Participants at the third World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, which took place from 4-9 February 2008, in Madrid, Spain, and was organized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), have adopted the Madrid Declaration, which underlines that biosphere reserves can spur efforts “to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and to promote the greater use of renewable energy,” as well as to tackle challenges such as the loss of traditional knowledge and cultural diversity.

Conference
participants also adopted the Madrid Action Plan, mapping out the Man
and the Biosphere Programme’s strategy and actions for 2008-2013, which
emphasizes the need to use biosphere reserves to demonstrate effective
responses to poverty, growing urbanization, climate change and
desertification. UNESCO’s world network of biosphere reserves now
includes 531 reserves spread over 105 countries, following the addition
of the Rostowsky Biosphere Reserve in Russia and the Islas Marietas
Biosphere Reserve off Mexico’s western coast. The Rostowsky reserve
provides a habitat for more than 460 species of plants, 30 species of
mammals and 200 species of birds, while the Islas Marietas is home to
many species of coral, the humpback whale and other mammals, birds and
fish. At each reserve listed in the network, local communities try to
enhance their socioeconomic development while promoting biodiversity
conservation.

UNESCO news release, 11 February 2008 | World Congress on Biosphere Reserves |