GAME researchers contribute to the new UNESCO report "People and Nature in UNESCO Sites: Global and local contributions"

UNESCO has published the report People and Nature in UNESCO Sites: Global and Local ContributionsA comprehensive assessment that highlights the role of sites designated by UNESCO as strategic assets for addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, and associated social challenges.

The report analyses for the first time the World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks together as an interconnected global network. These territories, covering more than 13 million square kilometres worldwide, host a fundamental part of the planet’s natural and cultural heritage and support ecosystems, communities and livelihoods.

Among its main conclusions, the report highlights that UNESCO sites contribute significantly to climate stability and biodiversity conservation on a global scale, acting as refuges where nature maintains greater resilience against current environmental pressures.

The preparation of this report involved the Aquatic Macrophyte Ecology Group (GAME) of CEAB-CSIC and the company BIOSFERA Marine. The researcher Oscar Serrano and the doctoral student Enric Gomis They have specifically contributed to improving the understanding of the role of seagrass meadows as relevant ecosystems within UNESCO designated sites.

GAME's involvement in this report reinforces the role of scientific research in designing evidence-based conservation policies and emphasises the importance of integrating ecological knowledge into the management of UNESCO sites. The message of the report is clear: investing today in the protection of these territories is key to safeguarding the future of both people and nature.

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