Manila, Philippines - Environment officials from member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) Nations met recently in Makati City to craft a strategic plan to save the region`s rich but highly endangered biodiversity.
A statement from the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) said the environment officials identified concerns and issues on biodiversity conservation which will serve as basis for setting a framework of action for ACB.
Addressing the regional workshop, Roger de Backer, charge` d` affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines, called on ASEAN member countries to work towards speedy ratification of the center`s establishment agreement.
ASEAN groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People`s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Mr. de Backer said ACB`s long-term strategic plan will have to deal with emerging issues related to biodiversity.
These include climate change and the balance between biofuels and food security, on top of community-based natural resources management, boom in eco-tourism, extraction of non-timber forest products, and the challenge of social and environment-friendly sustainable mining.
The European Union has been a longtime ally of ASEAN in its biodiversity conservation efforts and has provided initial funding for the operations of ACB.
ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said ASEAN has established its link to the wellbeing of multicultural societies in the ASEAN.
He said the draft long-term strategic plan, to be presented to the ACB Governing Board for comments and approval, will reflect ASEAN`s vision and efforts in reducing biodiversity loss.
Aside from establishing ACB, other major efforts of ASEAN member countries to reduce biodiversity loss include: ratification of many of the international agreements with biodiversity concerns, the Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species, Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, World Heritage Convention, and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
ASEAN has designated 1,523 protected areas based on The World Conservation Union (IUCN) category and declared 27 areas as ASEAN Heritage Parks.
Thailand has nominated three additional parks and the Philippines nominated two to be declared as ASEAN Heritage Parks.
Several conservation plans have been prepared especially for endangered species, such as the tiger, elephants, gaur, Sumatran rhinoceros, otter and pheasants.
While occupying only 3% of the earth`s surface, ASEAN may contain the natural habitats of up to 40% of all species on earth. The region has one-third, translating to 284,000 square kilometers, of coral reefs, which are among the most diverse in the world. It has three "mega-diversity" countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Source: www.gmanews.tv (7 Mei 2008)
