The extensive report in the April issue of ABC's Natural supplement focuses this time on biosphere reserves as "Next Generation EU" territories. It highlights the unique opportunity that biosphere reserves represent to act as pilot territories encompassing today's unavoidable socio-environmental complexity. Biosphere reserves can be seen as living and dynamic laboratories where new approaches can be implemented, for example in the field of bioeconomy, thus becoming targets for investment by Next Generation EU funds.

In addition to the information on UNESCOMED, in the interview with Dr. Roser Maneja and Dr. Mari Carmen Romera, scientific and technical coordinators of the UNESCOMED Center and experts in bioeconomy and socio-environmental governance in Mediterranean biosphere reserves, both stress the need for a deeper look and analysis on the issue of protected areas.

The report includes a review of the main results of the recently completed Erasmus+ EduBioMed project, an update on the activities of the UNESCOMED Center and an invitation to the opening of the exhibition "Celebrating life" on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of UNESCO's MAB Programme and the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, in Barcelona on 18 May, in collaboration with the UNESCOMED Centre and sponsored by the Abertis Foundation.