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Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves Issue a Statement after Meeting in Palawan, Philippines
Representatives of biosphere reserves from Australia, Chile, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Maldives, Mauritius, Portugal, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sao Tome and Principe, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Yemen attended the Fourth Meeting of the Global Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves, which took place in the Palawan Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines from 16 to 21 June 2014. The meeting was organized by the Man and the Biosphere Programme, the Palawan Centre for Sustainable Development, Jeju Island Biosphere Reserve and Menorca Biosphere Reserve. Its aim was to discuss the main challenges and threats facing these sites, in particular water, energy and food self-sufficiency, climate change, natural disasters and waste management, and to share experiences and potential solutions.
On the final day of the meeting, the participants issued a joint statement covering the main themes discussed, including: current and completed research projects; a planned training course in October 2014; a casebook study comprising a wide range of information and experiences, which was presented at the meeting, participation at the 6th IUCN World Parks Congress (Sydney, Australia, November 2014;) and the organization of the Fifth Meeting of the Global Network of Island and Coastal Biosphere Reserves.
