Message from the Director of UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Mr Lazare Eloundou Assomo, for International Day for Biological Diversity 2026

The theme this year is “Acting locally for global impact”, and it reflects and celebrates a fundamental reality: global biodiversity goals can only be achieved through concrete action on the ground. This vision is fully aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which provides a global roadmap for halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 through coordinated action at all levels of society.

UNESCO-designated sites are a powerful demonstration that local action can indeed generate global impact. Across the world, communities, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, site managers, and governments are working together every day within World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves, and Global Geoparks to protect ecosystems, conserve biodiversity, and promote sustainable livelihoods.

Taken together, UNESCO-designated sites form one of the world’s largest global networks dedicated to the relationship between people and nature, spanning more than 13 million square kilometers — an area comparable to the size of China and India combined.

UNESCO’s recent assessment publication titled “People and Nature in UNESCO-designated sites” demonstrates the extraordinary contribution of these sites to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The assessment shows that these sites harbour a remarkable share of the world’s biodiversity, including many threatened species, while simultaneously supporting the livelihoods and well-being of approximately 900 million people worldwide. This is concrete evidence that conservation and human development can reinforce one another when approached in an integrated and participatory manner.

Most importantly, the assessment highlights the exceptional resilience of UNESCO-designated sites despite increasing environmental pressures. At a time when biodiversity indicators continue to decline globally, monitored wildlife populations within these sites have, on average, remained stable over time.

This sends a powerful message of hope.

It demonstrates that when ecosystems are managed through scientific cooperation, local engagement, Indigenous knowledge, inclusive governance, and sustained investment, positive and measurable outcomes for both people and nature are possible.

On this International Day for Biological Diversity, we invite all partners and biodiversity-related conventions, governments, scientists, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and donors to deepen cooperation, strengthen synergies, and mobilize the necessary resources to support UNESCO-designated sites as models of resilience, sustainability and peace.

Let us continue working together to ensure that these exceptional places inspire and demonstrate how local action can deliver global impact for people and for nature.