India’s Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve in Himachal Pradesh was included in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) during the 37th International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) session held  in Hangzhou, China, recently.

• It gathered UNESCO Member States, scientists, and experts to review biosphere reserves, promote sustainability, and strengthen global cooperation on biodiversity conservation.

About World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR)

• It is a global network of protected areas under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme.

• Purpose: It promotes biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, and community participation through protected ecosystems.
• Collaboration: The network fosters North-South and South-South cooperation, enabling the exchange of knowledge, practices, and capacity building for ecological management.
• The World Network of Biosphere Reserves now includes 785 sites in 142 countries

Indian Sites in WNBR (13 as of 2025)

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