The IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas is a global campaign for successful nature conservation. At the heart of the initiative is the IUCN Green List Standard which aims to recognise and support quality management of protected areas around the world. IUCN commissioned OneWorldStandards to lead the development of the Green List standard with key stakeholders.

The standard is structured around four pillars. In order to meet the standard, protected areas need to demonstrate:

• Respect: for the local community through fair and meaningful engagement of rights-holders and stakeholders
• Design: planning that identifies the needs to secure  the important values of the area
• Effective management: monitoring of the status of these important values
• Successful conservation results: for nature and for people

The project was launched in 2014, and the first global Green List Standard was approved in September 2016. By October 2024, 87 sites had been ‘green listed’ globally, across 18 countries.