Date: 04/11/2022

Relevance: GS-3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution, and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

Key Phrases: The International Day for Biosphere Reserves, UNESCO, Biosphere Reserve, World Network of Biosphere Reserves, South and Central Asia MAB Reserve, Man & Biosphere Reserves Program.

Why in News?

• November 3 will be the first ‘The International Day for Biosphere Reserves’, to be celebrated beginning in 2022.

What are Biosphere Reserves?

• Biosphere Reserve (BR) is an international designation by UNESCO for representative parts of natural and cultural landscapes extending over a large area of terrestrial or coastal/marine ecosystems or a combination thereof.
• BRs are designated to deal with one of the most important questions of reconciling the conservation of biodiversity, the quest for economic and social development, and the maintenance of associated cultural values.
• BRs are thus special environments for both people and nature and are living examples of how human beings and nature can co-exist while respecting each other’s needs.

Three zones of a biosphere reserve:

• Biosphere reserves have three interrelated zones that aim to fulfil three complementary and mutually reinforcing functions:
  • Core area(s): It comprises a strictly protected ecosystem that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species, and genetic variation.
  • Buffer zone: It surrounds or adjoins the core areas, and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training, and education.
  • Transition area: It is the part of the reserve where the greatest activity is allowed, fostering economic and human development that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable.

How BRs are recognized?

• All biosphere reserves are internationally recognized sites on land, at the coast, or in the oceans.
• Governments alone decide which areas to nominate. Before approval by UNESCO, the sites are externally examined.
• If approved, they will be managed based on a plan, reinforced by credibility checks while remaining under the sovereignty of their national government.

World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR):

• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) was formed in 1971, as a backbone for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and living in harmony with nature.
• There are now 738 properties in 134 countries, including 12 in India, four in Sri Lanka, and three in the Maldives.
• Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal do not have biospheres as yet, but help is on its way: The ‘South and Central Asia MAB Reserve’ Networking Meeting (where MAB stands Man and the Biosphere) is planned for 2023, to advance biosphere reserve establishment and management.
• In addition, an expert mission has been planned for spring 2023 — to Bhutan, India’s northeast, and the Sundarbans in Bangladesh.

Benefits of a Biosphere Reserve:

• Biosphere reserves help ensure the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of the region, by encouraging the wise use of natural and human resources.
• They provide practical ways to resolve land use conflicts to protect biological diversity.
• A biosphere reserve area gains access to information, expertise, support and funding through national and international networks.
• Biosphere reserves encourage diverse local economies to revitalize rural areas.
• The biosphere concept can be used as a framework to guide and reinforce projects that enhance people’s livelihoods.
• Biosphere reserves attract academic and government research activity that addresses local issues and problems.
• Biosphere reserves serve as learning sites to explore and demonstrate approaches to conservation and sustainable development providing lessons that can be applied elsewhere.
• Biosphere reserves highlight the distinctiveness of the area and help foster a sense of place amongst residents and visitors.
• Designation of a biosphere reserve can raise awareness among local people, citizens, and government authorities on environmental and development issues.
• A biosphere reserve provides a focus for stakeholder cooperation and volunteer involvement.

Opportunities in South Asia:

• In South Asia, over 30 biosphere reserves have been established. The first one was the Hurulu Biosphere Reserve, in Sri Lanka, with 25,500 hectares of tropical dry evergreen forest.
• South Asia has a very diverse set of ecosystems, with Bhutan, India, and Nepal combined having thousands of glaciers, surrounded by lakes and alpine ecosystems.
• Considering the massive long-term threats to human survivability (besides pandemics and armed conflicts), such as biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution, and population dynamics, accelerated by the blind belief in technological solutions for all problems, we need many more biosphere reserves globally and for that South Asia offers countless options.
• Opportunities in India:
  • India is a vast sub-continent, an emerging superpower of unlimited opportunities. It has become an important global player in environmental sustainability issues. India is likely to become the world’s most populated country in 2023.
  • Spain, with a landmass of 506,000 km2, and a population of 47.4 million is one of the lead participating WNBR countries globally, with 53 properties.
  • In a comparison with the surface size of Spain to India (ca. 3.3 million km2), and India’s human population of ca. 1.4 billion people, it appears a good idea to carry out a potentiality analysis on biosphere reserves in India, with a focus on the seven sisters in north-east India.

Conclusion:

• The existence of the new World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves provides a welcome opportunity for Bhutan and Nepal to establish their first biosphere reserves and participate in the world network.
• If these pockets of hope can expand, with at least one biosphere reserve per country in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal until 2025 (with additional biosphere reserves in India’s North-East and along the coasts) it will give realization to millions of people that a better future is truly possible - one where we will truly live in harmony with nature.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. How will expanding biosphere reserves across the world, especially in Asia, help millions of people realise a better future, one that is in harmony with nature? Discuss.