The conference consisted of four plenary sessions, including a total of 14 presentations, a steering committee meeting, a discussion of all EABRN member countries, a panel discussion on youth involvement, and a field trip to the Toson-Khulstai Biosphere Reserve in Mongolia.
Nomination of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Rapporteur of the EABRN for the next biennium
Moderator: Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, and Prof. Roman Jashenko, Chairperson of Kazakhstan National MAB Committee
In this session, Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Rapporteur of the EABRN for the next biennium were nominated, the agenda was introduced and adopted, and EABRN activities and developments presented. Also, the Toson-Khulstai BR and the newly established UNESCO Chair on Environmental Sciences at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences were introduced.
Prof. Roman Jashenko, Chairman of the Kazakhstan National MAB Committee, suggested Mr. D.Batmunkh, Chairperson of the Mongolian MAB Committee, as Chairperson of the EABRN for the next two years, which was seconded by the Korean delegation and accepted by Mr. D.Batmunkh. For the nomination of the Vice-Chairperson, Prof. Roman Jashenko proposed Dr. Suk-Kyung Shim, which was seconded by Mongolia. For the nomination of the Rapporteur, Prof. Shahbaz Khan suggested Mongolia to propose Kazakhstan. Prof. Roman Jashenko referred to Ms Viktoriya Ilina as the Rapporteur.
Introduction and adoption of the agenda, Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office
Prof. Shahbaz Khan introduced the agenda and it was accepted as there were no further amendments. Afterwards Dr. Suk-Kyung Shim, Vice-Chairperson of MAB National Committee of the Republic of Korea, asked for a quick introduction of the participants.
Past activities and further developments of the EABRN, Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO
Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office and Representative to Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea, presented the developments in advancing the Lima Action Plan between 2019 and 2021. He introduced the EABRN and assessed outcome achievements in the three strategic action areas - stakeholder training, exchange between MAB national committees and BRs, and impacting policymakers and the public with publications of research. He highlighted the importance of ecotourism, conservation policies, and especially transboundary cooperation. Going forward, he highlighted the importance of eco-tourism and its funding and the involvement of youth in the MAB programme.
In addition, Prof. Shahbaz Khan spoke about strategic transformations of UNESCO, of which more detailed information will be available after October, which will include new arrangements for the science sector of the regional office concerning Beijing Office as well as the BR networks. Therefore, he asked the senior colleagues to have a discussion later about the implications of transformations and prospects of the future during the EABRN conference. In more detail, he proposed the idea of a whole Asia-Pacific Network, stressing the importance linking and visiting each other, which is made possible through the BR networks and invited experienced members of the delegations to exchange ideas about the promotion of the superregional Asia-Pacific Area’s Network as well as the network of East Asia.
Introduction of Toson-Khulstai BR and its activities, Mr. E. Ankhbayar, TNC office in Mongolia
Mr. E.Ankhbayar, TNC office in Mongolia, introduced the activities of the TNC office in Mongolia concerning the Toson-Khulstai Nature Reserve since 2008. He gave general information about the Toson-Khulstai BR, such as its size, location, and biodiversity. He explained, that the Toson-Khulstai BR differs from other state protected areas in Mongolia by its management structure, because the Toson-Khulstai BR has a co-management council consisting of more than 40 people including the governors and the head of the Citizens Representative’s Meeting of the 5 sub-provinces, which belongs to the Toson-Khulstai BR, herders, provincial environmental protection and land use agencies, the Secretariat of the Dornod province, the Regional Protected Areas’ Administration, and the representatives of local NGOs. He further introduced the funding structure and the current challenges for Toson-Khulstai BR, including over-grazing, climate change and droughts, and mining. He reaffirmed the importance of its designation as BR for increasing protection of its biodiversity and rare animal species and preserving the traditional nomadic culture and animal husbandry.
Introduction of the newly established UNESCO Chair on Environmental Sciences in Eastern Central Asia at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Michael Walther, the Chairholder
Dr. Michael Walther, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair on Environmental Sciences in Eastern Central Asia at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, introduced the activities of the chair since its establishment in 2020 and underlined the importance of the research works, which the chair implements including studies in the fields of geo- and hydro-sciences, climate studies, nature conservation, eco-tourism, and environmental education. In addition, he presented the research works which were done before the establishment of the chair. He gave examples of his research such as studies on glacier and permafrost decrease, and secular tendencies of precipitation in Ulaanbaatar city between 2009 and 2022. Dr. Walther stressed the importance of multilevel education of school children, university students as well as the public in general about climate matters and the legal implications of environmental crimes. Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of involving young researchers and information distribution for fact-based decision making in policy.
Comments