https://www.cas.cn/cm/202509/t20250917_5082569.shtml

According to the State Council Information Office, China has 34 nature reserves designated as World Biosphere Reserves by UNESCO, the highest total in Asia. These reserves have become the most active in China for cutting-edge exploration of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, and joint development between protected areas and surrounding communities, as well as for international cooperation.

China is a member of The Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, initiated by UNESCO in 1971. To fully leverage the MAB Programme as an international exchange platform, China has established the China Biosphere Reserve Network in 1993. As of August 2025, 214 nature reserves in China (including 34 World Biosphere Reserves) have been approved for inclusion in the China Biosphere Reserve Network, covering nearly all of China’s major ecosystem types and biodiversity conservation areas.

The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, from September 22 to 25, 2025. Themed “Shaping a Sustainable Future for Man and Nature,” the congress will be held in Asia for the first time and is expected to attract approximately 4,000 representatives from over 150 countries and regions.