GEORGE TOWN, June 12 — Bukit Bendera today received a certificate of recognition as a biosphere reserve site under the ‘Man and the Biosphere (MAB)’ Programme by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco).
The Energy and Natural Resources Ministry (Ketsa), in a statement today, said Unesco on Sept 15 last year had recognised Bukit Bendera with an area of 12,481 hectares as Malaysia's third biosphere reserve site for the country.
“Bukit Bendera is one of the 727 biosphere reserve sites in The World Network of Biosphere Reserves and the recognition reflects the commitment of the country in general and the Penang state government in particular.
“A shared commitment in creating a balance between the care of natural resources and development activities through a sustainable development approach while being able to raise the profile of the site as an area of international importance and a centre of learning excellence," he said in a statement yesterday.
Ketsa said Malaysia's participation in the MAB programme began in 2009 through the recognition of Tasik Chini, Pahang as the first biosphere reserve site in Malaysia with an area of 6,922.97 hectares on May 26, 2009.
According to Ketsa's statement, the Crocker Range in Sabah was recognised as the second biosphere reserve site in Malaysia on June 12, 2014 covering an area of 350,584 hectares.
Ketsa hopes the declaration of Bukit Bendera as a biosphere reserve site under this Unesco MAB programme is an incentive to other state governments to nominate areas with potential as sites of international biodiversity importance.
"The MAB programme was launched in 1971 by Unesco. MAB is an intergovernmental scientific programme aimed at establishing a scientific foundation to create a balance between human activities and environmental sustainability," according to the statement.
Ketsa also said that it combines elements of nature, social science, economics and education in an effort to improve human living standards and protect natural ecosystems.
The MAB programme promotes innovative economic development that does not conflict with socio-culture and at the same time the environment is managed sustainably, according to the statement.
According to the statement, a biosphere reserve is a site established by a country and recognised under the MAB programme to promote sustainable development as a result of the efforts of local people and scientific research.
“The established biosphere reserves have functions for the purpose of conservation, development and logistical support as prescribed under the Statutory Framework of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves. To date, there are a total of 727 biosphere reserve sites in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR) which covers 131 countries," he said.
— Bernama
