Scientific knowledge for a sustainable future
Recent years have seen rapid economic growth in most East Asian countries, but at considerable environmental costs, including depletion and pollution of scarce surface and groundwater resources, loss of biodiversity and increased natural disaster risks. Addressing these challenges calls for sustainable water and biodiversity management solutions promoted within the framework of UNESCO鈥檚 environmental programmes such as the 鈥淢an and the Biosphere鈥 (MAB) Programme or the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP). This will also require new advances in scientific knowledge and innovative applications of technologies through cooperation among member states and the mobilization of a wide network of partners (Universities, UNESCO Centers and Chairs).
Our experience and successful cases:
- The 2019 Man and the Biosphere (MAB) 91麻豆国产精品自拍
Attended by 173 MAB Youth delegates from 83 countries, the 2019 MAB 91麻豆国产精品自拍 hosted by the Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve in China contributed to boosting the presence of MAB Youth in the programme in all parts of the world. This Forum also paved MAB Youth鈥檚 way towards their active participation in COP15 and other global platforms and processes such as the UNESCO Youth Community of Practice, the Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
鈥&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; The Great Rivers Forum on 鈥淗igh quality development for a sustainable world鈥, Wuhan
Awareness was raised on water, culture and environment interrelated issues on the occasion of the Great Rivers Forum on 鈥淗igh quality development for a sustainable world鈥, held in Wuhan, China, in October 2018 in the direct benefit of its 145 participants - high-level representatives, experts and managers from 30 countries as well as the indirect benefit of more than 672,000 users who connected to the video broadcast of the conference, and the almost 17 million that were reached by Weibo. This event also contributed to the promotion and expansion towards Asia of the Global Network of Water Museums, reaching now more than 2.5 million visitors a year with water sustainability educational activities in total.
- The Man and Biosphere Exhibition on 鈥淭he Beauty of Life on Earth鈥, Beijing and Kunming
Biodiversity is of vital importance for maintaining the ecological balance of nature, and it is fundamental to human survival and development. To promote the concept of green sustainable development, UNESCO Cluster Office in Beijing co-organized the Man and Biosphere exhibition 鈥 The Beauty of Life on Earth on 30 August 2021 with the Alliance of International Science Organization (ANSO), the Chinese National Committee for UNESCO鈥檚 Man and the Biosphere Programme (UNESCO MAB China), the Endangered Species Scientific Commission of the People鈥檚 Republic of China (China CITES SA), the International Society of Zoological Sciences (ISZS), and the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IBCAS). This exhibition was also designed as a supporting program to the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-15) to be held in Kunming, China in October 2021. Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Cluster Office in Beijing, expressed that on the 50th anniversary of Man and the Biosphere Programme, UNESCO calls for a new relationship with nature, which requires the participation of the individuals. UNESCO would like to pay a tribute to those who have shaped the program into this quest for a more harmonious living in each of the world鈥檚 ecosystems through this event.
East Asian Biosphere Reserve Network (EABRN)
EABRN is a regional network supporting the UNESCO鈥檚 Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and has three priority themes for cooperation: eco-tourism, conservation policy, and trans-boundary cooperation. EABRN facilitates the exchange of information between biosphere reserves (BRs) and governing bodies, and conducts regular regional meetings on issues of common concern. It also serves as a mechanism to facilitate training and site-to-site cooperation.
The Secretariat of EABRN is based at UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia (UNESCO Beijing Office).
What we can offer:
- Promoting Media and Information Literacy awareness, policy, education and knowledge sharing to empower citizens, in particular youth, with skills enabling them to critically engage with online and offline information, and to responsibly create and share diverse content.
- Promoting inclusion of vulnerable population through:
- Establishment of the Coalition of Disability-Inclusive Cities, and capacity building for city authorities to develop disability-inclusive responses for better accessibility and digital inclusion;
- Capacity building for media professionals on human rights-based reporting on persons with disabilities, women and girls, and other vulnerable groups.
- Advancing the development of digital skills and competencies among youth by:
- empowering teachers and learners with basic coding skills to develop mobile applications in support of sustainable development;
- encouraging youth to use digital innovation in response to the COVID-19 crisis and sustainable development issues.
