BIOSPHERE SMART INITIATIVE

BIOSPHERE SMART INITIATIVE

Biosphere Smart is a global observatory created to share ideas, knowledge, best-practices, and experiences among Biosphere Reserves on issues related to climate change, green economies, and sustainable development.

The Biosphere Smart Initiative was approved during the 24th Session of the International Co-ordinating Council (ICC) of the Man and the Biosphere (MaB) Programme (2012), which highlighted the “need of the MaB Programme and its networks to be a substantial tool for the implementation of the Rio+20 follow up and for this purpose on the need for the improvement of the communication by using tools like Biosphere SMART on green economies and by using biosphere reserves as study sites for all UNESCO Programmes”.

Biosphere Smart Initiative is an open platform of cooperation supported, among others, by the Observatory of Sustainability and Global Change (OSCG), UNESCO Centre of the Canary Islands, Fuerteventura BR, Santana BR, Canary Islands Government-ITC, Principe Island Regional Government, El Hierro BR, Spanish MAB National Committee, Purtuguese MaB National Committee, University of La Laguna, University of Murcia, , OSE (Observatory on Sustainability in Spain), REN21 (global renewable energy policy multi-stakeholder network), Plan Avanza, and operated by TEYDE.

Biosphere Smart provides this web-based platform linked to UNESCO-MaB for Biosphere Reserves and similar territories, with the aim of:

  • Sharing experience and lessons in using biosphere reserves in green economic development;

  • Sharing ideas and best practices on issues related to sustainable development and climate change;

  • Promoting sustainable urban futures issues within biosphere reserves and their surroundings;

  • Providing an educational tool with mapping and advanced communication services;

  • Empowering sustainable communities to improve their access to information and decision-making capacity;

  • Improving information and response capacity for managers and scientific community in biosphere reserves;

  • Strengthen partnerships within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)..