Press release by Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP

The UK government and British Standards Institution (BSI) have launched the Overarching Principles Standard (BSI Flex 701), a new framework aimed at guiding high-integrity investments in nature-based projects such as wetland restoration, habitat creation, and flood resilience. Developed through stakeholder consultation, the standard is intended to improve transparency, reduce greenwashing, and build confidence among businesses and investors engaging in nature markets. It forms part of the government’s broader efforts under the “Plan for Change” to align economic growth with environmental goals, and is now available for voluntary adoption.

This is the first UK-wide standard of its kind and is part of a wider framework that will include additional standards for biodiversity, nutrient mitigation, and nature-based carbon credits. The initiative is supported by devolved administrations and is intended to create consistency across nature markets while encouraging private investment. A consultation on a Natural Carbon Standard is also underway, and a formal assurance system to verify compliance with these standards is expected in due course.

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