ASEAN
Environmental
Challenges:
Green Issues of
Biodiversity
2nd ASEAN Chief Justices Roundtable
Discussion on the Environment
7-10 December 2012, Melaka, Malaysia
Ms. Clarissa C. Arida
Director, Programme Development and
Implementation
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
 Biodiversity - Global
Context and the
Convention on
Biological Diversity
 Biodiversity
challenges –
Transboundary Issues
 Regional Cooperation
and National
Imperatives
Southeast Asia – small in Size
but home to globally Ssgnificant
biodiversity
Biodiversity – the variety of life on
earth; the amazing life forms
Includes all plant and animal species
on earth including their homes –
mountains and forests, rivers and
seas, the air – the full range of
ecosystems, their component species
and genetic variety of species
CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY
ASEAN Heritage Parks
CBD – an international legally-binding treaty
 Conservation of biological diversity
 Sustainable use of its components
 Fair and equitable sharing of benefits
arising out of the utilization of genetic
resources (ABS)
At the Natinal level:
 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action
Plans – Updating of NBSAPS in line with
the CBD Strategic Plan (2011-2020) and
Aichi Biodiversity Targets
By 2020, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used,
maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and
delivering benefits essential for all people.”(CBD Vision)
Drivers of Biodiversity Loss In
Southeast Asia
Habitat
Change
Climate
Change
Drivers of
Biodiversity
Loss
in Southeast
Asia
Invasive Alien
Species
Over
Exploitation
Pollution
Target 5 CBS Aichi Target
By 2020, the rate of loss of all natural
habitats, including forests, is at least
halved and where feasible brought close
to zero, and degradation and
fragmentation is significantly reduced
Poverty
Green Issues Biodiversity Challenges

Illegal Wildlife Trade,
Deforestation, Large scale
mining, Pollution, Climate
Change

Loss of habitat for many birds,
mammals and other animals
 Reduced pollinator activity
 Decline in species richness and
populations
 Overall reduction in
biodiversity
 Target 12 CBD Aichi Target
By 2020 the extinction of known
threatened species has been
prevented and their conservation
status, particularly of those most in
decline, has been improved and
sustained.
Biodiversity Challenges
 ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE –
Southeast Asia is a hotspot in the
multi-billion dollar global trade of
wildlife. Illegal wildlife trade valued at
about 10 to 20 billion U.S. dollars.
Wild species including illegally cut
timber, birds, reptiles, and mammals
are traded in the region
INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES is estimated
to have caused environmental and
economic damage at US$ 1.4 trillion per
annum (Global Invasive Species
Programme, 2008).
 -Valuing biodiversity and ecosystems
services and good in economic terms
– ASEAN TEEB – also as basis for
compensatio n and damages
Biodiversity Challenges
Other key biodiversity issues

Creation of an access and benefit
sharing scheme on utilizing genetic
resources

Nagoya Protocol – responding to the
3rd objective of the CBD on benefit
sharing

National ABS Policies – Institutioanl
and legal
 Examples: Philippines – Executive Order
247 and Wildlife Act - Prescribes the
guidelines and procedures for the
prospecting of biological and genetic
resources; NIPAS and Wildlife Laws
 Malaysia – Sabah and Sarawak ABS
policies and on-going develkipment of
national ABS legislation
Regional Cooperation and National Imperatives
o ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme
32 sites now
o Support to sub regional programmes
such as the Coral Triangle Initiative,
Heart of Borneo Initiative, Greater
Mekong Sub-Region, Sulu-Sulawesi
Seas , and others
o Agreement on the Cooperation for the
Sustainable Development of the
Mekong River Basin
o ASEAN Agreement on
Transboundary Haze Pollution
o ASEAN Framework Agreement on
Access to Genetic Resources and
Fair and Equitable Sharing of
Benefits
Regional Cooperation and National Imperatives
 Sustained awareness raising and
capacity building among the 3
branches of governments on CBD
related national legislations like
Protected Area law and Wildlife
laws; involving scientific experts
like biologists, zoologists,
foresters, taxonomists to promote
LEGAL and SCIENCE & POLICY
INTERFACE
 Continuous dialogue amongst
ASEAN Member States in regard to
CBD related implementation of
national laws; e.g., CBD and ABS
policies including indigenous and
local communities as keepers of
traditional knowledge (TK) leading
to benefit sharing
Regional Cooperation and National Imperatives
 Cooperation with neighboring countries
with respect to transboundary protected
areas
 Policy and Legal Forum and Technical
Training for Protected areas and forest
guards and law enforcement officers
 Wildlife seminars for transboundary
areas – common threatened and
endangered species
 Use of information technology in the
dissemination of the latest
information about CBD related
legislation, technologies and
management
techniques
 ACB Clearing House Mechanism of
Biodiversity Information and national
CHM/websites – linking to legal issues
on environmental challenges to foster
knowledge sharing and learning.
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
Terimah kasi!