This centre, in operation since 2015 and located in the Barcelona townof Castellet i la Gornal, will allow further progress in promotingsustainability in Mediterranean environments
Spain is the country with the highest number of these declared spaces,with a total of 52 Biosphere Reserves
11 February 2020- The Spanish cabinet, at the proposal of the Ministry forEcological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and the Ministry ofForeign Affairs, the European Union and Cooperation, has authorised thesigning of the agreement between the Kingdom of Spain and the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to continuehosting the International Centre for Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves in ourcountry.
This centre, created in 2015 and located in Castellet i la Gornal (province ofBarcelona), has been essential in the forming and start-up of the MediterraneanBiosphere Reserve Network, as well as in the development of other activities aimedat promoting the Man and the Biosphere (MaB) Programme, the Spanish Network ofBiosphere Reserves, the IberoMab Network and the World Network of BiosphereReserves, among other activities.
The renewal of this agreement - which was agreed last October in Paris at theExecutive Board of Unesco, after analysing the “highly satisfactory” results and thefulfilment of objectives in the four years that the centre has been operating - will allowfurther progress in promoting sustainability in Mediterranean environments,conducting training programmes, coordinating the Mediterranean Biosphere ReserveNetwork and hosting Unesco MaB Programme events.
The castle of Castellet i la Gornal where the centre is located belongs to the AbertisFoundation, an entity that provides the necessary resources to facilitate the premises,equipment, facilities and maintenance thereof, as well as the expenses derived fromthe organisation of Board of Directors meetings. The Abertis Foundation alsoprovides the administrative staff necessary for its operation.
This centre is considered fundamental due to its contribution to the role played bySpain as a link between the various Mediterranean countries, promoting theconservation of biodiversity and sustainable development in the Mediterranean.
Spain thus reaffirms its commitment to UNESCO in all its work areas and itsleadership in the Organisation's most emblematic programmes.
SPAIN, WORLD LEADER IN THE NUMBER OF BIOSPHERE RESERVATIONS
Spain is the country with the highest number of these declared spaces, with a total of52 Biosphere Reserves, which cover different ecosystems and country sides characteristic of Spain. The 52 Spanish spaces that hold this UNESCO award occupyan area of around 12% of the total area of Spain, with about 6.2 million hectares where more than 4% of the Spanish population lives.
26 November 2025
•This new agreement between Abertis Foundation and the Spanish National Parks Agency (OAPN in its Spanish acronym)—a Spanish public body under the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO)—ensures the continued operation of the UNESCO-endorsed International Centre. The renewed partnership strengthens cooperation and knowledge exchange among Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves.
•The agreement aims to foster research initiatives, training programmes, pilot projects and outreach activities that advance the sustainability of Mediterranean ecosystems and enhance the resilience of biosphere reserves in the face of climate change.
•The renewal consolidates the role of the Abertis Foundation's headquarters at Castellet Castle as a leading hub for biosphere reserve activities, both within the Mediterranean region and internationally.
23 September 2025
•El congreso, que se celebra en Hangzhou (China) del 22 al 26 de septiembre, ha reunido a la Red Mundial de Reservas de la Biosfera -entre las que se incluye la MedMAB apoyada por Fundación Abertis- para consolidar prioridades, reforzar la colaboración y definir el Plan de Acción Mundial para el futuro.
