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People, Biodiversity and Ecology

  1. Man & the Biosphere
  2. UK & MAB
  3. UK MAB National Committee
  4. Worldwide Network of Biosphere Reserves
  5. International Year of Biodiversity

Man and the Environment. A Way to a More Sustainable Future.

Sustainable development aims to achieve a balance of ecological, economic and socio-cultural elements that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity is an integral part of this. Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, is disappearing at an unprecedented and most likely increasing rate.

UNESCO adopts an interdisciplinary approach to these challenges principally through its Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme and its associated network of Biosphere Reserves.

Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)

Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)

How can we safeguard both a healthy environment and a robust economy today and tomorrow?
What are the working examples of sustainable development that we can learn from?
How can we actively involve local people in a decision-making process that will enhance their livelihoods and the environment in which they live?

UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme is a flagship initiative dedicated to exploring and demonstrating interdisciplinary approaches to sustainable development. A network of Biosphere Reserves spread around the world is the Programme’s key instrument. The network covers a range of climatic and ecosystem types as well as a broad spectrum of cultural and economic practices. Biosphere Reserves aim to be sites of excellence which translate principles of sustainable development into locally relevant contexts, making them a liveable reality.

The origin of Biosphere Reserves dates back to a conference organised by UNESCO in 1968. The Biosphere Conference was the first intergovernmental forum to discuss and promote what is now called ‘sustainable development’.

To complement its network of Biosphere Reserves, the MAB Programme also undertakes wider activities on significant ecosystems, such as drylands, savannas, island and coastal areas, mountains, tropical forests, urban areas and wetlands. For example, it conducts studies on issues such as carbon economies, ecosystem management, desertification, sacred natural sites, and global change in mountain regions, and supports a regional postgraduate school in West Africa for tropical forest management.

UK and MAB

The UK is actively involved in the MAB Programme. There are a number of Biosphere Reserves located in the UK, reflecting the diversity of the UK’s ecosystems. Members of the UK MAB National Committee support thematic work streams in the MAB programme such as climate change, humid tropics, urban systems and quality economies.

The UHI Millennium Institute, based in Scotland, also hosts the UNESCO Chair in Sustainable Mountain Development. This Chair is facilitating the development and implementation of the Global Change in Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE) initiative.

The MAB Programme is governed by an Intergovernmental Co-ordinating Council comprising 34 rotating UNESCO Member States. The UK was most recently on the Intergovernmental Co-ordinating Council from 2006 to 2009.

Biosphere Reserves in the UK

Biosphere Reserves are accredited by UNESCO through nomination by Member States. The seven Biosphere Reserves currently located around the UK are:

For further information on each of these Biosphere Reserves, visit the individual Biosphere Reserve websites via the links above or the UK MAB National Committee website.

To find out more about the Biosphere Reserve concept, click here.

UK MAB National Committee

The UK MAB National Committee oversees and manages UNESCO’s MAB Programme in the UK. The Committee is composed of various groups with an interest in biosphere reserves, including representatives from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, national agency bodies (including Natural England, Countryside Council for Wales and Scottish Natural Heritage) and biosphere reserve managers.

It is independent of, but works closely with, the UK National Commission for UNESCO. The UK National Commission for UNESCO Secretariat regularly attends MAB National Committee meetings.

To contact the UK MAB National Committee email its Secretary at Christopher.Lewis[at]defra.gsi.gov.uk

Worldwide Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)

Launched in the early 1970s, the Worldwide Network of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) now includes more than 530 internationally-accredited Biosphere Reserves in over 100 countries, including the UK.

In Canada, the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve has turned conflict into cooperation. Local stakeholders are working together to improve land access and management by First Nations, protect the forests from excessive logging and improve local economic conditions.

Biosphere Reserves incorporate ‘core’ protected areas for nature conservation with ‘buffer’ and ‘transition’ areas – where people live and work - that are managed sustainably. Local stakeholders – such as non-governmental organisations, cultural groups, economic interests, educational institutions, scientists, and local authorities - are involved in the development of the region. This community based approach means that solutions are both innovative and strongly rooted in cultural contexts, traditional ways of life, land use practices and local knowledge that can often be transferred to other regions.

For further information about the MAB Programme and Biosphere Reserves, visit the MAB pages on UNESCO’s website.

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2010 International Year of Biodiversity
Thumb: 2010 International Year of Biodiversity
The United Nations has designated 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) to celebrate the importance of biodiversity and highlight the different threats facing this irreplaceable natural wealth across the globe.
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Useful links

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Regional and accessibility