Photo: Photo by Larisa Koshkina / Pixabay
The pioneering European platform with a global reach will create opportunities for local, regional and international cooperation to make NBS the new normal. NetworkNature’s mission is to support a global NBS community across science, business, policy and implementation.
NetworkNature is the coming together of NBS research, and implementation. To enhance the NBS evidence base, NetworkNature will gather state of the art knowledge, map the research and innovation landscape, and identify knowledge gaps. To upscale the use of NBS it will provide guidance and capacity building, market analysis and engage with practitioners, business, investors and policymakers. To raise awareness it will communicate latest findings and news in the NBS field through various channels, engaging existing stakeholders and reaching out to new audiences, especially by educating younger generations to become future NBS leaders. European regions will be supported through new NBS regional hubs.
NetworkNature will also host an online platform, with the latest research, best practice, news, events and resources on NBS. The online platform, built within Oppla, will include a search engine and a marketplace, where nature-based enterprises can offer their products and services. An incubator for these enterprises will be established, featuring a ‘match-making’ service, enabling enterprises and researchers to connect products and services with needs.
As partners in NetworkNature, the IUCN European Regional Office collaborates with the IUCN Global Ecosystem Management Programme to upscale the use of NBS to tackle several societal challenges, a key objective for IUCN, as reflected by the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-Based Solutions. IUCN EURO leads the facilitation of stakeholder engagement and dialogue, focusing on key target audiences that have the potential to significantly contribute to the greater use and mainstreaming of NBS. IUCN Global Ecosystem Management Programme leads the compilation of the evidence base.
IUCN joins forces with ICLEI Europe, BiodivERsA, Oppla and Steinbeis 2i to create NetworkNature, in close collaboration with the European Commission Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and Executive Agency for SMEs. With wide expertise in research, implementation, business strategy, policy and communication, the team is well equipped to help nurture and champion the growing nature-based solutions community.
It is in our nature to network – we will expand the wider NBS community and support you in implementing and amplifying your nature-based solutions.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 887396.
For more information, please contact Chantal van Ham, EU Programme Manager Nature Based Solutions, chantal.vanham@iucn.org
