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UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB)
MAB was launched in 1970 and initiated work in 14 project areas covering different ecosystem types from mountains to the sea, from rural to urban systems, as well more social aspects such as environmental perception. The MAB governing body, the international Co-coordinating Council of the Man and Biosphere (AMB) programme, consist of 34 member states elected by UNESCO’s biennial General Conference.
The biosphere reserve concept was developed initially in 1974 and was substantially revised in 1995 with the adoption by the UNESCO General Conference of the Statutory Framework and the Seville Strategy for Biosphere Reserves. Today, with more than 480 sites in over 100 countries, the WNBR provides context-specific opportunities to combine scientific knowledge and governance modalities to
Reduce biodiversity loss
Improve livelihoods
Enhance social, economic and cultural conditions for environmental
sustainability
Thus contributing to the pursuit of the Millennium development Goals
in particular 7 on environmental sustainability
| The National Man and the Biosphere (MAB) committee |
The National Man and the Biosphere (MAB) committee is the national focal point for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme. This is an inter governmental programme of interdisciplinary research on Man and the Biosphere, which was established by UNESCO in 1971. National MAB Committee has been established in many countries including Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka National Committee is appointed every three years with the approval of the Minister of Science and Technology and functions at the National Science Foundation.
| Objectives of the MAB Committee |
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The MAB National Committee is responsible for the activities making up the national contribution of Sri Lanka to the International Programme on Man and Biosphere (MAB) in the field biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and capacity building and in particular in promoting the biosphere reserve concept.
- In cooperation with the UNESCO National Commissions, it serve as a liaison between the different institutions and Ministries concerned by the MAB programme and UNESCO (MAB Secretariat, Division of Ecological Sciences and regional offices)
- It ensures national participation as an observer whenever appropriate, in the sessions of the MAB International Coordinating Council.
Sri Lanka’s MAB Committee has over the years been very active in carrying out scientific studies of species and ecosystem that are subjected to threat through human activity. It has produced many reports and a considerable volume of useful literature on the fauna and flora of the country
Hurulu Biosphere Reserve
The Hurulu has been declared a biosphere reserve in January, 1977. there are today 393 biosphere reserves in 94 countries around the world. Hurulu Biosphere Reserve comprises 25,500 hectares within the tropical dry evergreen forest in Sri Lanka. The annual temperature of 27.3Co and the annual precipitation is 1,600mm. The dominant plants Sentinwood and Palu and the animals the turtle, Ceylon Junglefowl, the leopard and the rusty spotted cat can be seen in this HUrulu Biosphere Reserve.
Use of Solar Energy and Wind Energy
UNESCO has advocated the use of solar and wind energy in regions where there is no electricity, and the management of coastal zones was introduced through the establishment of Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Towards the end of 2000 UNESCO decided to devote a significant part of its actions in the future to water resources and the protection of ecosystems.
IHP Ruhuna Basin Study
The International Hydrological Programme of UNESCO and the UNESCO led World Assessment Programme are the focal points for 23 UN Agencies with an interest in Fresh Water and are having the knowledge foundation through case studies in various parts of the world. The Ruhuna Basin of Sri Lanka has been selected as one of the first pilot case studies for the programme. |
