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Background
The International Coordinating Council of the Programme on Man and
the Biosphere (MAB) was set up by the General Conference at its
16th session (16 C/Resolution 2.313). In accordance with Article
II, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the Statutes of the International Coordinating
Council, as amended by the General Conference at its 19th (19 C/Resolution
2.152), 20th (20 C/Resolution 36.1) and 28th (28 C/Resolution 22)
sessions:
"1. The Council shall be composed of 34 Member States of
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization,
elected by the General Conference at its ordinary session, taking
due account of the need to ensure equitable geographical distribution
and appropriate rotation of the representativeness of these States
from the ecological viewpoint in the various continents and of
the importance of their scientific contribution to the international
programme.
2. The term of office of members of the Council shall begin
at the close of the ordinary session of the General Conference
at which they are elected and shall expire at the close of the
second ordinary session of the Conference following it”.
At each ordinary session of the UNESCO General Conference, normally
held every two years, half of the Members of the Council end their
terms of office and new Council members are elected. The outgoing
members are replaced by members belonging to the same regional group.
Council members can be re-elected.
At the 19th Session of the MAB International Co-ordinating Council,
the actual Bureau was elected.
How does it work?
The MAB Council normally meets once every two years, usually at
UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Although each Member State has only
one vote, it can send as many experts or advisers as it wishes to
the Council sessions. In addition, other Member States of UNESCO
which are not members of the Council, can send representatives as
observers. UN Agencies such as UNEP, FAO, UNDP, WMO, WHO are also
invited as well as representatives of the International Council
for Science (ICSU), the International Social Sciences Council (ISSC)
and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
The role of the Council is:
- to guide and supervise the MAB Programme;
- to review the progress made in the implementation of the Programme
(cf. Secretariat report and reports of MAB National Committees);
- to recommend research projects to countries and to make proposals
on the organization of regional or international cooperation;
- to assess priorities among projects and MAB activities in general;
- to co-ordinate the international cooperation of Member States
participating in the MAB Programme;
- to co-ordinate activities with other international scientific
programmes;
- to consult with international non-governmental organizations
on scientific or technical questions
De facto, the MAB Council also decides upon new biosphere
reserves and takes note of recommendations on periodic review reports
of biosphere reserves.
At its meetings, the Council elects a chairman, five vice-chairmen,
of which one functions as a rapporteur; these form the MAB Bureau.
The MAB Bureau meets between Council sessions. For more information
on the MAB Bureau, please visit this
page.
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