Solutions sought to promote value of biosphere reserves for sustainable development

The event was jointly held by the Vietnam National Committee on the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB Vietnam) and the Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Agency (NBCA), under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, with the support of UNDP Vietnam.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Director of the NBCA Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan emphasised, that effective management of biosphere reserves plays an important role in achieving sustainable development goals, through the promotion of new initiatives for economic development, while ensuring social, cultural and environmental sustainability.

She said that the ministry has been working on establishing policies and myriad legal frameworks, to further strengthen the management of biosphere reserves in Vietnam.

To date, Vietnam is home to 11 biosphere reserves, second only to Indonesia in the number of biosphere reserves in Southeast Asia. The ecological makeup of these biosphere reserves has been integral to the lives of not only millions of Vietnamese people but also countless endemic plant and animal species. The promotion of their utility for climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable human-nature coexistence has been of paramount importance to national policymaking.

Sustainable management of biosphere reserves is the key to unlocking their potential. The Global Environment Facility and UNDP Vietnam have taken a deep interest in promoting environmental resilience and supporting local livelihoods in the face of escalating climate-induced extremes, through the strengthening of nature-based mechanisms such as biosphere reserves.