Natural Sciences
Recent years have seen rapid economic growth in most East Asian countries, but at considerable environmental costs, including depletion and pollution of scarce surface and groundwater resources, loss of biodiversity and increased natural disaster risks. Addressing these challenges calls for sustainable water and biodiversity management solutions promoted within the framework of UNESCO鈥檚 environmental programmes such as the 鈥淢an and the Biosphere (MAB)鈥 Programme or the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP). This will also require new advances in scientific knowledge and innovative applications of technologies through cooperation among member states and the mobilization of a wide network of partners (universities, UNESCO Centers and Chairs).
Our Focus Areas and Successful Cases
Ecology and Earth Sciences 鈥 Human, Nature and Sustainable Development
(1) Supporting the regional development of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB), the International Geoscience and Geopark Programme (IGGP), and other projects within the Ecology and Earth Sciences category:
Through the East Asian Biosphere Reserves Network (EABRN) and UNESCO Global Geoparks, UNESCO Beijing actively supports advancing and applying science for sustainable management of natural resources, ecosystem and biodiversity conservation and restoration. The Secretariat for the EABRN has been based at UNESCO Beijing Office since 2003. With the long-term support from the National Commission of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Korean Ministry of Education of the ROK, our office continues to actively promote the national and international sharing of best practices and experiences, the office works with Member States and partners to support a variety of online webinar series and onsite training for Biosphere Reserve managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders.
In December 2023, UNESCO Beijing office and Rio Tinto Mongolia agreed on a comprehensive long-term partnership to foster sustainable development efforts in Mongolia through ecotourism. This project aims to promote Mongolia鈥檚 post-COVID resilience of sustainable tourism through Mongolia鈥檚 cultural and geo heritage. It will help in particular aspiring UNESCO Global Geoparks in Mongolia to raise their capacities in management and promotion for sustainable tourism while ensuring empowerment and full participation of local communities and stakeholders.
(2) Encouraging Youth participation in Young Professional Network and Lake BR Working Group:
Youth play an important role in the management and sustainable development of Biosphere Reserves. By organizing events that increase youth engagement, the office provides a platform for youth involvement in Biosphere Reserves and governance. The flagship event was the first Regional 91麻豆国产精品自拍 for Asia and the Pacific Region at the Xingkai Lake Biosphere Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China in 2023, organised with the support of SHIMAO Group and co-delivered with Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology (IGA), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The forum generated 3 important outcomes: the Xingkai Lake Declaration, the Transboundary Ecosystem Conservation, Climate Change and Food Security Initiative (TEC3FSI), the By-law of International Young Professional Network on Biodiversity and Food Security, [1] with the aim to encourage youth involvement in biodiversity protection, which is crucial for safeguarding food security. With a partnership with IGA, the office has been supporting youths involvement in Biosphere Reserves governance, including through organizing events that increase youth engagement (one flagship event was the first Regional 91麻豆国产精品自拍 for Asia and the Pacific Region at the Xingkai Lake Biosphere Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China in 2023), conducting relevant training and research activities, and supporting the development of the International Young Professional Network on Biodiversity and Food Security.
[1] The final documents are available on
(3) Enhancing stakeholders' capacity through thematic trainings:
To enhance the involvement of member states, facilitate workshops, encourage collaboration among stakeholders, and advocate for the conservation of natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity and support member states鈥 implementation of MAB Action plans, UNESCO Beijing organises thematic, multi-stakeholders鈥 鈥榗apacity-building trainings involving government bodies, educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations, each bringing unique strengths to different thematic areas. In 2023, the 鈥淭raining Workshop on Promotion of Ecotourism in Khuvsgul Lake Biosphere Reserve鈥 in Mongolia was delivered to introduce to local stakeholders to practical BR management for the newly designated site.
Water Sciences 鈥 Water and Culture
Water systems play a pivotal role in human well-being and have historically influenced cultural development. Within the framework of the ninth phase of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP-IX) and its and recognizing the importance of the cultural values, UNESCO Beijing has been supporting the integration of sociocultural dimensions in water resources management and the enhancement of public awareness towards sustainable water culture and water management.
Under this vision, and as an important outcome of the Great River Forum in 2018, with collective efforts of more than 120 authors, the book , exploring river management and bio-cultural diversities. In 2023, we co-organized the 2023 Yangtze Culture Forum with Xinhua News Agency, the Publicity Department of CPC Committee of Jiangsu Province, and the Nanjing Municipal People's Government to discuss sustainable river development. Promoting tangible and intangible water heritage through local knowledge and scientific approach, we foster multi-level, interdisciplinary dialogue. The 2023 Hangzhou Symposium on Water Heritage for Cities鈥 Sustainable Development further strengthened these efforts with around 500 participants.
Science Policy and Basic Sciences 鈥 Leading the implementation of the UN Decade of Science for Sustainable Development in East Asia Region (2024-2033)
UNESCO Beijing has been promoting science, technology and innovation, relevant science strategy and policy review, capacity-building, focused on engineering and girls and women in science and fostering international collaboration under the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science and the .
Collaborating with networks and institutions like the Asia Pacific Advanced Network (APAN), the Federation of Engineering Institutions of Asia and the Pacific (FEIAP), and the School on Internet, Asia (SOI-Asia), we facilitate regional science dialogues on open science, artificial intelligence (AI), and indigenous knowledge and other vital areas to enhance scientific capacity, promote fair and inclusive knowledge distribution and promote collaboration among partners.
In August 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution for the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development 2024-2033鈥 (Sciences Decade), with UNESCO as the lead agency. Our office is dedicated to scientific cooperation and partnerships development to build a sustainable future.
What We Can Offer
鈥 Science, Technology and Innovation (STI): More developed countries in the region (China, Japan, ROK) support the development of STI policies in developing countries by the means of Science Parks, training activities and expertise sharing.
鈥 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development: expand and reinforce the network of UNESCO Designated Sites for the promotion of more sustainable development pathways in the member states, as well as a ground for coordinated / cooperative research and monitoring efforts.
鈥 Sustainable Water Resources Management:
鈼 Promotion of the ecohydrology approach to integrated water resources management through the development of demonstration sites in the region.
鈼 Expansion of the Megacities Alliance on Water and Climate in China, Japan and ROK in order to promote more resilient and sustainable urban development in the entire region.
