US embassy cable - 05PARIS5478

UNCLAS PARIS 005478 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO 
 
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO JANE COWLEY, OES/STAS ANDREW W. 
REYNOLDS, OES BARRIE RIPIN, OES ANTOINETTE CONDO 
STATE FOR USAID NORMAN RIFKIN 
STATE FOR NSC GENE WHITNEY 
STATE FOR NASA ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, RON BIRK 
 
E.O. 12958:     N/A 
TAGS: AORC, TSPL, EAID, SENV, FR, UNESCO, KSCI 
SUBJECT:  USUNESCO: MEETING OF MAN AND BIOSPHERE 
(MAB) PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR FRESH STRATEGY, 
INCREASED STRESS ON HYDROLOGY AND RESEARCH 
 
1.  Summary and introduction: the agenda of the June 
27-29 meeting of the bureau of the international 
coordinating council of the man and biosphere (MAB) 
program focused on management of biosphere reserves, 
including those that are also world heritage sites. 
Under MAB's current short-term strategy, minimal 
change in programs is expected, except in response 
to budgetary limitations.  MAB leadership is 
readying the development of the next medium term 
strategy, to involve interdisciplinary initiatives 
(especially with water sciences), increased 
research, and review of existing sites.  The 
consensus is that the program needs updating and 
reinvigorating.   End summary and introduction. 
 
MAB meeting stresses future links with water 
sciences 
 
2.  In his opening remarks to the MAB bureau council 
meeting, Andras Szollosi-Nagy (executive secretary 
of unesco's international hydrological program) 
called for closer interaction between UNESCO 
programs in water - the principal priority of the 
science sector - and earth and ecological sciences. 
Szollosi-Nagy noted plans for a meeting in Mexico in 
2006 to discuss coordination strategies for Ramsar, 
world heritage and biosphere reserves with respect 
to hydrological research programs.  In his remarks, 
earth sciences division director Natarajan Ishwaran 
emphasized the need for closer coordination of 
hydrological issues at biosphere reserves. MAB 
should promote a proactive approach to biosphere 
reserve management, allowing for economic 
development while safeguarding the environment. As 
an example, Ishwaran cited a proposed eco-hydrology 
center in Poland, a potential model for similar 
centers in Argentina and Indonesia.  Both Szollosi- 
Nagy and Ishwaran advocated increased MAB focus on 
research. 
 
MAB seeks strategy for site review, data collection 
 
3. Evoking MAB's future thematic focus, Ishwaran 
indicated that the program would primarily focus its 
work on biodiversity, climate change and 
sustainability-related activities in response to the 
millennium ecosystem assessment findings. 
 
4.   Operationally, the MAB bureau added 23 new 
biosphere reserves - to the nearly 500 existing 
sites -- including one transboundary reserve with a 
world heritage site, the Senegal river delta 
(includes the Djoudj).  The secretariat stressed the 
importance of periodic 10-year reviews of existing 
reserves, advocating a consistent review strategy 
based on a set of pertinent indicators; new baseline 
data would be required.  Such a strategy would 
entail partnerships with space agencies; it would 
dovetail well with an increased emphasis on research 
at biosphere sites.  Also discussed was the 
archipelago reserve concept, proposed by Mexico as a 
means of addressing problems of managing a 
fragmented protected area; participants requested 
further study of this idea. 
 
5. The MAB bureau meeting was also a chance to 
review progress.  Regional council members presented 
updates on MAB regional projects, all of which 
highlighted multi-disciplinary networking between 
bio scientists and policy makers. During the past 
year, the MAB program has organized regional 
conferences and workshops on biodiversity in 
marine/coastal, transboundary, urban, dryland 
ecosystems and tropical forests. Ishwaran 
highlighted capacity building efforts, activities 
that he said need to be expanded. 
 
6. Comment.  We will continue to monitor this 
sensitive program and provide periodic reports.