Congress of Biosphere Reserves set for February 2008

Posted to the Forum by Dr. Miguel Clüsener-Godt,
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences, UNESCO
31 Ocober 2007

3rd World Congress of Biosphere Reserves: Biosphere Futures, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves for Sustainable Development
(4-9 February 2008 - Madrid)

The Spanish Minister for the Environment, Cristina Narbona Ruiz, officially announced at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2006 during the 19th session of the MaB International Coordinating Council that the Minister offered to host the 3rd World Biosphere Reserves Congress in Madrid, with the collaboration of the Kingdom of Spain. The aims of the Congress are:

• Analyse the results of the practical implementation of the Seville Strategy and the Statutory Framework of 1995
• Valorise the progress made and the challenges for the future
• Elaborate the Madrid Action Plan for biosphere reserves in this 21st Century

The work of the Congress will focus on the Five Points Agenda, which will elaborate an Action Plan for the World Network of Biosphere Reserves for the period 2008-2012. The Points are:

• Working methods and practices of the ICC in relation to the same of Executive Board and General Conference of UNESCO as a tool for improving science-policy practice within UNESCO's planning and programming agendas.
• What are the implications for each of the biosphere reserve zones contributing to conservation and development taking into consideration constraints and opportunities inherent of each zone?
• How BRs can be used for innovative research and capacity building enhancing the role of ecosystem goods and services in development?
• How can the MAB + BR Regional Networks be strengthened to become the main drivers of MAB and BR agendas?
• How can BR be used for learning, governance and adaptive management approaches for sustainable development of land/seascapes?

Contributions to the Congress: Participants who represent a biosphere reserve are invited to prepare a technical note on this reserve. All contributions will be compiled in a final document.

Costs for participation: The registration for the Congress is free of charge; however participants must dispose of a formal invitation issued by the Organizers. Congress participants are fully assuming all the costs for their participation (travel, lodging, food).

For more information: http://www.unesco.org/mab or http://www.madrid2008mab.es/