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The 23rd conference of the China Biosphere Reserve Network (CBRN) & the 50th Anniversary of UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme
Officials including, academician Zhang Yaping, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chairman of China National Committee for MAB, Professor Shahbaz Khan, the Director of UNESCO Beijing Office, Zhou Bin, Mayor of Yancheng Municipal People's Government, Wang Xuedong, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Provincial Forestry Bureau, Cui Ying, Deputy Secretary General of the China National Commission for UNESCO, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Academician Xu Zhihong, Chairman of the Expert Advisory Committee of the China National Committee for MAB, attended the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was hosted by Researcher Wang Ding, Secretary-General of the China National Committee for MAB.
The theme of this conference is "promoting high-quality green development, realizing harmonious coexistence between human and nature". Nearly 200 guests and representatives from relevant national ministries and commissions, and members of the China Biosphere Reserve Network attended the meeting.
Prof. Shahbaz Khan pointed out that Biosphere Reserves are important learning places for promoting and practicing sustainable development under the guidance of UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme, and a practice place for providing local solutions to global challenges such as biodiversity protection and climate change, achieving ecological, social and economic benefits through synchronization and contributing to the United Nations sustainable development goals. Prof. Shahbaz Khan acknowledged the important achievements of China National Committee for Man and the Biosphere, especially the important experience in the establishment and operation of the China Biosphere Reserve Network.
In his speech, President Zhang Yaping pointed out that over the past 50 years, the core concepts of UNESCO's Man and Biosphere Programme have been deeply integrated with China's natural conservation and sustainable development practices, and the Programme has been successfully implemented in China, making a series of important progress.
Mayor Zhou Bin said that Yancheng holds valuable ecological treasure. Along the 582 km coastline, three ecosystems, namely wetland, ocean and forest, have been formed, and it is an important "post station" for the migration of birds from East Asia to Australia.
During the certification process, the conference issued certificates to six new members of the China Biosphere Reserve Network (Inner Mongolia Daqingshan National Nature Reserve, Henan Yellow River Wetland National Nature Reserve (Sanmenxia), Hubei Three Gorges Dalaoling National Nature Reserve, Qianjiangyuan Baishan Motherland Park Baishanzu Park, Shaanxi Hualongshan National Nature Reserve, and Hubei Jianli Hewangmiao Yangtze River Porpoise Provincial Nature Reserve). So far, the number of members of the China Biosphere Reserve Network has increased to 191, and the coverage of ecological types has further expanded.
In the awarding process, the conference awarded the Youth Science Award and the Green Guard Award to the corresponding scientific researchers and front-line staff of reserves.
In addition, the conference also held a donation ceremony for the "China Biosphere Memorial Medal of the United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity" and a symposium for the first group of participants of the Young Talents Support Programme of the China National Committee of MAB.
