The meeting of the 24^th session of the International Coordination Council of the UNESCO Program “Man and Biosphere” (MAB) was held at the UNESCO headquarters (Paris) from 9^th till 13^th July 2012.

The Ukrainian delegation, participating at the meeting was headed by the vice-president of the National “Man and Biosphere” Committee of Ukraine (under the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) Pavlo M.Cherinko.

An important outcome of the work of the Council was the inclusion of a newly created trilateral transboundary biosphere reserve “West Polessiye” (Ukraine, Belarus, Poland) to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

The topical issues on session’s agenda, discussed by the Council, comprised future activities of MAB Program in the light of follow-up of the “Rio+20” Summit, as well as strategy for the period 2014-2021.

The Council reviewed national periodic reports on biosphere reserves’ activities that were submitted by the member-states. The Ukrainian report was prepared by the “Chornomorsky” and “Askania-Nova” reserves.

Ukraine was elected member of the International Council for a 4-year term in October 2011 at the 36^th session of the UNESCO General Conference.