• Landmark standards launched to enhance integrity and transparency in nature investments.
• UK positions itself as a global leader in green finance, driving economic growth.
• Standards aim to combat greenwashing and encourage high-quality nature restoration.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) has introduced groundbreaking government-backed standards, the Overarching Principles Standard (BSI Flex 701), to boost investment in nature-friendly projects across the UK.

This pioneering standard—the first of its kind globally—will ensure investments genuinely benefit the environment, from restoring wetlands to enhancing flood resilience and improving water quality.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, highlighted the urgency:

“We need urgent action from across society to address the nature crisis, and businesses have a crucial role to play in that effort. By having clear standards, we can strike a blow to greenwashing and give businesses confidence that their investment is truly helping our natural world recover.”

The standards aim to establish the UK as the green finance capital of the world, aligning environmental restoration with economic growth. The Green Finance Institute reports that ignoring nature-related risks could reduce GDP by 6% in the future, underscoring the economic imperative of nature investment.

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Scott Steedman, Director-General at BSI, emphasized the significance:

“Today marks a key milestone for the Nature Investment Standards (NIS) Programme with the launch of updated overarching principles ready for adoption across the UK. The principles are designed to provide consistency and rigour for high-integrity UK nature markets that trade in real, measurable environmental benefits.”

Leaders from Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland expressed strong support, urging businesses to adopt the standards promptly.

Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister of Wales, stated:

“This new standard will help make sure that when people invest in our natural environment, they do so in the right way.”

Mairi Gougeon, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, added:

“This is an important step in setting out clearly what is required for markets to operate with high integrity.”

Northern Ireland’s Minister of Agriculture, Andrew Muir, noted:

“Increasing investment in nature restoration through high integrity nature markets has the potential to help us deliver much-needed nature restoration at scale.”

BSI has initiated further consultations on a Natural Carbon Standard to enhance nature-based carbon credit markets, supporting UK’s net-zero ambitions and biodiversity goals.

The Overarching Principles Standard is now available for immediate adoption by businesses, investors, and project developers.

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