About the Standard

The Global Biodiversity Standard addresses the challenge of tree planting programmes, some of which are inadvertently causing harm to our world’s ecosystems.

It provides assurance that tree planting, habitat restoration and agroforestry practices are protecting, restoring, and enhancing biodiversity.

The Standard applies the tried and tested expertise of the global botanical community, with the knowledge of local communities, to tree planting and restoration sites across the world.

Achieving better biodiversity outcomes

1

Recognition
Recognising projects that have a positive impact on biodiversity.

2

Incentives
By publicly recognising best practice, we will provide incentives for organisations to incorporate a diversity of native species into planting and land management programmes.

3

Assurance
Providing assurance to governments, financiers of large-scale tree planting, and the public that initiatives are promoting and protecting biodiversity, not contributing to its decline.

4

Knowledge
Providing knowledge, data, and mentoring for policymakers, financiers, brokers, and tree planting groups to develop land management practices that protect, restore and enhance a biodiverse world.

The Methodology

The Standard brings together the tried and tested knowledge of the global botanical community, with the expertise of local communities, to initiatives across the world.

As a site-based assessment and certification, all land management initiatives, including habitat restoration, tree planting and agriculture initiatives, will be eligible for certification, enabling organisations to demonstrate to the world that their climate solutions promote biodiversity and do not accelerate its decline.

The Global Biodiversity Standard Methodology is described in detail in the official TGBS Manual. Final versions in Spanish, French, and Portuguese will be available shortly. The English language version can be downloaded now.

Our values

Our mission is to halt the biodiversity crisis. The Standard will:

We want to challenge the ‘any tree at minimal cost’ solution to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

And replace it with long-term, best practice solutions that combine the considerations of biodiversity, local communities, and carbon capture.

A view from the Xishuagbanna Tropical Botanic Garden includes a holy hill featuring remnants of tropical rainforest. The surrounding area has been deforested for agriculture and rubber farming.

Our partners

The standard is supported by the tried and tested expertise of the global botanical and ecological restoration community, including our Technical & Regional Hub partners:

Join us

It is critical that our approach to climate change includes tackling the biodiversity crisis. Over the next year we will be developing and testing the certification methodology in real world conditions – working with trusted partners and interested initiatives.

We want to join forces with civil society, policy-makers, corporate partners, and all land management interventions to solve this dual climate and biodiversity crisis.

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