Phase B of the Hybrid University of Asterousia 2021-2022 edition, co-organised by the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, and the Mediterranean Information for the Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development, was held online from 10 January to 6 February 2022 in a hybrid format owing to the COVID pandemic. The objective of this second phase was to bring together individuals involved in the management of Biosphere Reserves or other designated areas. The course provided them with a space for co-learning, where experiences, lessons-learned and innovative practices could be exchanged for the benefit of all.

Sustainable cultural tourism policies can significantly support the development of European regions. Cultural tourism, especially in rural areas and in urban peripheries, can be a driver of sustainable economic, social and cultural growth. The EU-funded SmartCulTour project, which started in 2020 and will end in 2023, investigates cultural tourism to provide European regions with strategies that engage stakeholders in co-creating smart cultural tourism practices. The project is deployed through field tests in 6 Living Labs and involves 10 partners, including UNESCO along with several universities and other actors across Europe.

Policy coherence for sustainable development is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. A review of good practices developed by the Issue-Based Coalition on environment and climate change looks at the linkages between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, around the main dimensions of policy, innovation and practice. Building greater policy coherence between disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation can contribute to advancing sustainable development. This review aims to showcase good practices of policy coherence around climate resilience, with the intention of raising awareness among the UN country teams on the strengthened application of both policy agendas in the development and implementation of UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks at country level. It aspires to remain a living document, continuously enriched through good practices shared by the UN family from across the region.

The International Sava River Basin Commission, with the support of the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe, held an online workshop on 29 November 2021 to present their co-developed full-fledged, Outline of the Sediment Management Plan for the Sava River Basin. The document is aimed at providing an analysis of the existing sediment management practices in the Sava River basin to form the groundwork for the development of the Sediment Management Plan. The workshop gathered experts from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, who shared information on the status of sediment management and discussed further steps to fully implement the plan for the Sava River basin.