Regional and Thematic Networks

African Biosphere Reserves Network

The African Biosphere Reserves Network (AfriMAB) was created in 1996 and covers 33 African countries. The network aims to promote regional co-operation in the fields of biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development through transborder projects, which are primarily based in biosphere reserves.

To increase efficiency, five thematic sub-networks were created. They focus on: 

• zoning and improving biosphere reserve functioning;
• biosphere reserves and local communities; 
• stakeholders/social actors;
• participation and income-sharing;
• transboundary biosphere reserves;
• logistic support function of biosphere reserves.

ArabMAB

The ArabMAB network was officially launched in 1997 and encompasses 36 biosphere reserves distributed in 14 countries. It embraces a diverse arena of habitats, conserving natural, semi-natural and man-made ecosystems including forests, savannah, desert, oasis, wetlands, rivers and agricultural terraces. The overall objective of ArabMAB is to promote co-operation between National MAB Committees in order to strengthen the MAB programme in the Arab States and globally, through the establishment of biosphere reserves and the implementation of common research agenda, development projects and public awareness initiatives. 

Members of the network constitute the ArabMAB Coordinating Council, which meets regularly to elect a Bureau and to adopt a work programme for the biennium. ArabMAB Council meetings have been held in Agadir, Morocco (1999); Damascus, Syria, (2001); Beirut, Lebanon (2004). Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt (2007). El-Chouf Cedar Biosphere Reserve, Lebanon (2010), Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan (2013), Algiers, Algeria (2017) and Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (2023). These meetings are usually also the venue of expert meetings and technical workshops. 

The Asia and the Pacific region counts four regional network:

East Asian Biosphere Reserve Network 

The East Asian Biosphere Reserve Network (EABRN) was launched in 1994. Today, it covers China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the Republic of Korea and the Russian Federation. For further details contact: UNESCO Beijing Office.

Pacific Man and the Biosphere Network

The Pacific Man and the Biosphere Network (PacMAB) was created in 2006 and covers of the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga. The network serves as a vehicle for exchange and cooperation among new and emerging Biosphere Reserves and national MAB focal points in the Pacific. 
Small islands in the Asia-Pacific region are highly vulnerable to climate change, which exacerbates poverty, natural hazards, depopulation loss of traditional culture and the detrimental effect of invasive species. Biosphere reserves have an enormous potential in addressing climate change, particularly as places for learning about sustainable development and also for experimenting on mitigation and adaptation measures on climate change. 

South and Central Asia MAB Network

The South and Central Asia MAB Network (SACAM) was created in 2002 and covers Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 

Southeast Asian Biosphere Reserve Network

The Southeast Asian Biosphere Reserve Network (SeaBRnet) was created in 1998. Today, it includes Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam and Timor Leste. For further details contact: UNESCO Jakarta Office

Ibero-American MAB Network

The Ibero-American MAB Network (IberoMAB) was created in 1992. It comprises 25 countries from Latin American and the Caribbean, Portugal and Spain. IberoMAB aims to strengthen the MAB Programme in Latin American and Caribbean countries, Spain and Portugal, notably by consolidating their MAB National Committees and co-operative links, and promoting the creation of new biosphere reserves. 

The 2nd Congress of the IberoMAB Network was held from 30 October to 4 November 2023 in the Trifinio-Fraternidad Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. While celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the IberoMAB Network (1997-2022), delegates took the opportunity to reflect on its journey and accomplishments, as well as to conduct a mid-term assessment of the Lima Action Plan 2016-2025 for the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The progress of the IberoMAB Network Action Plan 2018-2025 (endorsed during the XVIII Meeting in Santa Marta, Colombia in 2018) was also reviewed. 

The upcoming meeting of the IberoMAB Network is scheduled for June 2024 in the Itaipu Biosphere Reserve, Paraguay. 

Launched in 2009, the network aims to study, foster and disseminate island and coastal strategies to preserve biodiversity and heritage to promote sustainable development, and adaptation and mitigation strategies on climate change. With more than 80 biosphere reserves in 30 countries, the network's Technical Secretariat is shared by Jeju Biosphere Reserve (Republic of Korea) and Menorca Biosphere Reserve (Spain).

The World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves (WNMBR) combines unique perspectives and cultures from diverse mountain ecosystems with a common framework for the conservation of natural and human environments in a context of sustainability. The WNMBR provides a channel for communication and collaboration that fosters the exchange of knowledge and experience among mountain biosphere reserves around the world, providing a basis for international research projects and enabling solutions to common challenges.

The Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves Network (MedMaB) was launched in 2015 to provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge between the two shores of the Mediterranean Sea. 

It is managed by the UNESCO Category 2 Centre on Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves (Unescomed), and currently includes about 70 biosphere reserves from 17 countries (Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Slovenia, Spain and Tunisia).