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Building peace in the minds of men and women

Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme

MAB Governance

The main MAB governing body is the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme. It consists of 34 Member States elected by UNESCO's biennial General Conference. In between meetings, the authority of the MAB-ICC is delegated to its Bureau, whose members are nominated from each of UNESCO's geopolitical regions.

The implementation of the MAB programme is guided by the Roadmap 2015-2025, which was adopted by the Member States.

Two bodies provide advice to the MAB Programme:

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.

 

Go to: International Coordinating Council | Bureau | Advisory Committee | International Support Group 

International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme

The International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere programme, known as the MAB Council or MAB-ICC, is the main governing body of the MAB Programme. In recent years, the MAB Council has met annually. Its session are usually held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris or hosted by a MAB-ICC Member State.

Each Member State has one vote, but can send as many experts or advisers as it wishes to the Council sessions. UNESCO Member States that are not current members of the MAB Council can send representatives as observers.

UN Agencies such as UNEP, FAO, UNDP, WMO, WHO are invited to participate as observers, as well as representatives of the International Council for Science (ICSU), the International Social Sciences Council (ISSC) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

The 33rd session of the International Co-ordinating Council of the MAB Programme (MAB-ICC) will take on 13-17 September 2021.

 

The role of the Council is to:

  • guide and supervise the MAB Programme;
  • review the progress made in the implementation of the Programme (cf. Secretariat report and reports of MAB National Committees);
  • recommend research projects to countries and to make proposals on the organization of regional or international cooperation;
  • assess priorities among projects and MAB activities in general;
  • co-ordinate the international cooperation of Member States participating in the MAB Programme;
  • co-ordinate activities with other international scientific programmes; and
  • 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.

 

Members and elections

Thirty-four member States compose the MAB-ICC. They are elected by UNESCO's biennial General Conference. 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.

  • Current members of the MAB International Coordinating Council English | Français (pdf)

 

Go to: International Coordinating Council | Bureau | Advisory Committee | International Support Group | Top  

MAB Bureau

The Bureau is composed of a chairman and five vice-chairmen, of which one functions as a rapporteur, representing each of UNESCO's geopolitical regions. The members of the MAB Bureau are elected by the members of the MAB Council. 

The composition of the Bureau, as elected on 20 October 2020, prior to the holding of the 32nd session of MAB-ICC, is as follows:

Chair: Mr Adepoju Adeshola, Nigeria (Group Va African States) 

Vice-chairs:
Group II (Eastern European States): Russian Federation
Group III (Latin-American and Caribbean States): Peru
Group IV (Asian and Pacific States): Kazakhstan
Group Vb (Arab States): Sudan

Rapporteur: Group I (Western European and North American States): Austria 

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.

  • Report of the 4th online meeting (in 2021) of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 2 December 2021 English
  • 6th Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 29 July 2020 English | Français
  • 4th Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 29 May 2020 English | Français
  • Report of the 3nd Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 27 April 2020 English | Français
  • Report of the 2nd Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 6 April 2020 English | Français | Español
  • Report of the 1st Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 23 March 2020 English | Français
  • Report of the 7th Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 17 September 2020 English
  • Report of the 1st Skype meeting (2021) of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 20 April 2021 English | Français
  • Report of the 2nd Skype meeting of the Bureau of the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme held on 17 June 2021 English

 

Go to: International Coordinating Council | Bureau | Advisory Committee | International Support Group | Top  

International Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves

The International Advisory Committee for Biosphere Reserves provides scientific and technical advice to the Director-General of UNESCO and the MAB-ICC regarding the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).

The Advisory Committee advises them on

  • Scientific and technical matters concerning the nomination of new Biosphere Reserves
  • Changes and periodic reviews of sites already included in the WNBR, and
  • The development, operation and monitoring of the WNBR

in accordance with the Seville Strategy and the Statutory Framework for the WNBR.

The Advisory Committee is composed of twelve members, who are appointed for four years by the UNESCO Director-General, after consultation with the Member States and/or the National Committees for the Man and the Biosphere Programme of the countries concerned.

The members of the Committee are selected for their scientific qualifications and for their experience in promoting and implementing the concept of biosphere reserves.

List of Members by Mandate 

  Period: 1st Jan. 2020 - 31st Dec. 2023   Period: 1st Jan. 2019- 31st Dec. 2022
1 Ms Marja Spierenburg (The Netherlands) 7 Mr Christophe Le Page (France)
2 Ms Vladimira Fabriciusova (Slovakia) 8 Ms Lia Rosenberg (Estonia)
3 Mr Roman Jashenko (Kazakhstan) 9 Ms Graciela Pien (Argentina)
4 Mrs Suk-Kyung Shim (Republic of Korea) 10 Ms Sheila Nana Akua Ashong (Ghana)
5 Mr Clayton Lino (Brazil) 11 Ms Salwa Mansour Abdel Hameed (Sudan)
6 Mr Djafarou Tiomoko (Benin) 12 Mr Driss Fassi (Morocco)

 

Go to: International Coordinating Council | Bureau | Advisory Committee | International Support Group | Top  

International Support Group (ISG) to the MAB Programme

The International Support Group (ISG) was set up by the MAB-ICC during its 21st session (Jeju Island Biosphere Reserve, Republic of Korea, May 2009) and is open to the participation of all Member States who have a Delegation at UNESCO Headquarters. It advises the MAB Secretariat on the implementation of the Lima Action Plan (LAP) and other relevant aspects of the MAB Programme. This group meets regularly once or twice per year and the MAB Secretariat provides first-hand information to the Member States.

The 16th ISG meeting will take place in room IV, in UNESCO Headquarters (Paris) on 17 March 2020 from 10h00-12h00.

 

Go to: International Coordinating Council | Bureau | Advisory Committee | International Support Group | Top  

 

International Co-ordinating Council Bureau Advisory Committee International Support Group