Documents relative to the Natural Sciences Sector

13-27 March 2024

This page is updated regularly as new documents become available.

219 EX/8        Nominations of new UNESCO Global Geoparks

219 EX/9        Update of the statutes of the International Basic Sciences Programme (IBSP)

219 EX/14.II  UNESCO Prizes, Part II, Reviews and renewals: proposal for the renewal of the UNESCO Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Conservation

219 EX/15     Category 2 institutes and centres, Reviews, renewals and cessations

• 219 EX/15.I       
  Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre (Kazakhstan)
• 219 EX/15.II      
  Regional Centre for Groundwater Management for Latin America and the Caribbean (CeReGAS) (Uruguay)
• 219 EX/15.III      
  Regional Water Centre for Arid and Semi-Arid Zones of Latin America and the Caribbean (Chile)
• 219 EX/15.IV      
  IHE Delft Institute for Water Education (Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• 219 EX/15.V
  Centre on Integrated and Multi-Disciplinary Water Resources Management (Greece)
• 219 EX/15.VI
  Regional Centre for Water Security (Mexico)
• 219 EX/15.VII
  Centre of Excellence in Microscience (Cameroon)

219 EX/17      Implementation of standard-setting instruments

• 219 EX/17.III
  Implementation of the 2021 Recommendation on Open Science : preparations for the next consultation
• 219 EX/17.IV
  Implementation of the 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers; preparations for the next consultation

219 EX/21        Partnership agreement between UNESCO and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD)

219 EX/26       Celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP)

219 EX/30       UNESCO's programme on the promotion of scientific freedom and the safety of scientists and a related call to action

219 EX/31       UNESCO's action for Indigenous Peoples

See also:

• UNESCO Executive Board
• Documents of the Executive Board

4-18 October 2023

217 EX/4       Follow-up to decisions and resolutions adopted by the Executive Board and the General Conference at their previous sessions, Part I: Programme issues

• 217 EX/4.I.A
  Operational Strategy for Small Island Developing States (SIDS): high-level initiatives and partnership and resource mobilization plan
• 217 EX/4.I.B
  UNESCO's contribution to the outcomes of the 9th World Water Forum and the United Nations 2023 Water Conference

217 EX/13        Category 2 institutes and centres, Proposals for designation

• 217 EX/13.1        
  Biosphere Reserves Institute (BRI) in Eberswalde, Germany
  • Feasibility study, (link active until Januray 2024)

217 EX/14        Category 2 institutes and centres, Reviews, renewals and cessations

• 217 EX/14.II
  Regional Centre for Groundwater Management for Latin America and the Caribbean (CeReGAS), in Uruguay
  • Evaluation report (link active until January 2024)
• 217 EX/14.III
  African Regional Centre for Ecohydrology (ARCE), in Ethiopia

10-24 May 2023

216 EX/5 Follow-up to decisions and resolutions adopted by the Executive Board and the General Conference at their previous sessions

• 216 EX/5.I.B  Part I: B. Global framework for open science in the face of pandemics
• 216 EX/5.I.C  Part I, C. UNESCO Operational Strategy for Small Island Developing States (2023-2029)

216 EX/7  Nominations of new UNESCO Global Geoparks

216 EX/16 Category 2 institutes and centres: reviews, renewals and cessations

• 216 EX/16.III  International Centre on Global-Scale Geochemistry in Langfang, China
  • Evaluation report
  • Draft agreement
• 216 EX/16.IV   International Research Centre on Karst in Guilin, China
  • Evaluation Report
  • Draft agreement
• 216 EX/16.V   International Centre on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (ICQHS), in the Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Evaluation Report
  • Draft agreement
  • Draft Memorandum of Understanding
• 216 EX/16.VI   Centre for Groundwater Management for Latin America and the Caribbean (CeReGAS), in the Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  • Evaluation report
• 216 EX/16.VII   Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre (CARGC), in the Republic of Kazakhstan

216 EX/37   Proposal for the proclamation by the United Nations of 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Sciences and Technologies

216 EX/39   9th World Water Forum
 

More documents will be available soon

5-19 October 2022

215 EX/18 Category 2 institutes and centres, Reviews and renewals

• 215 EX/18. I    International Centre on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (ICQHS), Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Evaluation Report of the International Centre on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (ICQHS); 2014-2020
• 215 EX/18.II     Regional Centre for Groundwater Management for Latin America and the Caribbean (CeReGAS), Eastern Republic of Uruguay
  • Review of activities and evaluation of the functioning of the Regional Centre for Groundwater Management for Latin America and the Caribbean (CeReGAS)

214 EX/9 Nomination of new UNESCO Global Geoparks

214 EX/11 Category 2 institutes and centres, Reviews and renewals

• 214 EX/11.III    International Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA) in Bucharest, Romania
  • Draft agreement between the Government of Romania and UNESCO regarding the renewal of the International Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA) as a category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO (pdf)
  • Draft Memorandum of Understanding between the International Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA) and UNESCO (pdf)
• 214 EX/11.IV   Renewal International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management (i-WSSM), in the Republic of Korea
  • Draft Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO and the International Centre for Water Security and Sustainable Management (i-WSSM) in the Republic of Korea (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
  • Evaluation report (pdf)
• 214 EX/11.V    International Centre on Global Scale Geochemistry in Langfang, China
• 214 EX/11.VI   International Research Centre on Karst in Guilin, China

212 EX/14 II UNESCO Prizes, Proposal for establishment:
The UNESCO-Al Fozan International Prize for the Promotion of Young Scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) 
212 EX/17 Category 2 institutes and centres

• 212 EX/17.I Designation of the Center of Excellence on Biodiversity and Management of Natural Resources (CoEB), University of Rwanda, in Huye, Rwanda, as a category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO
  • Feasibility study (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
• 212 EX/17.II Establishment in Kumasi, Ghana, of the Centre of Excellence in Engineering Innovations, Manufacturing and Technology Transfer under the auspices of UNESCO (category 2)
  • Feasibility study (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)

212 EX/18.I Category 2 institutes and centres, Reviews and renewals

• 212 EX/18.II     International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC) in Malaysia
  • Draft Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
  • Evaluation (pdf)
     
• 212 EX/18.III    Regional Centre for Training and Water Studies of Arid and Semi-arid Zones (RCTWS) in Egypt
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
     
• 212 EX/18.IV    Centre for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (WSDAC) in Serbia
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
     
• 212 EX/18.V     International Centre on Qanats and Historic Hydraulic Structures (ICQHS) in Islamic Republic of Iran
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
     
• 212 EX/18.VI    International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC) in the Netherlands
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
  • Evaluation 2016-2019 (pdf)
     
• 212 EX/18.VII   International Centre for Pure and Applied Mathematics (CIMPA) in France
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
     
• 212 EX/18.VIII  International Centre for Advanced Training and Research in Physics (CIFRA) in Romania

211 EX/5  Follow-up to decisions and resolutions adopted by the Executive Board and the General Conference at their previous sessions

• 211 EX/5.I.C  Part I: Programme issues, C. Report on the further implementation of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Action Plan
   

211 EX/8  Nominations of new UNESCO Global Geoparks

• 211 EX/8.INF Nomination of new UNESCO Global Geoparks: details of the nominations
   

211 EX/17  Renewals of Category 2 institutes and centres

• 211 EX/17.II  International Centre for South-South Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation (ISTIC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 
   
• 211 EX/17.III  Renewal status of the Regional Centre for Training and Water Studies in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions (RCTWS), in Egypt 
   
• 211 EX/17.IV  Renewal status of the Centre for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (WSDAC), in Serbia
   

211 EX/36  International Day for Biosphere Reserves

• 211EX/DG.INF Rev Comments by the Director-General on items presented by Member States which may have administrative and financial implications
   

211 EX/37  International Geodiversity Day

• 211EX/DG.INF Rev Comments by the Director-General on items presented by Member States which may have administrative and financial implications

209th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO

209 EX/5.I      Follow-up to decisions and resolutions adopted by the Executive Board and the General Conference at their previous sessions, Part I: Programme issues

• 209 EX/5.I.B     Report on progress made in the implementation of the UNESCO Strategy for Action on Climate Change (2018-2021)
• 209 EX/5.I.C    The International Centre for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME): Opportunities for action
• 209 EX/5.I.D     Report on the strategic actions taken and the progress achieved to ensure an effective follow-up to the recommendations of the mid-term evaluation of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Action Plan
• 209 EX/5.I.E     Nominations of new UNESCO Global Geoparks

209 EX/9       Evaluation of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme

209 EX/10     UNESCO Prizes, reviews and renewals

• 209 EX/10.II      Renewal of the Carlos J. Finlay UNESCO Prize for Microbiology

209 EX/14     Category 2 institutes and centres, reviews and renewals

• 209 EX/14.II      Centre for the Sustainable Management of Water Resources in the Caribbean Island Sates(CEHICA), in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (CEHICA)

  Evaluation report (pdf)

• 209 EX/14.III      Renewal status of the Centre for Water Law, Policy and Science (CWLPS), University of Dundee, United Kingdom
• 209 EX/14.IV     Renewal status of the International Centre on Water Resources and Global Change (ICWRGC), in Koblenz, Germany
• 209 EX/14.V      International Centre for Water Cooperation (ICWC), in Stockholm, Sweden
• 209 EX/14.VI     Renewal of the International Research and Training Centre on Urban Drainage (IRTCUD), in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia
  • Evaluation report (pdf)

209 EX/22      Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum

209 EX/23      Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO and the South Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO)

207th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO

207 EX/5.II.B    Mid-term Evaluation of Phase VIII of the International Hydrological Programme (2014-2021)

207 EX/7          Consolidated roadmap for a possible UNESCO Recommendation on open science

207 EX/10.I      UNESCO Prizes

• 207 EX/10.II: Proposals for establishment: UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in the Basic Sciences
   
• 207 EX/10.III.A: Renewal of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards

207EX/15         Category 2 institutes and centres, Proposals for establishment

• 207 EX/15.III     Regional Education and Research Center on Earthquake Risk Management and Resilience for West and Central Asia at the International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES),Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

   

  • Draft agreement and feasibility study (pdf)
     
• 207 EX/15.IV    Global Research and Training Centre for Internationally Designated Areas (GCIDA), Jeju Island, Republic of Korea
  • Feasibility study (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
     
• 207 EX/15.V    Establishment of the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Water Systems Dynamics, (ICIReWaRD), France
  • Feasibility study (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf, in French)
     
• 207 EX/15.VI    Regional Experimental Centre for Sanitation Technologies (CERTS) in Uruguay
  • Feasibility study (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)
     
• 207 EX/15.VII  International Centre for Capacity Development: Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Societal Change in Reykjavik, Iceland
  • Feasibility study (pdf)
  • Draft agreement (pdf)

207 EX/16         Category 2 institutes and centres: reviews and renewals

• 207 EX/16.II International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) in Tsukuba, Japan
  • Evaluation report (pdf)
  • Draft renewal agreement (pdf)
     
• 207 Ex/16.III   International Centre on  Mediterranean  Biosphere  Reserves,  Castellet I la Gornal, Spain
  • External review of activities (PDF)
  • Draft renewal agreement: English | Español (pdf)
     
• 207 EX/16.IV Asia Pacific Centre for Ecohydrology (APCE) in Cibinong, Indonesia
  • Evaluation report (pdf)
  • Draft renewal agreement (pdf)

206th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO - Annexes

206 EX/7      Nominations of new UNESCO Global Geoparks

• 206 EX/7.INF Nomination of new UNESCO Global Geoparks List and details of the nominations

206 EX/8      Adoption of revised statutes of the International Hydrological Programme (IHP)

206 EX/9      Preliminary Study of the Technical, Financial and Legal Aspects on the Desirability of a UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science

206 EX/13    Mid-term evaluation of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Action Plan

206 EX/20    Category 2 institutes and centres, reviews and renewals

• Part II: International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM)  in Tsukuba, Japan
   
• Part III: Regional Centre on capacity Development and Research in Water Harvesting (RCWH) in Khartoum, Sudan
  Draft agreement between UNESCO and the Government of Sudan regarding the regional Centre on Capacity Development and Research in Water Harvesting (Category 2) (pdf)
   
• Part IV: International Centre on Mediterranean Biosphere Reserves in Spain
   
• Part V: Withdrawal of the International Centre for Education, Capacity Building and Applied Research in Water (HIDROEX), Centre in Brazil

206 EX/36     World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development

• 206 EX/DG.INF

205th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO - Annexes

205 EX/13    Renewal of Category 2 Centres

• Draft agreement between UNESCO and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria regarding the Regional Centre for Integrated Water Management (Category 2 Centre) (pdf)
   
• Draft agreement between the Government of Malaysia and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on the Regional Humid Tropics Hydrology and Water Resources Centre for South-East Asia and The Pacific (HTC Kuala Lumpur), in Malaysia (Category 2 Centre) (pdf)

204th Session of the Executive Board of UNESCO

204 EX/7    Nomination of new UNESCO Global Geoparks
Information document: Nomination of new UNESCO Global Geoparks List and details of the nominations

204 EX/9    UNESCO Prizes
Renewal of the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science

204 EX/11   Category 1 institutes and centres: Management of Category 1 institute

• Part III        Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) Management Report

204 EX/13   Renewal of Category 2 Centres

• Part II. I       International Research and Training Centre for Science and Technology Strategy (CISTRAT), Beijing, China
  Annex: Draft agreement (pdf)
• Part II.II        Asia-Pacific Centre for Ecohydrology (APCE), Cibinong, Indonesia
  Annex: Draft agreement (pdf)

204 EX/13   Closure of Category 2 Centres

• Part II.III      Regional Centre on Urban Water Management for Latin America and the Caribbean (RCUWM-LAC)