The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme Adopts a Work Plan for the Next Two Years
The 36th session of the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme concluded on Friday in Agadir, adopting an ambitious work plan for the next two years, focusing on the main challenges related to climate change.
A statement from the Presidency of the International Coordinating Council explained that “one of the tasks of the new Executive Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme is to prepare and coordinate the fifth World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, scheduled to be held in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang Province in China, from September 22 to 27, 2025.”
The same source added that the conference will host the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, noting that the discussion will focus on the Convention on Biological Diversity, its impact on the Man and the Biosphere Programme, and the effects of climate change on this programme.
During the 36th session of the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme, Morocco, represented by the Director General of the National Agency for the Development of Oases and Argan Zones, Latifa Yaqoubi, was elected to chair the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme for a two-year term.
The new Executive Bureau also includes Zuzana Guzikova from Slovakia, Helena Freitas from Portugal, Du-Sun Cho from the Republic of Korea, Cyprian Katongo from Zambia, and a representative from the Latin America and the Caribbean region, Andre Perez Saenz.
This session, attended by the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Audrey Azoulay, saw the participation of over 270 delegates from 72 countries, including ambassadors of member states, among them the Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Kingdom to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Samir Addaher, as well as representatives of biosphere reserves, scientists, and partners from various fields.
The statement noted that Morocco’s election to chair the International Coordinating Council of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme marks an important stage in the Kingdom’s commitment to sustainable development, highlighting that “Morocco’s selection is based on its rich biodiversity and exemplary commitment to preserving and developing biosphere reserves, which are now open laboratories for various forms of sustainable development and observatories for the effects of climate change.”
The Agadir conference saw the participation of several experts.
Dr. Rachid Moussadek , a Senior Scientist at ICARDA and INRA, explained in his keynote speech about “Soil Health to Face the Climate Change – Challenges and Opportunities,” that solutions are available to enhance soil health, emphasizing the need to increase the soil organic matter content, preserve groundwater, and improve biodiversity. He highlighted the importance of promoting environmentally friendly agricultural practices, particularly among the youth, outlining, as example, an ambitious program aimed at promoting conservation agriculture over an area of one million hectares, in addition to projects dedicated to oasis areas to address climate change in Morocco.
He also addressed Morocco’s initiatives in this field for the benefit of the African continent, such as the Adaptation of African Agriculture (AAA) initiative to climate change, and the Soil Fertility Map created by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests in collaboration with the OCP Group and the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INRA), which has been shared with around twenty African countries as part of South-South cooperation supported by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
It is worth noting that the Kingdom of Morocco currently has four UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves, namely the Argan Biosphere Reserve, the Southern Moroccan Oases Biosphere Reserve, the Intercontinental Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve, and the Cedar Biosphere Reserve in the Middle Atlas.
The Man and the Biosphere Programme aims to provide a scientific basis for improving relationships between people and their environment. It combines natural and social sciences to improve the livelihoods of populations and protect managed and natural ecosystems, thereby promoting innovative approaches to socially, culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable economic development.
The World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the Man and the Biosphere Programme, is the largest and oldest collection of natural reserves within the UNESCO system. It currently includes 738 biosphere reserves in 134 countries and regions, covering about 5 percent of the Earth’s surface.
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