Kyrgyzstan formed a Man and Biosphere Committee

11 June 2007

Kyrgyzstan has formed a national committee for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme under the Chairmanship of Dr Bekmamat Djenbaev. The committee, presided by Dr. Djenbaev, is composed of altogether sixteen Kyrgyz scientists.

Director of the Institute of Biology and Soil under the National Academy of Science, Dr. Djenbaev is a biologist, bio-geochemist, and ecologist by training. The other members of the committee are Professor Emil Shukurov, Ms Shaigul Asylbaeva, Mr. Duyshe Kudayarov, Mr. Rostislav Ionov, Ms. Ainagul Jalilova, Mr. Abjapar Ergeshov, Mr. Sultan Karabaev, Mr. Kanat Abdrahmanov, Mr. Alaybek Shamshiev, Ms. Venera Surapaeva, Mr. Bolot Kulnazarov, Mr. Bakyt Kaldybaev, Mr. Bakyt Alymkulov, Mr. Kubanychbek Turgunbaev, and Ms. Lydia Orolbaeva.

The national committee will be promoting the aims of MAB in the Kyrgyz Republic, including reducing biodiversity loss. Kyrgyzstan has two biosphere reserves which have been internationally recognized by UNESCO within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. The two biosphere reserves are Sary-Chelek (designated in 1978) and Issyk-Kul (designated in 2001).

The other aims of the MAB are to improve livelihoods and enhance social, economic and cultural conditions for environmental sustainability, thus contributing to the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular MDG 7 on environmental sustainability.

The UNESCO Cluster Office in Almaty will be collaborating with the new MAB committee on scientific ecological studies, environmental conservation, and sustainable development. National MAB committees exists in many countries all over the world. Their international secretariat is based at the UNESCO Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences in Paris.