The Isle of Man Biosphere Reserve: an entire nation approach to sustainable development

ABSTRACT Biosphere Reserves are learning sites for sustainable development. Although based on specific UNESCO criteria, implementation varies to accommodate regional and national circumstances. The Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea, was designated as an ‘entire nation’ biosphere in 2016 and is governed through a stakeholder partnership, led by the Isle of Man Government Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture. This paper introduces the characteristics of this unique entire nation model based on qualitative interviews that were used to examine the perceptions of the biosphere’s stakeholder partnership. Findings from the research illustrate that stakeholders understand the designation as a ‘holistic’ approach to sustainable development and use the discourse of ‘finding balance’ across sectors. Stakeholders also conveyed some tensions regarding how the biosphere can be interpreted as a reward for the status quo and/or an incentive for change, connected to how the designation is led from within government. The paper concludes that whilst there are circumstances unique to the Isle of Man, many of the challenges perceived by stakeholders are also common to the biosphere model in general.