Executive Summary (August 2025 – January 2026)
Mainstreaming nature-based solutions to deliver greater value for society and the environment.
Mainstreaming Nature based Solutions (MNbS) is a programme funded by the Ofwat Innovation Fund, bringing together 23 multi-disciplinary partners and a wide range of stakeholders.
The Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions (MNbS) programme remains on track and progressing as planned, with Phase 1 successfully completed and all deliverables formally signed off. The programme has now transitioned into Phase 2 (Assess, synthesise and test), focusing on translating Phase 1 recommendations into practical testing and implementation activity across regions and workstreams.
Over the last reporting period, activity has centred on forward planning, partner collaboration, and enabling delivery of Phases 2 and 3. Governance and cocreation with programme partners, the Steering Group, and the Technical Working Group have been integral to this transition, ensuring alignment with the original Winners Agreement while remaining agile in response to an evolving regulatory landscape.
Key Progress and Achievements
- Phase 1 delivery completed and signed off, including final briefing notes setting out programme enablers and recommendations for testing.
- Draft Common Value Framework (CVF) published, providing a consistent approach to valuing NbS benefits. Engagement has been positive, including discussion at the Policy & Implementation Board and detailed sessions with the Environment Agency.
- Regional test planning completed, with clear hypotheses and delivery plans developed by Regional Connectors and reviewed through programme governance.
- Tracked Programme of NbS progressed through regulatory workshops and the establishment of a multi regulator Review Group (including Defra, EA, Ofwat, Natural England and NRW) to shape scope and evidence requirements.
- Strong dissemination and engagement, including launch of the MNbS website (over 1,400 visits in its first month), a new webinar series, regular partner bulletins, and a growing LinkedIn community (now ~500 members).
- Active contribution to post Cunliffe and PR29 discussions, including submission of a paper to Defra on future-proofing regulatory approaches to NbS.
Forward Look
The programme is demonstrating strong governance, effective collaboration, and the ability to adapt to a fast changing policy and regulatory environment while maintaining delivery confidence and financial control.
We have a robust forward plan for the programme, which we developed collaboratively. Phases 2 and 3 are about iteratively testing and learning from the work completed through the programme to date and how this work is brought together into an integrated set of programme outputs (Minimum Viable Product, MVP), currently including:
- The Common Value Framework (CVF), of which V2.1 has now been published
- One Data Model
- Evidence Framework
- Risk Framework
- Viability Framework
These tools have been developed over the first two years of MNbS, co-designed with a wide range of stakeholders, and are now being tested through the programme regional tests that have now been launched.
The objective of this usable toolkit is for it to support elements of regional systems planning in practice, enable PR29-ready delivery of nature-based solutions, and support the new water supply and water environment planning frameworks.
By the end of Phase 3 we will have a consolidated set of recommendations and tools that we will have confidence in recommending for implementation in Phase 4, and beyond the programme.
As part of the programme we are continuing with proactive engagement amongst regulators and policymakers to influence PR29 planning. We will also continue to respond in an agile way to the opportunities that changes in the external environment are creating for the programme.
Our programme executive summaries are produced every six months following each report we produce as part of our reporting to Ofwat.
If you would like to learn more about the programme and download specific programme outputs and resources, please explore our website and visit the Resources area.
