Publication
The Earth Network: learning from experts missions to support UNESCO-designated sites
Acting as UNESCO ambassadors, these experts have applied their specialised skills and knowledge to assist UNESCO-designated sites that require targeted support.
The network integrates diverse systems of knowledge — scientific, practitioner, local, and Indigenous —allowing experts to provide tailored support that includes technical advice, data collection, partnership development, and training specific to each site’s needs. This collaborative approach enriches the knowledge base on ecosystem management, restoration, and resilience at UNESCO sites and contributes to the UNESCO Biodiversity Portal, the world’s first global database dedicated to these area
To date, Earth Network missions have taken place at a variety of sites either UNESCO-designated sites or sites being considered for designation by UNESCO, namely:
- Biosphere Reserves: composed of a core area, a buffer zone and a transition area, these sites have the triple objective of biodiversity conservation, sustainable development for local communities, and research, monitoring and education.
- Global Geoparks: composed of sites and landscapes of international geological significance, geoparks are managed through a bottom-up approach integrating protection, education and sustainable development.
- World Heritage sites: the World Heritage Convention seeks the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. Parties to the Convention are encouraged to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion in the World Heritage List.
The missions highlighted in this publication do not only support UNESCO-designated sites but also contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, composed of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) Targets, established during the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 15). Additionally, this publication showcases key examples of youth engagement, empowering future generations on local, regional, and global scales.
