UNESCO seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences, Culture and Communication. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030.
UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme is a scientific intergovernmental programme aiming at improving relationships between people and their environments. Biosphere reserves are places where MAB is testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. Ecological restoration is one of line of action of the Lima Action Plan for MAB and the World Network of Biosphere reserves (2016-2025).
UNESCO’s “Biosphere and Lake Chad Heritage (BIOPALT)” aims at project supporting countries to establish World heritage and biosphere reserves sites in the cultural landscape of Lake Chad. In doing so, the project is engaged in pilot actions of ecological restoration and ecosystem rehabilitation as well as promotion of green economies. These actions could in fine ensure sustainable use of natural resources and revert trend observed in land degradation and ecosystem depletion in the lake Chad basin. They will ultimately reduce resources access conflict and promote peace among millions of peoples that livelihoods depend on.
Focus Countries with AFR100:
Within the Lima Action Plan MAB is working in 701 sites in 124 countries, including 79 sites in 29 African countries.
BIOPALT is implemented in five countries (Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic)
Resources / Media:
UNESCO/MAB: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/man-and-biosphere-programme/
MAB Strategy and Lima Action Plan: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000247418
BIOPALT: https://en.unesco.org/biopalt
BIOPALT/Ecological restoration: https://en.unesco.org/biopalt/restoration