CSSP Lecture on Climate Change and Global Politics। 29 September at 3:30pm

CSSP Lecture on Climate Change and Global Politics। 29 September at 3:30pm

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Centre for Studies in Science Policy
School of Social Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi - 110067, India

विज्ञान नीति अध्ययन केंद्र, सामाजिक विज्ञान विद्यालय,

जवाहरलाल नेहरू विश्वविद्यालय, नई दिल्ली - 110067, भारत

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26 new Biosphere Reserves: UNESCO’s continues unprecedented expansion of its global network

PRESS RELEASE   26 new Biosphere Reserves: UNESCO's continues unprecedented expansion of its global network   Hangzhou, China, 27 September 2025 – UNESCO designates 26 new biosphere reserves across 21 countries – the highest number in 20 years. The World Network of Biosphere Reserves now includes 785 sites in 142 countries, with an additional one million km² of natural areas brought under protection since 2018 – equivalent to the size of Bolivia. This year, six countries welcome their first biosphere reserve, while São Tomé and Príncipe becomes the first State to have its entire territory designated as a biosphere reserve.   Photos, videos and descriptions of the new Biosphere Reserves.   "With nearly thirty new designations this year, our World Network of Biosphere Reserves has reached a major milestone, now protecting 5% of the planet. Within these reserves, new ways of balancing nature conservation with sustainable livelihoods are being forged every day. UNESCO will continue to mobilize States, scientists, civil society, and local and Indigenous communities to continue this positive momentum", said Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.   This week, UNESCO gathered more than 2,000 international experts, public decision-makers, civil society, Indigenous representatives and youth for the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves, to take stock of the achievements of this historic UNESCO programme, and chart its course for the coming decade. During the Congress, Audrey Azoulay invited every Member State to establish at least one biosphere reserve by 2035.   First designations in six countries and new reserves worldwide   Today, six countries are seeing the designation of their first biosphere reserve: Angola, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Iceland, Oman and Tajikistan.   In addition to these six, new reserves have also been designated in Albania, China, Ethiopia, France, Greece, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sweden. São Tomé and Príncipe becomes the first State to have its entire territory designated as a biosphere reserve.   A model of protection that's gaining momentum   UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme has witnessed unprecedented growth in recent years: since 2018, 142 new biosphere reserves have brought an additional one million km² of additional natural areas under protection. Today, the 785 reserves cover over 8 million km² – equivalent to the size of Australia – and directly benefit the nearly 300 million people who live within these areas.   Since 1971, biosphere reserves have played a central role in UNESCO's environmental mission. Alongside natural World Heritage sites and Global Geoparks, they contribute to protecting more than 13 million km² of terrestrial and marine ecosystems under UNESCO's umbrella, advancing the global Kunming-Montreal target of conserving 30% of land and sea by 2030.   With the entry into force of the BBNJ Treaty in January 2026, countries will be able to designate and manage protected areas in the high seas, backed by science and robust management plans. Through its marine World Heritage sites, biosphere reserves and marine geoparks, UNESCO already safeguards more than 4.1 million km² – an area equivalent to the Mediterranean Sea.   "Living laboratories" as a solution to climate challenges   Biosphere reserves safeguard some of the planet's richest and most fragile ecosystems. They harbour a significant share of global biodiversity – including more than 60% of terrestrial vertebrate species, 12% of mapped mangroves, 10% of salt marshes and 8% of the world's seagrass meadows.   They foster local and community initiatives and serve as learning grounds for younger generations, through educational programmes tailored to schools as well as to local and Indigenous communities.   Partnerships with the private sector further strengthen these efforts. For example, the Amazonia Project, deployed across eight biosphere reserves with support from LVMH, combines Indigenous knowledge with modern science. It has already supported more than 40 local initiatives, creating sustainable green jobs in agroforestry and regenerative agriculture, while strengthening forest and biodiversity protection against wildfires.     Newly Designated Biosphere Reserves   Albania – Vjosa Valley Biosphere Reserve Angola – Quiçama Biosphere Reserve China Daqingshan Biosphere Reserve Zhouzhi Biosphere Reserve Djibouti –  Archipel des Sept Frères – Ras Siyyan – Khor Angar – Godoria Biosphere Reserve Equatorial Guinea – Isla de Bioko Biosphere Reserve Ethiopia – Anywaa Forest Biosphere Reserve France Lac du Bourget, between the Rhône and the Alps Biosphere Reserve Marshes and Tides between the Loire and the Vilaine Biosphere Reserve Greece – Mount Parnon – Cape Maleas Biosphere Reserve Iceland – Snæfellsnes Biosphere Reserve India – Cold Desert Biosphere Reserve Indonesia – Raja Ampat Biosphere Reserve Jordan Ajloun Biosphere Reserve Yarmouk Biosphere Reserve Madagascar Mantadia Biosphere Reserve Tsimembo Biosphere Reserve Malaysia – Kinabatangan Biosphere Reserve Mongolia – Khomyn Tal Biosphere Reserve Oman Al Jabal Al Akhdar Biosphere Reserve Sirrin Biosphere Reserve Portugal – Arrábida Biosphere Reserve Saudi Arabia – Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Biosphere Reserve São Tomé and Príncipe – Ilha de São Tomé Biosphere Reserve Sweden – Storkriket Biosphere Reserve Tajikistan – Romit Biosphere Reserve About UNESCO   With 194 Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization contributes to peace and security by leading multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2300 people. UNESCO oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13 000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions, with a global network of 200 National Commissions. Its Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.   "Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed" – UNESCO Constitution, 1945.   More information: www.unesco.org   Press contact François WIBAUX, f.wibaux@unesco.org, +33 (0) 1 45 68 07 46   UNESCO Newsroom All our press releases   Social media

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Call for Papers: Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan (BVS2025) | 26–29 December, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

Bharatiya Vigyan Sammelan (BVS 2025)

26–29 December 2025 

 Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

The 7th edition is scheduled at  Tirupati, the knowledge capital of Andhra Pradesh, which hosts an IIT, an IISER, a National Sanskrit University (Sanskrit Vidya Peeth), Sri Venkateswara University, Sri Padmavathi Mahila University and Vedic University. The focal theme for BVS 2025 is "समग्र विकास के लिए भारतीय अवधारणा": Sustainable development with a Bhāratīya Perspective.

Abstract Submission
The abstracts will be published as part of the conference proceedings and will be assigned an ISBN. Selected articles will also be considered for publication in special issues of reputable journals.

• One Health - Nirāmayatvam
• Mathematics and Astronomy – Gaṇita Vijñānam, Siddhānta- Vedāṅga Jyotiṣam
• Architecture and Civil Engineering – Vāstu Vijñānam
• Language and Linguistics – Bhāṣā Vijñānam
• Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Aquaculture – Kṛṣi–Paśupālana Vijñānam
• Policy, IPR, Trade, and Strategic Issues – Nīti, Vārtā
• Materials and Metallurgy – Dhātu Vijñānam
• Energy and Resources Conservation – Akṣaya Ūrjā
• Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation in Practices – Jaivavividhatā evaṃ Paryāvaraṇa-Saṃrakṣaṇam
• Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences / Maritime Knowledge – Vāyumaṇḍalīya evaṃ Sāgarika Vijñānam
• Bhāratīya Science and Technology of Performing Arts – Bhāratīya Kalā Vijñānam
• Knowledge in Practice (Crafts and Designs) – Loka-Paramparā Vijñānam

Important Dates

• Last Date of Abstract/poster Submission: 30 Sep 2025
• Acceptance by abstract/poster: 15 Oct 2025
• Submission of Full length papers (For selected oral presentations only)/Final Poster: 15 Nov 2025
• Last Date of Registration for the conference: 20 Dec 2025

BVS2025 Brochure

CSSP Lecture on 26th September titled "Universities in Regional Futures: A Comparative Study of Oil Specialised Regions"

Centre for Studies in Science Policy

School of Social Sciences, JNU

 Cordially invites you to

 CSSP Lecture Series Talk 

on

Universities in Regional Futures: A Comparative Study of Oil Specialised Regions

by 

Muzamil Farooq

(Marie Skłodowska-Curie PhD Research Fellow, Innovation and Regional Studies, Centre for Innovation Research, UiS School of Business and Law, University of Stavanger, Norway)

Venue:  Room No. 227, 2^nd Floor, SSS-1, JNU

Time:   2:30 pm

Date:    Friday, 26^th September 2025

Mode: Physical

Abstract: Universities are increasingly expected to move beyond knowledge production to act as institutional agents in regional sustainability transitions. This study examines how universities in oil-specialised regions Rogaland, Norway (University of Stavanger) and Aberdeenshire, Scotland (University of Aberdeen) adapt their organizational structures and collaborations as their host regions transition from oil dependency to low-carbon futures. Using a comparative case study approach, the project highlights how different governance traditions, industrial legacies, and institutional contexts shape universities' capacity to drive change.  The study also addresses directionality and the politics of transition, showing how universities navigate contested imaginaries of regional futures persistence, adaptation, or transformation. By integrating perspectives from economic geography and sustainability transitions, the research contributes to debates on the transformative university and provides lessons for other carbon-intensive regions confronting just and sustainable transition.

About the Speaker: Muzamil Farooq is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) PhD Research Fellow in Innovation and Regional Studies at the Centre for Innovation Research, UiS School of Business and Law, University of Stavanger, Norway. As part of the European SUNSET Doctoral Network, situated within the scholarship of the geography of sustainability transitions, Muzamil's research investigates the role of universities in regional sustainability transitions with a focus on specialized industrial regions. His past research including his master's dissertation at the SPRU-Science Policy Research Unit explored the critical synergies between transition studies and mission-oriented innovation policy. Muzamil holds an MSc in Science and Technology Policy from the Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex, funded by the Commonwealth Masters Scholarship from FCDO, Govt of United Kingdom. He also earned an MSc in Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurial Dynamics from the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar, and completed his undergraduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Punjab.

All are welcome to attend the lecture.

 Coordinators, CSSP Lecture Series

Agenda - UNESCO highlights from September to December 2025

UNESCOPRESS Agenda   UNESCO highlights from September to December 2025   Journalists are kindly required to be accredited for each event. Contact: Dieynaba Khaty Sow: dk.sow@unesco.org, +33 (0)1 45 68 09 68   EDUCATION 19 – 20 September, Beijing (China) Award ceremony of the UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education The UNESCO Prize for Girls' and Women's Education recognizes innovative and outstanding contributions by individuals, institutions and organizations to girls' and women's education. Learn more.   SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 19 September, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris (France) Award Ceremony of the UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Five outstanding young scientists from each region of the world will receive this international prize which recognizes innovative work that contributes to global socio-economic progress, while also encouraging interest in science, especially among women and girls, in order to foster gender equality and promote scientific careers. Learn more.   BIODIVERSITY 22 – 28 September, Hangzhou (China) Designation of new UNESCO Biosphere Reserves The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves will lay out the roadmap for the next ten years for more than 750 UNESCO Biosphere Reserves across nearly 140 countries. On 27 September 2025, new UNESCO Biosphere Reserves will also be unveiled and officially join this global network. Learn more.   EDUCATION 25 September, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris (France) Launch of UNESCO's initiative on parenting in the digital age UNESCO will gather sociologists, digital experts and young people to discuss the challenges faced by parents in dealing with new uses of social networks, digital platforms and new technologies. During this event, UNESCO will launch a new global initiative aimed at mobilizing parents and families to strengthen media and information literacy. The event will open with the screening of excerpts from the Netflix series Adolescence. Learn more.   COMMUNICATION 29 – 30 September, Manila (Philippines) UNESCO World Conference on Universal Access to Information Coinciding with the International Day for Universal Access to Information (28 September), held this year under the theme "Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age", this conference will focus on ways to improve global access to environmental information. Learn more.   CULTURE 29 September – 01 October, Barcelona (Spain) UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies - MONDIACULT 2025 MONDIACULT is the world's leading conference dedicated to cultural policies, where UNESCO's 194 Member States gather to define the global agenda on culture. Highlights will include the presentation of UNESCO's first global assessment of cultural policies, focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence on artists and creative industries, as well as the unveiling of the new UNESCO Virtual Museum dedicated to stolen cultural objects. Learn more.   DEVELOPMENT 30 September, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris (France) Albert Hirschman Lecture with Jayati Ghosh As part of the Albert Hirschman Lectures, which celebrate leading thinkers engaged in interdisciplinary exploration of the most pressing global challenges, UNESCO welcomes Jayati Ghosh, an internationally renowned development economist whose work has profoundly influenced contemporary thinking on economic development, inequality and global governance. Learn more.   EDUCATION 5 October, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) World Teachers' Day The day celebrates the critical role of the estimated 100 million teachers in the world, while underlining that a further 44 million additional teachers will be needed by 2030 to provide quality primary and secondary education for all. UNESCO will highlight its work with African teachers during an event held in Addis Ababa. Learn more.   MULTILATERALISM 30 October – 13 November, Samarkand (Uzbekistan) 43rd session of the General Conference of UNESCO UNESCO's 194 Member States will meet in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to set out the Organization's priorities and budget for the next two years. Several events and exhibitions will be held alongside this session. The UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Neurotechnology, the result of several years of research and consultation, will be submitted to Member States for adoption during the Conference. Learn more.   ENVIRONMENT 10 – 21 November, Belém (Brazil) United Nations Climate Change Conference 2025 (COP 30) During COP 30, UNESCO will present the achievements of its actions to support climate change education, as well as the results of its flagship programmes including the Amazon Project or the Global Initiative for the Integrity of Information on Climate Change, led by UNESCO and the Brazilian government. Learn more.   MULTILATERALISM 23 – 23 November (South Africa) G20 Leaders' Summit As a privileged partner of the G20, UNESCO contributes to its work and provides data and knowledge in the fields of education, culture, digital economy, research and innovation, women's empowerment, the environment and employment.   INTANGIBLE HERITAGE 8 – 13 December, New Delhi (India) 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage The agenda will include the examination by the Committee of nominations for inscription on the Lists of the Convention: the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. Learn more.     UNESCO Newsroom All our press releases   Social media

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