This dataset is the result of a systematic mapping of the application of nature-based solutions (NbS) to climate change adaptation in urban areas across the world. We screened 823 potential urban NbS to climate adaptation, which resulted in the inclusion of 216 interventions worldwide from 130 cities in 55 countries within our dataset. We analysed each of the NbS according to key characteristics in terms of how these interventions are helping cities confront the grave climate change, biodiversity, and related social challenges they are facing. We further analyse the capacity for each NbS to affect change in the city it is implemented within, which ranges from incremental (shallow) change to reformistic (middle ground) and finally transformative (deep) change. The full range of climate, biodiversity, and social challenges, as well as further discussion on the meaning of these different levels of change, is described in the attached file in the coding template tab. The results and analysis of this database (v 1.0.0) appear in the following article: Goodwin, S., M. Olazabal, A. Castro, U. Pascual. "Global mapping of urban nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation". Nature Sustainability. doi: 10.1038/s41893-022-01036-x A read-only version of this article can be found online for free here. For any use of this dataset, please cite this dataset along with the associated publication in Nature Sustainability. Please report any errors or omissions to Sean Goodwin.