Written by Bart Kapteijns, ICA

The Myth

Any green project can be labelled a ‘Nature-Based Solution (NBS).’

The Reality

Not every green initiative truly qualifies as an NBS. This confusion has fostered greenwashing—projects marketed as sustainable yet offering little tangible benefit for ecosystems or communities. According to the European Commission¹, genuine NBS must deliver measurable outcomes for both biodiversity and human well-being, supporting ecosystem services such as water purification, flood mitigation, or air quality improvement.

To uphold these standards, the IUCN² developed the Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions—a framework that defines clear indicators covering ecological integrity, inclusiveness, equity, and transparent monitoring. Applying these standards ensures that NBS remain science-based and verifiable rather than becoming a catch-all label for anything “green.”

References

1. Nesshöver, C. et al. (2017). “The science, policy and practice of Nature-based Solutions.” Nature Sustainability, 1(2), 121–132.
2. European Commission (2021). Nature-Based Solutions policy framework.
3. IUCN (2020). Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions: A user-friendly framework for the verification, design and scaling up of NbS.