The International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme is the MAB governing body, usually referred to as the MAB Council or ICC. It consists of 34 Member States elected by UNESCO's biennial General Conference. In between meetings, the authority of the ICC is delegated to its Bureau, whose members are nominated from each of UNESCO's geopolitical regions.
At each ordinary session of the UNESCO General Conference, normally held every two years, half of the Members of the Council end their terms of office and new Council members are elected. The outgoing members are replaced by members belonging to the same regional group. Council members can be re-elected.
In recent years, the MAB Council has met annually, usually at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris or in a host MAB-ICC Member State. Although each Member State has only one vote, it can send as many experts or advisers as it wishes to the Council sessions. In addition, other Member States of UNESCO that are not members of the Council can send representatives as observers. UN Agencies such as UNEP, FAO, UNDP, WMO, WHO are also invited as well as representatives of the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Social Sciences Council (ISSC) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
The role of the Council is:
- to guide and supervise the MAB Programme;
- to review the progress made in the implementation of the Programme (cf. Secretariat report and reports of MAB National Committees);
- to recommend research projects to countries and to make proposals on the organization of regional or international cooperation;
- to assess priorities among projects and MAB activities in general;
- to co-ordinate the international cooperation of Member States participating in the MAB Programme;
- to co-ordinate activities with other international scientific programmes; and
- to consult with international non-governmental organizations on scientific or technical questions.
The MAB ICC also decides upon new biosphere reserves and takes note of recommendations on periodic review reports of biosphere reserves.
At its meetings, the Council elects a chairperson and five vice-chairpersons, of whom one functions as a rapporteur; these form the MAB Bureau.
Documents
- SC-19/CONF.231/1
Provisional agenda - SC-19/CONF.231/2 Provisional annotated agenda
- SC-19/CONF.231/3 Provisional timetable
- SC-19/CONF.231/4 Report of the Secretary of the MAB Programme
- SC-19/CONF.231/5 Reports on actions undertaken by Member States / regions/ regional and thematic MAB Networks in the context of MAB with a focus on the Lima Action Plan and discussion on collaborative and research projects
- SC-19/CONF.231/6 Implementation of the "Process of Excellence and Enhancement of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) as well as Quality Improvement of All Members of the World Network"
- SC-19/CONF.231/7 Periodic Review Reports and Follow-Up Information Received since the last MAB International Coordinating Council (MAB ICC) Meeting
- SC-19/CONF.231/8 Proposals for New Biosphere Reserves and Extensions/ Modifications/ Renaming to Biosphere Reserves that are Part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)
- SC-19/CONF.231/9 Update on the MAB Communication Strategy and Action Plan
- SC-19/CONF.231/10 MAB Young Scientists Awards Scheme
- SC-19/CONF.231/11 Michel Batisse Award for Biosphere Reserve Management
- SC-19/CONF.231/12 Implementation of the Lima Action Plan
- SC-19/CONF.231/13 Technical Guidelines for Biosphere Reserves (TGBR)
- SC-19/CONF.231/14 MAB Youth Activities and MAB Youth Forum 2019
- Annex 1
- Annex 2
- Annex 3
- Annex 4
Information Documents
- SC-19/CONF.231/INF.1 Provisional List of Participants – available at the meeting
- SC-19/CONF.231/INF.2 Provisional List of Documents
- SC-19/CONF.231/INF.3 Rules of procedure of the MAB ICC
- SC-19/CONF.231/INF.4 Information document TGBR
- SC-19/CONF.231/INF.5 2nd Information document TGBR
- SC-18/CONF.230/15-rev.2 Final Report of the 30th Session of the International Co-ordinating Council (ICC) of the Man and Biosphere Programme (23-28 July 2018, Palembang, Indonesia)
National, Regional and Thematic Network Reports
Member States, regional and thematic MAB Networks will be given the opportunity to provide brief reports on their activities since the last MAB Council session, with a focus on the implementation of the Lima Action Plan.
29TH SESSION
12-15 June 2017, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
- Working documents
- Final Report
28TH SESSION
18-19 March 2016, Lima, Peru
- Working documents
- Final Report
27TH SESSION
08-12 June 2015, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
- Working documents
- Final Report
26TH SESSION
From10 to 13 June 2014 in Jönköping, East Vättern Landscape Biosphere Reserve, Sweden.
- Working documents
- Final Report
25TH SESSION
From 27 to 30 May 2013, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
- Working documents
- Final Report
24TH SESSION
From 9 to 13 July 2012, UNESCO, Headquarters, Paris, France
- Working documents
- Final Report
- Main Conclusions and Recommendations
23RD SESSION
From 28 June to 1 July 2011, Dresden/Radebeul, Germany
- Working documents
- Final Report
- Main Conclusions and Recommendations
22ND SESSION
From 31 May to 4 June 2010, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
21ST SESSION
From 25 to 29 May 2009, Jeju, Republic of Korea
20TH SESSION
From 5 to 8 February 2008, Madrid, Spain
19TH SESSION
From 23 to 27 October 2006, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
18TH SESSION
From 25 to 29 October 2004, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
17TH SESSION
From 18 to 22 March 2002, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
16TH SESSION
From 6 to 10 November 2000, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
15TH SESSION
From 7 to 11 December 1998, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
14TH SESSION
From 19 to 22 November 1996, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
13TH SESSION
From 12 to 16 June 1995, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
12TH SESSION
From 25 to 29 January 1993, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
11TH SESSION
From 12 to 16 November 1990, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
10TH SESSION
From 14 to 18 November 1988, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
9TH SESSION
From 20 to 25 October 1986, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
8TH SESSION
From 3 to 8 December 1984, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
7TH SESSION
From 30 September to 2 October 1981, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
6TH SESSION
From 19 to 28 November 1979, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
5TH SESSION
From 24 October to 1 November 1977, Vienna, Austria
4TH SESSION
From 18 to 26 November 1975, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
3RD SESSION
From 17 to 29 September 1974, Washington D.C., United States
2ND SESSION
From 10 to 19 April 1973, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
1ST SESSION
From 9 to 19 November 1971, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
At its meetings, the Council elects a chairman and five vice-chairmen, of which one functions as a rapporteur; these form the MAB Bureau.
The composition of the Bureau, as elected at the 30th session of the MAB ICC:
- Chair: Ms Enny Sudarmonwati, Indonesia (Group IV)
- Vice-chairs:
Group II: Estonia
Group III: Honduras
Group V (a): Nigeria
Group V (b): Sudan
- Rapporteur: Group I: Sweden (Ms. Johanna MacTaggart)
Government-appointed MAB National Committees play a fundamental role in the implementation of the MAB Programme. In order to ensure maximum national participation in the international programme and to define and implement its national participation, every Member State is invited to establish a permanent and fully-functioning national committee.