicable model, the project improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, increased yields, and diversified household incomes. Starting with just six farmers, it now engages over 1,000. The intervention shows how Nature-based Solutions (NbS) tailored to local conditions can reverse degradation, boost resilience, and uplift rural livelihoods.