Monaco renews its commitment to UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme

Monaco renouvelle son engagement pour le programme sur l’Homme et la biosphère de l’UNESCO 1 - Monaco renouvelle son engagement pour le programme sur l’Homme et la biosphère de l’UNESCO 1 ©DR

Monaco renouvelle son engagement pour le programme sur l’Homme et la biosphère de l’UNESCO 1 ©DR

The 37^th session of the International Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme took place in Lin’an, China, from 26 to 28 September 2025.

Monaco was represented by H.E. Ms Anne-Marie Boisbouvier, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, and Ms Agatha Korczak, First Secretary. The Monegasque delegation was instrumental in two significant initiatives:

• The signing of a mangrove restoration project in São Tomé and Príncipe, launched with Monaco’s support and praised by Mr Antonio D. Abreu, Secretary-General of the MAB Programme.

• The presentation of the MAB Young Scientist Awards - Prince Albert I of Monaco, established in 2022 to support early-career researchers working in coastal and island biosphere reserves. In 2025, five awards were presented, and for the first time they bore the name of the Monegasque Sovereign. The Ambassador highlighted the positive impact of these grants, which form part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.*

The Hangzhou Strategic Action Plan (2026-2035) was adopted unanimously. It sets out the MAB Programme’s three key priorities: strengthening multilateral cooperation, expanding the global network of biosphere reserves, and promoting scientific research.

The plan was first discussed in September 2025 at the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, also held in the Chinese city of Hangzhou. The opening ceremony included remarks by Mr Xuexiang Ding, Vice Premier of China, and Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO. Both emphasised the importance of multilateral cooperation in tackling environmental challenges.

A total of 26 new biosphere reserves were designated during this session, including the entire nation of São Tomé and Príncipe - a world first. The country is now the only one whose whole territory has been recognised as a biosphere reserve.