Frequently Asked Questions

The Contributions for Nature Platform (CfNP)

1. What is the Contributions for Nature Platform?

• The Contributions for Nature platform (“the Platform”) allows IUCN constituents to document where they are undertaking (or planning to undertake) conservation and restoration actions. It overlays this documentation with data for biodiversity and for carbon sequestration to report potential contributions towards IUCN’s Nature 2030 Programme and by extension, other conservation frameworks and agreements such as the Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Agreement, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the long-term vision for the Contributions for Nature platform spans the entire of the Nature 2030 IUCN Programme, its first phase focuses on documentation of potential contributions to the Programme Areas on Land and Climate.

2. What are the different modules on the Contributions for Nature Platform?

   • The Contributions for Nature Platform comprises two modules:
     • A Data Visualisation Module, openly accessible by anyone at: https://www.iucncontributionsfornature.org
     • A Data Entry, Validation and Management Module, available to IUCN staff and constituents only at: https://admin.iucncontributionsfornature.org/

   • The Data Visualisation Module combines validated data entered by the IUCN constituency with existing global, spatial, high-resolution data on biodiversity and carbon to calculate and report on the potential contributions towards global goals for nature, both individually and aggregated by institutions, countries, regions, and globally.

   • The Data Entry, Validation and Management Module is described in a dedicated section below.

3. What is the value of documenting my organisation’s contributions?

• Documentation of your organisation’s contributions allows showcasing the collective contributions of the Union to IUCN’s Nature 2030 Programme and by extension, other conservation frameworks and agreements such as the Global Biodiversity Framework, Paris Agreement, and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• You are able to show fellow IUCN Members, other constituents and the general public information regarding the work your organisation is undertaking (or is planning to undertake).

4. How does the Platform relate to other data platforms?

• The Platform serves a unique role in delivering the mandate of the IUCN One Programme for the IUCN constituency.

• It is distinguished from many other platforms by being wholly spatial and quantitative (many “pledge” platforms are qualitative and narrative).

• There are plans eventually to link through to platforms maintained through the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (especially the Convention on Biological Diversity Sharm El Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda, the UNFCCC Nazca Platform, etc).

• Links and partnerships with other platforms (e.g. PANORAMA Solutions) are also being explored.

5. Are there plans to build capacity of IUCN constituents through provision of tools that will help them map and document their contributions? Examples of such priorities for training could include the IUCN taxonomies of threats and actions and how these can be applied.

• Guidance documentation is available for capacity-building in the terms of use of the platform itself.

• More generally, we are considering the suggestion of building from the concepts introduced in the platform to develop associated training materials e.g. on mapping, classification schemes, etc. However, this will not be done for Phase I.

6. What is the temporal scope that the Platform seeks to cover?

• The Platform can incorporate any contributions as long as their start or end date falls within the 2020-2030 decade (to align with the Nature 2030 Program).

7. Who is able to enter information?

• Any IUCN constituent (so, IUCN Members, including their representation through National and Regional Committees), Commission members, and Secretariat staff, can use their IUCN credentials to log into the platform’s data entry module and enter information. IUCN constituents are encouraged to determine who is the person (or people) within their organization who will be empowered to enter information.

8. Can IUCN Commissions also upload contributions?

• IUCN Commission members, where they are undertaking conservation or restoration actions on the ground, can enter documentation of these contributions and this will make the possible synergies and contributions between components of the Union more visible and, in this way, support the implementation of a One Program.

Data entry

9. What is the Data Entry module? 

• The Data Entry, Validation and Management module (or “Data Entry module”) allows IUCN constituents to document their conservation and restoration actions, i.e. their contributions. 

• Through this module, IUCN constituents can provide a description of their contributions, enter the geospatial coordinates of the area covered by their contributions and provide additional information, such as number of staff and beneficiaries disaggregated by gender, budget information, conservation actions and types, adding attachments, etc. 

• All the information presented on the publicly-accessible Contributions for Nature Platform is directly taken from the data entry module. 

10. Can IUCN constituents capture non-spatial contributions they might be making to nature? For example, could one capture a project to build capacity of Environmental Management Inspectors to detect wildlife contraband on a national scale?

• Contributions for Nature is entirely spatial – its scope is for specific conservation or restoration contributions on the ground.

• So, it could not be used to document the example of national capacity-building.

• However, if that capacity-building work was focused (for example) on a specific site, then it could be documented.

11. Is it possible to document contributions which are more social and which do not have a polygon or spatial reference? (e.g. environmental education curriculum development, national alternative livelihoods policies)

• The Platform is designed to allow documentation of contributions in terms of conservation or restoration work on the ground. Where this comprises social interventions in specific places, these can be documented in the “conservation actions” drop-down menu. 

• However, non-spatial activities cannot be documented here; IUCN constituents might consider using an alternative platform such as PANORAMA Solutions to document such work.

12. Is there a way to document social metrics related to a contribution?

• Yes: It is possible to document the number of staff and number of beneficiaries (following definitions from the Global Environment Facility), with the option to differentiate each by sex.

• Guidance from GEF can be found here: GEF/C.54/11, Updated Results Architecture for GEF-7 (thegef.org) Page 35 of the document states that “Direct beneficiaries are all individuals receiving targeted support from a given project. Targeted support is the intentional and direct assistance of a project to individuals or groups of individuals who are aware that they are receiving that support and/or who use the specific resources.”

13. Does the Platform allow input of data such as implementation costs, best practices, or impact data?

• IUCN constituents can indeed enter data on both the total annual budget required to implement the contribution (i.e. the implementation costs), and the annual budget already secured.

• IUCN constituents can also enter a short description of the contribution as free text (which could include data on best practices or impact data, if desirable); it is also possible to upload documents or photographs if useful.

14. When entering documentation on contributions, is it necessary for an IUCN constituent to add data one-contribution-at-a-time, or can documentation of multiple contributions be uploaded together?

• Information must be uploaded one project at a time. If your organisation has documentation of many contributions to upload (100+), then please contact contributionsplatform@iucn.org to discuss options for efficient data entry.

Accessing the data entry module

15. How do I access the Data Entry Module ?

• Either by clicking on the “Add your contributions” button on top, or by going directly to https://admin.iucncontributionsfornature.org/

• To login, please use your IUCN credentials.

16. What if I cannot remember my IUCN login credentials?

• On the data entry module, click on “Forgot password”, type your email and click “Reset” to receive an email reconnection link.

17. I do not have any IUCN login credentials.

• Please contact your Regional Membership Focal Point so that they can add you as a member of staff of your organisation. This will generate login credentials that can be used to access the Platform.

18. I have accessed the Data Entry Module but don’t know what to do next.

    • The “all contributions” panel allows you to view all contributions from all organisations, as you could see on the Contributions for Nature Platform. 

    • The “validated contributions” panel allows you to view the contributions of your organisation which have been validated by an IUCN validator. 

    • The “pending contributions” panel allows you to view the contributions of your organisation which are pending validation from an IUCN validator. It is most likely in this panel that you would find a contribution you need to edit.  

    • The “rejected contributions”  panel allows you to view the contributions of your organisation which have been rejected by an IUCN validator.  

• Many features and modules are available on the interface. Most of them however, are reserved for IUCN staff, administrators and validators. In addition, a permission system limits the use of certain features or the access to certain data points to only a number of authorised users. 

• As a contributor, the main feature is the “+” icon located on the top-right corner (above the map). It allows you to access a data entry form to enter a contribution. 

• Additionally, on the left of the map, several views allow you to browse contributions and potentially find one of your contributions to edit it. 

Creating a contribution

19. How can I add a contribution?

• After having connected to the Data Entry Module, click on the “+” icon on the top right corner to access the data entry form. 

• Start by checking the checkbox on the top to give the IUCN your permission to use your contribution’s data. 

• Enter your contribution information in the corresponding field (for the “Geometry field, see the next question). 

• Make sure to fill all mandatory fields: Name, Description, Start Date, End Date and Geometry. Without information provided in these fields, your contribution can not be submitted.

• We strongly encourage you to add as much information as possible in the non-mandatory fields as well: Partners, Staff (female/male), Beneficiaries (female/male), requested annual budget, total budget, conservation actions and conservation types. 

• We also encourage you to add an attachment when applicable, e.g. a project report, pictures from the project or any other relevant documentation.

• After having entered your contribution’s information - at least for the mandatory fields - click save on the top to submit your contribution. Next to the save icon, you can also click “Save and add another” to submit and directly access another data entry form.

• All the information and attachments provided will, upon the contribution’s validation, be automatically uploaded to the publicly accessible platform and made visible.

20. How can I enter the geospatial data linked to my contribution?

• The geospatial data linked to a contribution can be added in the “Geometry” field, either by uploading a Shapefile or by drawing the area’s polygon(s).

• To upload a shapefile, click on the “Upload” icon on the left side of the map and select the .zip folder you want to upload. The area will be automatically visualised on the map, allowing you to verify its correct ingestion.

• To draw a polygon or several polygons, click on the “Polygon” icon (first icon) on the left side of the map and click for each corner of the polygon you are drawing. To complete your polygon and stop new corners and sides from being added, either double click, or click on the last or first corner you have drawn (highlighted in blue).  

• NB: You can draw several polygons if your contribution’s area is not continuous. If you draw two polygons that have one area overlapping, both polygons will automatically be merged into one. 

• To delete a polygon, click on the “Select” icon, click on the polygon you want to delete and click on the “Delete” icon.

• To modify a polygon after having drawn it, you can select the corners of your polygon and move them. Certain corners cannot be moved: click on them to create additional points, which you can move. 

• Maintain a click to move on the map. To help you drawing polygons or verifying the correct import of a Shapefile, make sure to use the “Zoom in” and “Zoom out” options. You can also display Protected areas and Key Biodiversity Areas on the map by selecting them from the top-right corner of the map. 

21. Where do I write the name of my organisation as I add a contribution?

• You don’t need to: your account is already linked to the name of your organisation as it is based on your IUCN account. Any contribution created by you will bear the name of the organisation you depend from.

• You do not need to tag your organisation in the “Partners” field: your organisation will be automatically added as the main contributor.

22. How can I write my contribution’s information in several languages?

• The Contributions for Nature Platform is available in English, French and Spanish. As such, contributions can be entered in each of these languages, and translations can also be provided by constituents to enhance their contribution’s visibility on the platform.

• By default, the data entry form on which you enter your contribution’s information is in English. You can however change the language of entry, or add another language by clicking “Toggle split view” above the contribution’s name. 

• You can then choose French or Spanish as language of entry, and enter the contribution’s information in the language of your choice. The information can be entered in all 3 languages, by switching one of both tabs from one language to another (e.g. keeping English on the left side and switching between French and Spanish on the right side).

• NB: Only two fields can be translated: name and description, as the other fields do not need to be translated. 

23. How do I tag a partner working on a contribution alongside my organisation?

• You can tag other organisations in the “Partners” field.

• Click “Select” and use the search bar on the top-right corner to look for another organisation by its name. 

• After you submit your contribution, the partner organisation will receive an automated email requesting approval from the IUCN constituent(s) who has been tagged.

• If they do not approve, then the tagging is not added.

24. How can I add an attachment? 

• At the very bottom of the data entry form, a section “Attachments” allows you to add an attachment. Many formats are compatible, including PDFs, Word documents, pictures, videos, URL links, etc.

• To do so, click “Upload file” and either drag-and-drop from your files, click on the “Upload” icon, or on the URL icon to directly upload a file from an online source. 

25. How can I submit my contribution to IUCN validation? 

• Once you have completed the fields, press the “Save” button at the top of the data entry form. “Saving” a contribution will automatically send it to the IUCN validation. 

26. What if I do not have all the information requested for documentation in the Data Entry Module?

• Not all of the fields in the Data Entry Module are compulsory. The only required data in the Data Entry Module are the spatial data (one or more polygons) and the name of the Contribution, plus the start and the end dates. These fields are identified with a small red asterisk.

27. Why do I get an error message when clicking on save?

• If you get an error message when clicking on save, read the description of the error message. In most cases, an error message would be displayed if one of the mandatory fields has not been filled (Name, Description, Geometry, Start Date, End Date)

28. How can I edit my contribution?

• Find your contribution depending on its status from the left panel (“validated”, “pending” or “rejected” contribution) and click on it to access the data entry form. 

• Edit your contribution as needed and click save. 

• If your edits on an already validated contribution do not modify the contribution’s geometry (the geospatial data), the information visible on the Contributions for Nature Platform will be updated automatically. 

• If the edits modify the contribution’s geometry, the contribution will be re-submitted to the IUCN validator, as a change in the geometry will also impact the contribution’s scores. 

29. For IUCN constituents documenting contributions in Protected Areas or Key Biodiversity Areas, is there a minimum threshold for proportion of the area of the site included in the contribution necessary for documentation of this in the Platform?

• There is no minimum threshold for contributions. However, if a constituent is working in a small zone within a Protected Area, for example, it would be more helpful to document that specific area rather than select the pre-determined Protected Area polygon.

30. If two or more IUCN constituents are working in the same place and on the same project upload information, is the information duplicated?

• The Platform includes a “tagging” function to allow IUCN constituents to “tag” one or more partners (where these individual or institutional partners are also IUCN constituents) when documenting a given contribution. This generates an automated confirmation email request to each partner, which if accepted will attribute the contribution in question to multiple IUCN constituents.

• Where a contribution is being implemented in partnership with institutions which are NOT currently IUCN constituents, these partnerships can be documented in the free- text “short description” section. The potential to expand the scope of the Platform beyond the IUCN constituency is being scoped in Phase II.

• If multiple IUCN constituents are undertaking contributions in the same place, and they document these separately, that is not a problem. In the Visualisation Module, the contribution-level reports will document these individually. However, their overlap will be automatically accounted for in generating national, regional, or global reports.

31. Are the metrics going to remain static or is there a periodic update?

• The Platform should be kept up to date with the latest information available, so IUCN constituents are invited to edit and update documentation of their contributions as frequently as useful and appropriate for them.

Validation process

32. How does the validation process work?

• The Validation Module is managed through the IUCN Regional Offices, and allows validation of the plausibility of documented contributions, to help maximise data quality.

• Once a contribution is submitted by an IUCN constituent, a notification is sent to the corresponding regional validator. From the same interface, the regional validator can then review the information entered and ultimately validate or reject the contribution as entered by the IUCN constituent. 

• Upon its validation, a contribution is immediately visualised on the publicly-accessible Contributions for Nature Platform, with all the information entered by the IUCN constituent.

33. What happens if my submission is not validated?

• If the relevant IUCN Regional Office has questions regarding the plausibility of the data, typically resulting from errors in data entry, the person who has submitted the information will receive an email requesting further information or proposing changes to be made.

34. How long does validation take?

• Validation takes approximately two (2) weeks.

35. How would differences of interpretation about what objectively constitutes a contribution be resolved?

• The validation process is simply a validation of plausibility, designed to reduce the risk of errors in data entry, not a verification of action, outcome, or impact on the ground.

• The incorporation of mechanisms for verification may be explored in future phases, perhaps drawing from tools such as the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas and the IUCN Nature-based Solutions Standard.

• Guidelines for the validation process are available at by clicking the “Documents” tab at the top of the Platform home page.

Visualisation Module (publicly accessible platform)

36. Can anyone use the data about a given contribution information once it is available on the Visualisation Module?

• No. The User Agreement governing use of the Visualisation Module provides users with a non-transferable non-commercial license to use, download and print materials contained in the Platform. Other uses are not permitted without written permission from IUCN.

37. What can the IUCN do with the data about a contribution, once these have been entered and validated?

• When they submit their data, IUCN constituents grant permission to IUCN to store, aggregate, search, query and display them.

• Constituents can also give their permission to IUCN to repost or redistribute the data to third party platforms (potentially including e.g. the Sharm El Sheikh to Kunming Action Agenda Platform) by ticking the relevant box on the summary page of the Data Entry Module.

38. What types of vegetation and restoration actions are taken into consideration in documenting contributions towards climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration?

• For Phase I, the documentation of contributions towards climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration is focused on forest landscape restoration via agroforestry, mangrove restoration through trees or shrubs, natural regeneration, or plantations or woodlots.

• For Phase II, functionality is being developed to document contributions from restoration of non-forest habitats, and from carbon sequestration via retention.

39. Can an IUCN constituent share, in its website or communications, a link to its contributor page on the Platform, or to specific contributions it has implemented? 

• Yes, anyone can add a link from their own website to the Platform. 

40. I could not find the answer to my question here.

• Please send an email to contributionsplatform@iucn.org, detailing your question, suggestion or concern, and the IUCN Secretariat will provide a response as soon as possible.