Healthy ecosystems like forests, wetlands, and farms are nature's water infrastructure. They are essential for buffering against floods and the provision of clean, ample water around the world – feeding growth in agriculture, industry, and cities. But unlike traditional pipes and pumps, “natural” infrastructure projects are rarely able to take advantage of bond financing by cities, companies and utilities. The Water Consortium, a global group of climate finance and sustainability organizations, created the Water Infrastructure Criteria of the Climate Bonds Standard, marking a major turning point in best practice in sustainable investment in water based infrastructure and green/grey hybrid systems. This new standard enables ecosystems to be protected, managed and restored to generate water outcomes using certified green bonds – making these climate-smart solutions ripe for the investments they direly need.