News
Header photo: Highlanders on Texel. © Marion Paul Bruin via Unsplash
Dutch nature policy: our main priorities
- Dutch nature policy in line with international agreements and policy
- Dutch nature policy is approached holistically and coordinated with other societal objectives
- Key players in nature policy work closely together
- Dutch nature policy in line with international agreements and policy
- Dutch nature policy is approached holistically and coordinated with other societal objectives
- Key players in nature policy work closely together
Promoting vigorous nature policy
IUCN NL is well-positioned to promote vigorous nature policy. We are, after all, the largest and broadest platform for Dutch nature and biodiversity organisations, involving civil society organisations, knowledge institutions and the Dutch national government. We enhance the exchange of knowledge and views between these stakeholders and work towards joint strategies.
In addition to our network of Dutch IUCN members, we also operate in other partnerships to promote policies that put nature and biodiversity first. We are a partner in the Delta Plan for Biodiversity and we are part of the Groene 11, the public affairs alliance of various nature and environmental organisations.
International knowledge and standards
In addition, we are part of the largest union for nature conservation in the world: the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). We distribute the international knowledge and standards of IUCN in the Netherlands and we ensure the optimal use of the international IUCN network for nature policy.
Integration with international nature policy
IUCN is closely involved in the development of international nature policy. In the Netherlands, we promote the input of civil society organisations and businesses into international policy-making and we strive for a strong link between national and international nature policy.
Convention on Biological Diversity
The Netherlands’ nature policy has long been strongly embedded in international agreements and policies and we are already enjoying the benefits of this. The Netherlands is an active participant in worldwide UN conventions on nature, for which the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) determines the joint goals and strategy.
In 2022, the United Nations Biodiversity Summit took place in Montreal (Canada) within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), where the new global biodiversity targets were set in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
After agreeing on the 2030 targets, the Netherlands, like all other parties to the convention, was required to submit a National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBSAP). In the run-up to the Biodiversity Summit in 2024, IUCN NL has been working to draw up and improve the Biodiversity Plan. With a five-month delay, the Netherlands published its Biodiversity Plan in March 2025. However, according to the WWF’s NBSAP tracker, the plan is still inadequate. IUCN NL remains committed to accelerated action and broad social involvement to reverse biodiversity loss and restore biodiversity.
European biodiversity strategy
In Europe, the global agreements on biodiversity have been converted into European policy, which has a major impact on Dutch nature policy. In 2020, the EU launched a new, ambitious European Biodiversity Strategy, which the Netherlands has also signed.
National Dashboard Biodiversity
IUCN NL is committed to ensuring that Dutch nature policy is closely aligned with the 2030 targets of the Biodiversity Convention and the European Biodiversity Strategy. To provide insight into whether the Netherlands is on track to achieve these goals, we developed the National Dashboard Biodiversity in collaboration with Naturalis Biodiversity Center, SoortenNL and Sovon Vogelonderzoek. This independent website shows the state of biodiversity in the Netherlands.
Sustainable Development Goals
IUCN is a worldwide advocate of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These worldwide goals were agreed upon in 2015 and link solutions for nature (SDG 15: Life on Land) with solutions for other societal challenges. We strongly support such an integrated approach to nature conservation.
IUCN NL represents the green organisations in SDG Netherlands. In this role, we promote cooperation with other sectors and civil society organisations in the Netherlands.
Active collaboration
IUCN NL proactively encourages the collaboration and synergy between the different key players in the Netherlands that have an influence on nature policy and its implementation. We do this at the national level through the IUCN member platform, but also more generally. We support the input of society and businesses in international policy-making, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Learn more?
