In the days of 09-11 June 2026, a regional conference on “Advancing Nature-Based Solutions under the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans” was organized by the IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This conference was attended by the REFORD, in the frame of the NbS4LD project. https://iucn.org/news/202606/western-balkans-step-cooperation-ecosystem-restoration-and-nature-based-solutions-under
The participants from the 6 western Balkan countries were able to meet each other and to share their experiences in the implementation of the NbS actions. Besides sharing of experiences, the event offered opportunity for new partnerships and improved the understanding of the NbS among various stakeholders.
IUCN is offering a training and professional certificate on NbS as confirmation that the participant of the training is trained to use the IUCN global standard for NbS in the various implementation projects. The NbS global standard provides an operational framework to:
- Guide the design and implementation of NbS, fostering continuous improvement to ensure they yield the outcomes desired;
- Identify or assess legitimate NbS interventions, while using a common set of criteria and indicators.
The NbS global standard supports the application of NbS at varying scales - from localized interventions to landscape-level initiatives - highlighting the importance of inclusive, cross-sectoral collaboration for effective and sustainable outcomes. There are 8 criteria and 27 indicators that the NbS have to fulfill to be counted as NbS intervention. https://inbs.iucn.org/understand/global-standard-for-nature-based-solutions/
Also, there is a tool for self assessment developed by the IUCN, where every project (already implemented or under design) may be assessed to what extend the intervention comply with the NbS. https://inbs.iucn.org/apply/nature-based-solutions-self-assessment/
The topics presented on the conference served as a solid background to extend the knowledge of the procedures in developing and implementing various projects that are counted as a Nature Based Solution. It offered a view by the policy makers in the eventual design of legal measures to provide NbS as a planning tool for any project that will be implemented in the natural areas. It also offered a view by the financial organizations and donors that are supportive to this approach in the projects that are funded by their institutions (World Bank, European Development Bank, SIDA).