Side event for 4WCBR

2:30pm - 4:00pm, March 16, 2016 Room 3


Mr. Hiroyuki Matsuda (Japan MAB Committee) Session Leader

How to synergize multiple designation in biosphere reserves

Chair: Mr. Hiroyuki Matsuda (Japan MAB)
Rapporteur: Mr. William Dunbar (UNU-IAS), Mr. Toshinori Tanaka (Univ, of Tokyo)

There are not a few Biosphere Reserves that are multiply designated with other internationally designated areas: World Heritage Sites, Ramsar Sites, UNESCO Global Geoparks, and Global Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). All the programmes/conventions have similar goals related to conservation and sustainable development, however, these frameworks sometimes compete with each other for funding, authority, and human resources because of the lack of communication and coordination among them. Having in mind that IUCN is preparing a guidance publication called "Multiple Internationally Designated Areas - Guidance for harmonizing the integrated management of overlapping Ramsar Sites, World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks" at IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2016, this session will discuss the possible solution for the synergy of these international frameworks from BR perspective.
In the session, it is planned to have eight speakers from each international, national and site level.