The URWAN Checklist

The main purpose of the URWAN Checklist is to help practitioners address all the key elements needed to make Nature-based Solutions (NbS)—such as green-blue infrastructure (GBI) and other ecosystem-based approaches—credible, effective, and truly beneficial for both nature and people.

The checklist is aligned with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Global Standard for NbS, ensuring that solutions address challenges like climate change and water security in a meaningful and measurable way, rather than only in name.

Each key element is broken down into clear, practical, and verifiable steps to make sure nothing essential is overlooked during the planning and implementation of NbS interventions. The checklist also provides a brief explanation of why each element matters, along with recommendations based on lessons learned from URWAN project pilots, other EU initiatives, and scientific literature.

Municipalities, urban planners, NGOs, local associations, and NbS practitioners can use the URWAN Checklist as a practical job aid to keep a structured overview of their interventions, improve efficiency, and ensure alignment with internationally recognized criteria for effective NbS.