The Philippines has adopted a national policy for nature-based solutions (NbS), establishing a framework to scale ecosystem restoration across the country and naming carbon finance among its funding sources.
Local community members planting mangrove seedlings to restore coastal ecosystems, Philippines. AI-generated image.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) unveiled the NbS Policy alongside an NbS Catalogue in early July. Both are backed by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) through the Project Accelerating Green and Climate Finance for NbS, with support from the Canadian embassy in Manila.
The policy is formalised through DENR Administrative Order No. 2026-30, signed on 29 June 2026. Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the order institutionalises NbS across the department's current and future policies, plans, and programmes, and establishes a national framework for scaling ecosystem-based interventions.
The accompanying Catalogue is designed as a practical guide. UNDP described it as a 'playbook of 21 powerful examples of nature-based solutions — from restoring forests to rehabilitating coastlines — making it easier to fund and implement them'.
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Priorities under the policy include restoring forests and watersheds, rehabilitating mangroves, coral reefs, and wetlands, and protecting seagrass beds. Expanding urban green spaces and improving watershed management and flood mitigation also feature, particularly in vulnerable provinces, coastal areas, and urban ecosystems.
Funding will draw on carbon finance, government appropriations, development partners, and payments for ecosystem services. The policy incorporates the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Global Standard for NbS, a framework that helps governments, businesses, and NGOs design, verify, and scale high-quality interventions. A dedicated technical working group will oversee implementation, a national registry will track projects and results, and capacity-building programmes will prepare DENR personnel and partners for delivery.
The policy arrives as capital flows towards nature accelerate. Data shows nature-based projects attracted $2.61 billion in the second quarter of 2026, ahead of the $2.37 billion committed to carbon dioxide removal — the second consecutive quarter that nature has led. Global carbon market investment reached $5.30 billion in the quarter, up 12.5% year on year, putting 2026 on course to surpass last year's $16.19 billion total.
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As demand for trusted, high-quality carbon credits grows, the standards behind each credit matter more than ever. Green Earth develops large-scale nature-based carbon projects accredited to leading international standards, with full supply chain oversight from initial design through to credit issuance and long-term monitoring. Every project delivers verified environmental impact across ecosystems, communities, and biodiversity — built to the highest levels of regulatory scrutiny.
