Context: November 3 will be the first ‘The International Day for Biosphere Reserves’, to be celebrated beginning 2022. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) was formed in 1971, as a backbone for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and living in harmony with nature.

Key Points

• The event will be organised at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and in collaboration with all the regions of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. 

• This will also mark the end of the two years celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. 

• The purpose of the International Day for Biosphere Reserves is to provide an annual wake-up call on the sustainable development approach to modern life and the leading and exemplary role that the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) can play in this regard.

About Biosphere Reserve

• The Biosphere Reserve is a large protected area for the conservation of wildlife, plant and animal resources, and traditional tribal life in the area.

• Worldwide: There are 738 biosphere reserves in 134 countries, including 22 transboundary sites.

• Presently, there are 18 notified biosphere reserves in India. Ten out of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.

• In India, the first biosphere reserve was designated by UNESCO in 2000, namely, the blue mountains of the Nilgiris stretching over Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala where as Panna National Park is India’s latest declared Biosphere Reserve.

• A biosphere reserve contributes to the preservation of a region’s biodiversity and culture. 

• Reserves are designated under the intergovernmental MAB Programme by the Director-General of UNESCO following. The decisions of the MAB International Coordinating Council (MAB ICC). 

• Their status is internationally recognized. Member States can submit sites through the designation process.

• Core Areas: It comprises a strictly protected zone that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetic variation

• Buffer Zones: It surrounds or adjoins the core area(s), and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices. That can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training, and education.

• Transition Area: The transition area is where communities foster socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable economic and human activities.

• World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR). The World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) was formed in 1971. As a backbone for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and living in harmony with nature. There are now 738 properties in 134 countries, including 12 in India, four in Sri Lanka, and three in the Maldives. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal do not have biospheres as yet.

The ‘Expansion’ Plan

• The ‘South and Central Asia MAB Reserve’ Networking Meeting (where MAB stands for Man and the Biosphere) is planned for 2023, to advance biosphere reserve establishment and management.

• UNESCO is ready to assist in carrying out a professional potentiality analysis.

• In addition, an expert mission has been planned for spring 2023 — to Bhutan, India’s northeast, and the Sundarbans in Bangladesh.

Biosphere Reserve in South Asia

• In South Asia, over 30 biosphere reserves have been established.

• The first one was the Hurulu Biosphere Reserve, in Sri Lanka, with 25,500 hectares of tropical dry evergreen forest.

• In India, the first biosphere reserve was designated by UNESCO in 2000, namely, the blue mountains of the Nilgiris stretching over Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

• India’s network of reserves has gone from strength to strength.

Significance of Biosphere Reserves

• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves promotes North-South and South-South collaboration and represents a unique tool for international cooperation through sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, building capacity and promoting best practices.

• This gains significance as the ecological carrying capacity of the planet earth has been exceeded. 

• Ecosystem and theme-specific networks provide valuable insights into sustainable development models and climate change mitigation and adaptation possibilities. 

• In the more than 700 UNESCO biosphere reserves, a different relationship between humans and their environment– a relationship founded on ethics and respect, with a great emphasis on indigenous and local knowledge is being created and put into practice on a daily basis.

Addressing the concerns of South Asia and India’s Biosphere reserves

• Issues of concerns: Issues of concern include biodiversity, clean energy, climate, environmental education, and water and waste management, supported by scientific research and monitoring.

• Need to address the problem of financial resources: Some of the countries in South Asia do not yet have any or enough biosphere reserves. In most, if not all cases, the political will is certainly there, but there is a lack of know-how and financial resources. more financial support from the richer nations and the private sector would be desirable to advance biosphere reserves in these countries. Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal are on our priority list.

• Need to tackle ever-growing long-term threats: Considering the massive long-term threats to human survivability (besides pandemics and armed conflicts), such as biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution and population dynamics etc, accelerated by the blind belief in technological solutions for all problems. we need many more biosphere reserves globally.

• Increasing the WNBR’s and WNMBR’s is a necessity: The kind of help extended through the network is of great importance because the ecological carrying capacity of the planet earth has been exceeded. We have to revert to living in harmony with nature to breathe clean air again, have access to enough good water, eat nutritious and affordable food, and live in dignity.

Key Suggestion

• Strong political will in South Asian countries towards having biosphere reserves is necessary.

• To address the issues of lack of know-how and financial resources, more financial support from the richer nations and the private sector would be desirable. 

• The existence of the new World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves provides a welcome opportunity for Bhutan and Nepal to establish their first biosphere reserves and participate in the world network. 

• At least one biosphere reserve per country in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal until 2025 (with additional biosphere reserves in India’s North-East and along the coasts) will give realisation to millions of people for a better future where we will truly live in harmony with nature.

Road Ahead

• November 03, 2022, will be observed as the first International Day for Biosphere Reserves to showcase the contribution of the biosphere reserves to sustainable development. Expanding biosphere reserves across the world, especially in Asia, will help realise the objectives and goals of the MAB Programme and SDGs.