Hangzhou to host 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves this month

BEIJING -- The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves will be held in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, from Sept 22 to 25, according to Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This marks the first time the conference is held in Asia, said He Hongping, vice-president of CAS, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday. The event will bring together some 4,000 delegates from over 150 countries and regions.

He said China will use the gathering to draw on global expertise in ecological governance, deepen international scientific cooperation and pursue breakthroughs in biodiversity conservation and environmental management.

It is anticipated that a Hangzhou action plan will be released during the conference, which will guide the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme for the next decade.

UNESCO launched the MAB Programme in 1971 to promote sustainable management of biodiversity and human-nature interactions. It operates through the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR), which includes 759 biosphere reserves across 136 countries.

Every ten years or so, UNESCO convenes the WCBR to evaluate progress, share experiences, and set future directions for the MAB Programme. The last WCBR was held in Lima, Peru, in 2016, where the Lima Action Plan (2016-2025) was adopted.