Biodiversity in Focus 2010 an Beyond doc

ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 3
VOL. 9 / NO. 1 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010
Photo by Ms. Helena Kalsom Binti
Elias (Malaysia), Finalist in the
ASEAN-wide photo contest “Zooming
in on Biodiversity”
The photo shows that the future of
biodiversity is in our hands. We will
continue to lose thousands of plant
and animal species unless we take
action now.
6 Renewing our Efforts to Preserve Biodiversity
7 Message for the International Year of Biodiversity
8 ASEAN launches International Year of Biodiversity
10
International Year of Biodiversity events in ASEAN countries

10
IYB 2010 on Facebook, Philippine radio, cable news
11 Search for ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity is on
SPECIAL REPORTS
ASEAN CONFERENCE ON BIODIVERSITY 2009
12 Trends, Issues and Challenges on Biodiversity
Conservation in Southeast Asia
15 Biodiversity is key to human development and survival
FACING THE CHALLENGE
20 Biodiversity Conservation and Climate Change in Southeast Asia
24 What are the Economic Opportunities from Ecosystems?
28 Biodiversity loss impacts Health

30 Biodiversity Conservation is Everyone’s Business
ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING:
34 Towards Adopting an International Regime
7
8 20
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
4 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
PROFILES

PHILIPPINES
39 Ifugao Rice Terraces
VIET NAM
43 Ha Long Bay
MALAYSIA
47 Tasik Bera Wetlands
BOOKMARKS
51 ACB calls for support for wetland protection
51 ASEAN senior environmental offi cials
discuss ACB directions
52 Manila hosts Coral Triangle business summit
52 New biodiversity conservation targets needed
52 Biofuel crops require tight screening
53 ADB hosts climate investment forum
53 ACB, Myanmar partner to strengthen capacity
on biodiversity info exchange
EARTH DAY, APRIL 22
54 Call for a Billion Acts of Green is on
55 Philippine Eagle gets new home
from world boxing champ Pacquiao
55 Tourism schools hold quiz bee

55 Environment info offi cers plan strategies

on promoting conservation
56 Thai military, police strengthen forest
protection training
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
56 Women’s work saves biodiversity
57 ACB launches ‘Friends of Biodiversity’
57 Scientists, govts to meet in Korea
on science-policy interface on biodiversity
58 ACB supports Philippine tourism
students’ meet

WORLD WATER DAY 2010
58 Clean water for a healthy world
59 Chicago Field Museum, DENR develop
web site on Philippine mammals
60 ASEAN countries strengthen info sharing
on biodiversity conservation
60 Key biodiversity areas highlighted
in ASEAN workshop
39
55 56 57
61 CONSERVATION NEWS
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 5
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf is the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Prior to his ap-
pointment to CBD, he served as United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Assistant Executive Director
and Director of Division of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in which he raised the profi le of UNEP. He has
passionately been involved within the UN system and within CBD processes.

Dr. Rodel D. Lasco has over 28 years of experience in natural resources and environmental research, conserva-
tion, education and development at the national and international levels. He is a member of the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the 2007 co-winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. Lasco is also a member of the
National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) in the Philippines. He is the Philippine Coordinator of the
World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) since April 2004. Dr. Lasco is a multi-awarded scientist with over 80 technical publica-
tions in national and international journals dealing with various aspects of natural resources conservation and environmental
management.
Ms. Hitomi Rankine is an Environmental Affairs Offi cer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacifi c (ESCAP) based in Bangkok. She has 16 years of experience in various aspects of environ-
ment and sustainable development, working in both Asia and the Pacifi c and in the Caribbean. She is currently
managing a project on payments for ecosystem services in Aceh, Indonesia, as an important facet of ESCAP’s
work on green growth and investments in natural capital. She holds an M Sc. Degree in Environmental Management from
Sterling University, Scotland, and a fi rst degree in natural sciences.
Dr. Filiberto A. Pollisco, Jr specializes in forest ecology and land management/land use planning; biodiversity
conservation in genetic, species and ecosystems levels; and ecotourism. He was formerly an Assistant Director/
Supervising Science Research Specialist at the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources
Research and Development (PCARRD) where he handled sloping land management, solid waste management,
organic agriculture, soil and water conservation, and project development.
Dr. Konrad Uebelhöer is the Coordinator of the Programme “Implementing the Biodiversity Convention” of the
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenabeit (GTZ) GmbH. He has an academic and research back-
ground in Forest Science and Ecology and 25 years postgraduate consulting experience in natural resources
management, biodiversity conservation and environmental policy.
Rodrigo U. Fuentes
Publisher
Rolando A. Inciong
Editor-in-Chief
Leslie Ann V. Jose
Managing Editor
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Head Writer and Researcher

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EDITORIAL BOARD
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ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)
Headquarters
3F ERDB Bldg. Forestry Campus
University of the Philippines-Los Baños
College, Laguna, Philippines
Telefax: +632.584-4247
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Disclaimer: Views or opinions expressed
herein do not necessarily represent
any offi cial views of the European
Union nor the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretariat. The
authors are responsible for any data or
information presented in their articles.
* * *
Letters, articles, suggestions and
photos are welcome and should be
addressed to:
The Editor-in-Chief
ASEAN Biodiversity
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
College, Laguna
E-mail:

lavjose@aseanbiodiversity
.org

www.aseanbiodiversity.org
6 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
T
he fight to stop biodiversity loss is at a
critical moment. Species are currently
going extinct at up to 1,000 times the
natural background rate. Sixty per cent of
examined ecosystem services worldwide
have been degraded.
We should be alarmed because

humans are not detached from the
consequences of this loss. Biodiversity is
humanity’s source for countless irreplace-
able goods and services, including food,
lumber, medicine, crop pollination and air
and water purification.
This is why in 2002 the Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity estab-
lished the 2010 Biodiversity Target, a com-
mitment to significantly slow biodiversity
loss worldwide by 2010. The international
community quickly rallied around the
2010 Target and incorporated it into the
Millennium Development Goals.
Nevertheless, preliminary indications
show that the target will not be met. The
impacts of this will be primarily felt by
the poor, as natural capital constitutes 26
percent of the total wealth of low-income
countries.
Moreover, the human costs of biodi-
versity loss will be exacerbated by climate
change, which will potentially compound
the rate of loss.
For this reason, the United Nations
declared 2010 the International Year of
Biodiversity. The year 2010 offers an op-
portunity to renew our efforts and create
a global alliance of all stakeholders to
protect life on Earth.

In May, Global Biodiversity Outlook
3 will provide an initial assessment of
progress so far and remaining challenges
in achieving the 2010 Target. In Septem-
ber, the 65th session of the UN General
Assembly will, for the first time, convene
a high-level segment on biodiversity with
the participation of heads of State and
government. And in October in Nagoya,
Japan, at the Nagoya Biodiversity Summit,
the Convention’s Tenth Conference of
the Parties, a broad range of stakeholders
– including cities and local authorities,
youth, indigenous communities, national
governments and the private sector — will
help finalize our 2011-2020 strategic
plan and the 2020 and 2050 biodiversity
targets. Overall, the International Year of
Biodiversity promises to be a true water-
shed period in our struggle to preserve
biodiversity.

Renewing our efforts
to preserve biodiversity
Ahmed Djoghlaf
Executive Secretary, Convention
on Biological Diversity
Photo courtesy of Ed Yourdon/ fl ickr.com
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 7
Message for the International

Year of Biodiversity
O
ver the past half-century,
human activities have caused an
unprecedented decline in biological
diversity. Species are going extinct a
thousand times faster than the natural rate
— a loss now being further compounded
by climate change. A wide variety of
environmental goods and services that
we take for granted are under threat, with
profound and damaging consequences for
ecosystems, economies and livelihoods.
In 2002, world leaders agreed
to substantially reduce the rate of
biodiversity loss by 2010. The 2010
Biodiversity Target was subsequently
integrated into the Millennium
Development Goals. It will not be met.
Tropical forests continue be felled,
destroying valuable endemic species
and disrupting local, regional and global
climates. Climate change and ocean
acidification are destroying coral reefs.
Fisheries are increasingly overexploited,
condemning millions of the world’s
poorest people to unemployment and
malnutrition.
The failure to protect biodiversity
should be a wake-up call. Business as

usual is not an option. We need a new
biodiversity vision. We must manage
our forests sustainably so they can store
carbon, protect watersheds and provide
resources and income. We must conserve
coral reefs so they can continue to protect
coasts from storms and support livelihoods
for hundreds of millions of people. We
must ensure the long-term viability of our
seas and oceans.
To raise awareness of the impending
crisis and to spur the world to act,
the United Nations General Assembly
proclaimed 2010 the International Year
of Biodiversity. In September 2010, the
General Assembly will hold a special
high-level meeting on the subject. It will
give the international community an
opportunity to demonstrate much-needed
leadership in advance of the Nagoya
Biodiversity Summit, which will adopt a
new strategic plan for implementing the
United Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity.
In this International Year, we must
counter the perception that people
are disconnected from our natural
environment. We must increase
understanding of the implications of
losing biodiversity. In 2010, I call on every

country and each citizen of our planet
to engage in a global alliance to protect
life on Earth. We must generate a greater
sense of urgency and establish clear
and concrete targets. Biodiversity is life.
Biodiversity is our life.

Ban Ki-moon
United Nations Secretary-General
Photo courtesy of Daniele Sartori/ fl ickr.com
D
ato’ Misran Kar-
main, Association
of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) Deputy
Secretary-General, called
on ASEAN Member States
to exert greater effort in
conserving the region’s
rich biodiversity during the
launch of the celebration
of the International Year of
Biodiversity in Southeast
Asia in Manila on March
5.
“ASEAN Member States
should do more to derive
optimum benefits and con-
serve our natural biologi-
cal wealth. While we have

made some pioneering
efforts in the region, we
have yet to fully integrate
this natural wealth into all
aspects of daily life and
the economic and social
development of our coun-
tries,” DSG Karmain told
about 100 representatives
of national environmental
agencies of the 10 ASEAN
Member States, the diplo-
matic community, business,
schools and the media dur-
ing the launch.
Hosted by the ASEAN
Centre for Biodiversity
(ACB) and the Philippines’
Department of Environ-
ment and Natural Resourc-
es (DENR), the event was
part of the global celebra-
tion aimed at raising public
awareness of the impor-
tance of biodiversity and
the consequences of its loss.
The celebration’s theme is
“Biodiversity is life. Biodi-
versity is our life.”
Other key speakers

were Mr. Demetrio Ignacio,
JOINING HANDS FOR BIODIVERSITY (left to right) Dr. Raman Letchumanan, Head of Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat; Atty. Dave
Torres, Chief Legal Offi cer of Philippine Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri; Dr. Vann Monyneath, Chairman of ACB’s Governing Board; Dato’
Misran Karmain, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General; H.E. Alistair MacDonald, EU’s Ambassador to the Philippines; Mr. Demetrio Ignacio,
Undersecretary of the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources; Dr. Filemon Uriarte, Jr., Executive Director of the
ASEAN Foundation; and Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity.
Photos by Larry Doctor
a special significance for
ASEAN. “At almost ev-
ery event pertaining to
ASEAN’s natural heri-
tage, we often hear what I
would now call the ASEAN
3-20 Endowment, that is,
although occupying only
three percent of the earth’s
surface, the ASEAN region
contains about 20 percent
of all known plant, animal
and marine species, most
of which are found no-
where else in the world.
The region is home to three
mega-diverse countries (In-
donesia, Malaysia and the
Philippines), one-third or
284,000 square kilometers
of all known coral reefs in
the world, 35 percent of the
world’s coastal mangrove

forests, among others,” he
added.
Undersecretary, DENR;
Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes,
Executive Director, ACB;
H.E. Alistair MacDonald,
the European Union’s
Ambassador to the Philip-
pines; H.E. Makoto Kat-
sura, Japan’s Ambassador
to the Philippines; Hon.
Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sena-
tor, Republic of the Philip-
pines (represented by his
Chief Legal Officer, Atty.
Dave Torres); Dr. Vann
Monyneath, Chairman of
ACB’s Governing Board;
and Dr. Filemon Uriarte
Jr., Executive Director of
the ASEAN Foundation. A
videotaped message from
Dr. Ban Ki-moon, Secre-
tary-General of the United
Nations, was shown.
According to Mr. Kar-
main, the celebration holds
ASEAN launches International Year of Biodiversity
8 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
www.aseanbiodiversity.org

ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 9
Mr. Karmain high-
lighted the theme “Green
ASEAN” and the region’s
efforts at embarking on
building one community
for all ASEAN Member
States through a road map
adopted by the ASEAN
leaders in 2009.
“We expect this theme
to lay the basis for an en-
vironmentally sustainable
ASEAN Community with
our rich natural biological
diversity leading our quest
for sustainable economic
growth and social develop-
ment,” he said.
Mr. Karmain also called
on the ASEAN Member
States to pledge stronger
support to ACB, the inter-
governmental organization
that facilitates collabora-
tion for biodiversity con-
servation among the 10
ASEAN Member States.
At the launch, the
ASEAN Deputy Secre-

tary-General awarded the
ASEAN Heritage Parks cer-
tificate to the Philippines
recognizing the Mount Ki-
tanglad Range Natural Park
in Mindanao as the 28th
and newest ASEAN Heri-
tage Park in Southeast Asia.
The award was received on
behalf of the Philippine
government by DENR Un-
dersecretary Ignacio and
senior DENR officials from
Mindanao.
Undersecretary Ignacio
said: “With this recogni-
tion, the Philippines is now
home to three ASEAN Her-
itage Parks—Mt. Apo Natu-
ral Park in Davao, Mt. Iglit-
Baco in Mindoro, and now,
Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon.
This reinforces the fact that
despite its relatively small
size, our country is home to
an astonishing range of bio-
diversity. The Philippines
stands out in the region in
terms of richness of biodi-
versity as it cradles a trea-

sure trove of plant, bird,
marine, insect and other
animal species.”
The launch of the Inter-
national Year of Biodiver-
sity also featured the for-
mal call for nominations for
the ASEAN Champions of
Biodiversity—a recognition
program that will award
outstanding biodiversity
conservation and advocacy
projects by corporations,
youth and the media.
ACB and the Protected
Areas and Wildlife Bureau
presented the ASEAN
Regional Clearing-House
Mechanism and the Philip-
pine Clearing-House Mech-
anism, which are both
aimed at building strong
biodiversity information
sharing networks.
A Media Forum on Eco-
tourism and Biodiversity
featuring experts from the
ASEAN region capped the
launch.


ASEAN Deputy Secretary-
General Dato’ Misran Karmain
calls on ASEAN Member
States to exert greater effort
in conserving the region’s rich
biodiversity.
ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General Karmain (2nd from left) awards
the ASEAN Heritage Parks certifi cate to the Mount Kitanglad
Range Natural Park. DENR Undersecretary Ignacio (3rd from left)
receives the award on behalf of the Government of the Philippines.
ACB Executive Director Rodrigo Fuentes, DENR Regional
Executive Director for Region 10 Maximo Dichoso, DENR Regional
Technical Director for Region 10 Belen Daba, and Protected Area
Superintendent Felix Mirasol witness the awarding ceremony.
H.E. Alistair MacDonald, EU’s
Ambassador to the Philippines,
highlights the partnership
between the European
Union and the ASEAN region
in promoting biodiversity
conservation, specifi cally
through the ASEAN Centre for
Biodiversity.
H.E. Makoto Katsura, Japan’s
Ambassador to the Philippines,
talks about Japan’s role as
the host of the upcoming 10th
Conference of the Parties of
the Convention on Biological
Diversity in Nagoya, Japan.

Dr. Filemon Uriarte, Jr.,
Executive Director of the
ASEAN Foundation, formally
announces the call for
nominations for the ASEAN
Champions of Biodiversity.
ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes discusses possible
areas of collaboration with SM Supermalls offi cials Ms. Liza
Silerio and Mr. Lorenz Calingasan.
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
10 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
PHILIPPINES
President Gloria Macapagal-Ar-
royo signed Proclamation No. 2003
which declared 2010 as the National
Year of Biodiversity. The proclama-
tion, in support of the global celebra-
tion of the International Year of Bio-
diversity (IYB), enjoins all agencies of
the executive branch, national gov-
ernment agencies, local government
units, the academe, private sector,
nongovernment organizations and
other sectors of society to support ac-
tivities that promote the conservation
of biodiversity.
The Department of Environment
and Natural Resources formed a Na-
tional Task Force composed of rep-
resentatives from various sectors to

implement IYB projects. The ASEAN
Centre for Biodiversity is part of this
team.
The activities are:
 Release of Philippine Eagle
‘”Girlie” to a wider enclosure,
funded by world boxing cham-
IYB 2010 on Facebook,
Philippine radio, cable news
This year’s global celebration of Inter-
national Year of Biodiversity (IYB) 2010
gets wide international exposure through
Facebook, and a radio and a cable news
network in the Philippines.
Through the popular social network Facebook, IYB is target-
ing to achieve one million fans by the end of 2010, the UN Con-
vention on Biological Diversity Secretariat (SCBD) said.
The SCBD is inviting everyone to become fans of the Inter-
national Year of Biodiversity 2010 on Facebook: http://facebook.
com/iyb2010.
Top-rating Philippine AM radio station DZMM show “Bago
‘Yan Ah!” (That’s New!) discussed IYB on February 7, 2010. The
program was also broadcast live at Skycable Channel 26, and au-
dio streamed on http:www.dzmm.com.ph/dzmm-stream.html.
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Executive Director Ro-
drigo U. Fuentes provided an overview of the IYB, with the theme
“Biodiversity is life. Biodiversity is our life.” He also discussed the
importance of biodiversity and the consequences of its loss.
Ms. Angelita P. Meniado, supervising ecosystem manage-
ment specialist of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau of the

Philippines’ Department of Environmental and Natural Resources,
talked about the country’s various activities lined up for IYB.
The Global News Network (GNN), a nationwide cable TV net-
work in the Philippines, featured IYB 2010 on January 29, Friday,
8 p.m. Entitled “Think Global, Act Local,” the program is aired
weekly over Destiny Cable Channel 21 in Metro Manila and on
multiple channel assignments nationwide. It is hosted by veteran
commentator Harry Tambuatco and senior journalist Gil Santos.
GNN is also broadcast Asia-wide on FREE-TV.
Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes provided an overview of IYB 2010,
while Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, Director of the Department of
Environment and
Natural Resources’
Protected Areas
and Wildlife Bu-
reau, discussed
the activities to be
conducted in the
Philippines. Atty.
Darwin Mariano,
Public Affairs Di-
rector for Philip-
pines and Asia of
CEMEX Asia Pte.
Ltd., talked about
how business con-
tributes to biodiver-
sity conservation.
“This 2010, GNN will feature various biodiversity topics every
last Friday of the month. This will give us the opportunity to reach

out to more viewers and share with them the importance of biodi-
versity, as well as the consequences of its loss,” Rolando Inciong,
Head of ACB’s Communication and Public Affairs Unit, said.
Copies of the TV program will be uploaded to ACB’s website:
www.aseanbiodiversity.org.



International Year of Biodiversity events in ASEAN countries
pion Manny Pacquiao
 Philippine biodiversity logo de-
sign contest
 Launch of the project “Expand-
ing and Diversifying the Na-
tional System of Terrestrial Pro-
tected Areas in the Philippines”
 Launch of the Biodiversity and
Climate Change Information
Center at the Ninoy Aquino
Parks and Wildlife Nature Cen-
ter
 Youth for Environment Sum-
mer Camp
 Third Meeting for the Conser-
vation of Sharks under the Con-
vention on Migratory Sharks
SINGAPORE
To support the IYB, the National
Parks Board is launching a series of
activities to raise public awareness of

the rich biodiversity in Singapore.
 ‘BiodiverCity’ Photo Competition
 Community in Bloom Schools
Arts Competition
 Green Wave Movement
 Guided walks
 Plant-a-Tree
THAILAND
The Government of Thailand has
announced that 2010 will be Thai-
land’s Year of Biodiversity, in line with
a resolution of the United Nations
General Assembly, which declares
2010 as the IYB.
The Thai Cabinet, in its meeting on
December 22, 2009, approved the an-
nouncement proposed by the National
Committee on Conservation and Sus-
tainable Use of Biodiversity and rec-
ommended by the Ministry of Natural
Resources and Environment.
It also endorsed the Action Plan
for IYB and instructed all relevant
government offices to allocate funds
for its organizations to operate in
accordance with the action plan.
The objective is to urge all groups of
people and professions to be aware
of biodiversity and cooperate in con-
serving and using biodiversity in a

sustainable way.

Veteran commentators Gil Santos (left) and
Harry Tambuatco (right) of the program “Think
Global, Act Local interview Dr. Theresa Mundita
Lim, Director of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources’ Protected Areas and
Wildlife Bureau and Atty. Darwin Mariano,
Public Affairs Director for Philippines and Asia
of CEMEX Asia Pte. Ltd., about the International
Year of Biodiversity.
Photo by Leslie Ann Jose
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 11
N
ominations are now
open for the 2010
ASEAN Champions
of Biodiversity, an awards
program that will recognize
outstanding achievements
in biodiversity conservation
and advocacy in Southeast
Asia, the ASEAN Centre
for Biodiversity (ACB) and
the ASEAN Foundation an-
nounced recently.
Nominations are open
for three categories: Most
Outstanding Biodiversity
Conservation and/or Ad-

vocacy Project by a Private
Business/Corporation; Most
Outstanding Biodiversity
Conservation and/or Ad-
vocacy Project by a Youth
Organization; and Most
Outstanding Biodiversity
Reportage by a Media Orga-
nization.
“Nominees should
be based in any of the 10
ASEAN Member States
(Brunei Darussalam, Cam-
bodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR,
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philip-
pines, Singapore, Thailand
and Viet Nam), and should
have an outstanding biodi-
versity conservation or ad-
vocacy project that is duly
recognized by the commu-
nity where they operate.
Nominees in the media
category should have a sec-
tion, segment or program
devoted to biodiversity con-
servation advocacy, and
should have comprehen-
sive reports on biodiversity
conservation,” Dr. Filemon

Uriarte, Jr., executive direc-
tor of the ASEAN Founda-
tion, explained.
Dr. Uriarte added that
a nomination will only be
considered valid if it is sub-
mitted by a person from any
of the following categories:
government officials and
employees (e.g. national
government, local govern-
ment units); representatives
of institutions specializing
in environmental protection
and biodiversity conserva-
tion (e.g. international orga-
nizations, nongovernment
organizations, people’s or-
ganizations, foundations);
academic institutions (e.g.
universities, colleges); youth
organizations; and industry
associations (e.g. league of
corporate foundations, me-
dia organizations).
The nomination form
may be downloaded from
www.aseanbiodiversity.org.
N
ominations mus

t be sent
to champions@aseanbiodi-
v
er
sity.org not later than 16
July 201
0.
Co-funded by the Euro-
pean Union and the ASEAN
Foundation through the Ja-
pan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund,
the ASEAN Champions of
Biodiversity will identify
leaders among the private/
corporate sector, media and
youth from which a cadre of
champions will be selected
to serve as Ambassadors of
Goodwill for biodiversity.
The project is supported by
the United Nations Educa-
tional, Scientific and Cul-
tural Organization (UNES-
CO). The ASEAN Centre for
Biodiversity serves as the
awards secretariat.
A two-tier approach will
be used in selecting the win-
ners. The first phase shall in-
volve a short-listing of nomi-

nees from the 10 ASEAN
Member States. The orga-
nizers and partners shall
form a panel of eminent per-
sonalities who will short-list
the nominees based on their
projects’ impact on biodiver-
sity conservation; contribu-
tion to the goals and objec-
tives of the ASEAN and the
ASEAN Foundation; and
their potential to inspire
other individuals or organi-
zations to follow their exam-
ple. The second phase will
be the final selection where
one nominee from each of
the three categories will be
declared as Champions.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Search for ASEAN Champions of Biodiversity is on
“The winners will be
recognized as Ambassadors
of Goodwill for biodiversity
conservation and advocacy.
They will be given year-
round opportunities to speak
before business, youth and
media leaders, and during
forums, workshops and con-

ferences in ASEAN Member
States sponsored by ACB
and the ASEAN Foundation.
A publication of best prac-
tices will also be produced
based on the sto-
ries of the final-
ists and winners,”
ACB Executive Di-
rector Rodrigo U.
Fuentes said.
Awardees
shall receive to-
ken cash prizes,
and will be recog-
nized in October
2010 in time for
the 10th Confer-
ence of the Parties
of the Conven-
tion on Biologi-
cal Diversity. The
awarding ceremo-
nies will be held
in the Philippines.
The awardees will
also be featured in ACB’s
website and various inter-
national publications, such
as the ASEAN Biodiversity

Magazine, the ASEAN Bio-
diversity Updates e-news
and brochures. They will
also be featured in the web-
sites of the sponsoring or-
ganizations.
For more information
on the ASEAN Champions
of Biodiversity, log on to
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
or www.aseanfoundation.
or
g. The Secretariat may
be contacted via e-mail at

champions@aseanbiodiver-
sity
.or
g.


(Left to right) Mr. Shigehiro Matsuda, Third Secretary, Embassy of Japan
to the Philippines; Dr. Virginia Cariño, Vice Chair, National Committee on
Marine Sciences, UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, and
Philippine Representative, Man and the Biosphere Program of UNESCO
Paris; Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr., Executive Director, ASEAN Foundation;
Mr. Rodrigo U. Fuentes, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity;
and Mr. Matthieu Penot, Environment and Sustainable Development Offi cer,
Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines.
12 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org
BIODIVERSITY
CONSERVATION

By SAHLEE BUGNA-BARRER
A
stronger inter-phase between policy and science, integrating
social sciences, biology and economics is needed to save
Southeast Asia’s rich but fragile biodiversity. This is one
of the recommendations of the ASEAN Conference on
Biodiversity (ACB2009) which gathered over 300 key biodiversity
conservation stakeholders in Singapore on October 21 - 23, 2009.
ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2009
TRENDS, ISSUES AND CHALLENGES ON
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
“Web of Life” Photo by Lim Fung Yen, Singapore
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 13
Organized by the ASEAN
Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)
and the National Parks
Board of Singapore (NParks),
ACB2009 provided an oppor-
tunity for representatives from
the government, academe, re-
search and scientific commu-
nity, donors, civil society and
private sector, and the media
to discuss emerging trends,
issues and challenges to the
rich biodiversity of Southeast

Asia, popularly known as the
ASEAN region.
With the theme Biodiver-
sity in Focus: 2010 and Beyond,
ACB2009 provided a forum for
exchanging perspectives on
biodiversity concerns and dis-
cussing measures to advance
the ASEAN biodiversity agen-
da in the context of meeting the
global 2010 target of reducing
the rate of biodiversity loss.
ACB2009 reported on the
status of ASEAN biodiversity
in relation to the 2010 biodi-
versity target; discussed key
biodiversity issues that are im-
portant to the region, includ-
ing the gaps and challenges in
the biodiversity conservation
efforts of ASEAN Member
States; and provided recom-
mendations to address the re-
gion’s biodiversity challenges.
The conference focused on
three thematic areas common
to ASEAN Member States: Cli-
mate Change and Biodiversity;
Access to Genetic Resources
and Sharing of Benefits Aris-

ing Out of their Utilization;
and Economics of Ecosystems
and Biodiversity—the ASEAN
Region’s Contribution.
ACB2009 highlighted
the wealth of biodiversity in
the region and the urgency
of actions needed to protect
ASEAN’s natural heritage. The
ASEAN region occupies only
three percent of the earth’s
total surface but is recognized
to be home to 18 percent of all
known plant, animal and ma-
rine species assessed by IUCN.
Its rich biodiversity provides
food, medicine, shelter, cloth-
ing, and other biological goods
and ecosystem services to over
500 million people. Unfortu-
nately, numerous threats, both
natural and manmade, contin-
ue to deplete natural resources
at an unprecedented rate.
The conference, likewise,
highlighted the link between
biodiversity and health. Natu-
ral products from biodiversity
remain the major source for
new medicines. But various

emerging diseases, such as
HIV, SARS, Nipah virus, H1N1
and others have broken out
as a result of biodiversity loss.
The conference noted the high
stake in the future resilience
of ecosystems and the seri-
ousness of the current loss of
biodiversity, which require im-
mediate actions on key priority
issues highlighted on the three
themes.
Climate Change
and Biodiversity
ASEAN Member States
recognize the twin issues of cli-
mate change and biodiversity
as among the most crucial is-
sues facing not only the region,
but also the rest of the world.
Exploring the impact of climate
change on a number of ecosys-
tems, e.g., mangrove, coral reef
and tropical forest, the confer-
ence recommended that efforts
to examine the linkage of bio-
diversity and climate change
should focus on three major
areas: the role of biodiversity
and ecosystem services and

the climate system; impacts of
climate change on ecosystem
services; and biodiversity adap-
tation measures.
ACB2009 saw the need for
further research to study the
impact of people on ecosys-
tems, and to give more atten-
tion on the human dimension
in ecosystem dynamics. It also
recognized the need to imple-
ment ecosystems-based adapta-
tion strategies, so that humans
and ecosystems will be better
able to cope with risks associ-
ated with current climate and
future climate change.
In terms of forest ecosys-
tems, ACB2009 emphasized
the necessity of developing a
more holistic accounting sys-
tem on carbon credits. Existing
agreements should be expand-
ed to cover forests and carbon
credits. ASEAN Member States
should also consider going be-
yond the Ecosystem-based Mit-
igation Approach (EMBA) or
carbon sequestration through
trees, and recognize agro-for-

estry as one approach that can
help enhance adaptive capac-
ity for climate change.
Discussions on the impact
of climate change and marine
ecosystems highlighted the sig-
nificance of efforts to enhance
international cooperation
aimed at curbing the impacts
of climate change on coral
reefs. More research should
be conducted in the region
to study the relationships be-
tween climate change, runoff
and overfishing. These areas
affect the biodiversity of ma-
rine ecosystems.
Access to Genetic Resources
and Sharing of Benefi ts Arising
out of their Utilization
Conference participants
recognized that there is re-
newed interest to expand dis-
cussions on access and bene-
fit-sharing (ABS) and the need
for ASEAN Member States
to become more actively in-
volved in the ongoing process
of global discussion. There
has been a call to continuously

The ASEAN
region
occupies
only three
percent of
the earth’s
total
surface
but is
recognized
to be
home to 18
percent of
all known
plant,
animal and
marine
species
ASSESSED
BY IUCN.
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
14 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
support the current consul-
tation process on the Draft
ASEAN Framework Agree-
ment on Access to, and Fair
and Equitable Sharing of
Benefits Arising from the
Utilization of Biological
and Genetic Resources,

and have the draft agree-
ment immediately adopted
in the ASEAN region. In ad-
dition, Parties to the Con-
vention on Biological Di-
versity (CBD) were urged to
adopt the International Re-
gime on ABS at the CBD’s
10th Conference of Parties
(COP10) in October 2010 in
Nagoya, Japan to provide
an incentive for the other
two objectives of the CBD
(conservation and sustain-
able use of biodiversity).
Underscoring that in-
formation is vital to the
ABS issue, the conference
recognized the need to ap-
ply information and com-
munication technology in
tackling bio-piracy and digi-
talization of biodiversity as
bio-information. To address
this and other issues vital
to ABS, the conference par-
ticipants agreed that there
should be increased support
for cross-country collabora-
tion, capacity building and

technology transfer. The po-
tential of open source and
common licensing models
as tools for promoting col-
laboration and reducing
transaction costs should
also be enhanced.
As highlighted in the
keynote address focusing
on the link between biodi-
versity and human health,
the rich biodiversity of the
ASEAN region has long
been a source and treasure
trove of various medicines,
and has immense potential
for providing new treat-
ments for human ailments.
The conference pointed out
that efforts of ABS in the
region should also focus on
the pharmaceutical indus-
try given the region’s tradi-
tional use of medicines from
nature, and the possibility
that more drugs for various
illnesses are just waiting to
be discovered.
ACB2009 pointed out
the need to closely examine

the real implementation of
ABS on the ground as there
are still many challenges
that should be addressed,
particularly in terms of ben-
efit sharing and traditional
knowledge.
Economics of Ecosystems
and Biodiversity
Valuing biodiversity
and the benefits derived
therein is definitely impor-
tant. There are, however,
continuing debates on how
value is to be attached to
biodiversity resources and
ecosyste services. Recom-
mendations that emerged
from the conference in-
volved urging the stake-
holders to strongly support
current efforts on under-
standing the economics of
biodiversity and ecosystem
services. However, a frame-
work for incentives should
be in place to make the
people pay or be rewarded
for the protection of these
resources, and the disin-

centives for the destruction
of such resources.
The roles of key sec-
tors should be defined in
the process of valuing the
economics of biodiversity
and ecosystem services.
The conference recognized
the need for greater pro-
motion for investments for
ecosystem services from
the private sector and gov-
ernments as a tool for risk
management and for pro-
moting competitive region-
al economies.
To encourage greater
investments in the environ-
ment, there should be more
research highlighting valu-
ation and return of invest-
ments. Economic activities
that need to be prioritized
for investments should be
those that directly rely on
ecosystem services, such
as hydropower, water, agri-
culture and land use. Incen-
tives for the promotion of
ecosystem services should

also be backed by comple-
mentary regulation, such
as support for delimitation
and management, as in the
case of marine protected
areas.
ACB 2009 recommend-
ed that promotion of pay-
ments for ecosystems (PES)
in the ASEAN region can be
strengthened with enhanced
communication among
ASEAN stakeholders (poli-
cymakers, scientists, civil
society) on the advantages
and disadvantages of PES
schemes and the economic
perspectives of environmen-
tal issues.
Cross-cutting concerns
The conference recog-
nized that there are cross-
cutting concerns that need
to be given attention, and
all the key sectors were en-
couraged to focus on these
concerns either as part of
their respective program
of action or activities. Gov-
ernments, organizations

and individuals alike
were urged to be more
aggressive in public
awareness campaigns,
and emphasize the
message of conserv-
ing biodiversity and
ecosystem services
as a determinant of
life. This effort must
involve the harness-
ing of resources from
all sectors and com-
munities, such as the
private sector, interna-
tional and regional or-
ganizations, academe,
nongovernment orga-
nizations and other
A family carries fi rewood across parched land in a small village in Myanmar. Photo by Mar Lar Winn, Myanmar
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 15
relevant sectors for spread-
ing this message.
ACB2009 pointed out
that actions to save biodi-
versity will benefit from a
stronger interphase between
policy and science integrat-
ing different fields such as
social sciences, biology and

economics. Trans-disciplin-
ary research should form
the basis for advocacy and
decision-making support
that would ensure the con-
servation, sustainable use,
and equitable sharing of
benefits of biodiversity re-
sources.
As a measure to ease
poverty as well as mitigate
climate change, biodiver-
sity conservation issues
should be mainstreamed
into policies and programs
of other sectors, such as ag-
riculture, health, develop-
ment, education, water, en-
ergy, and others, including
business. This would put
the issue in the forefront of
all government and private
initiatives, emphasizing the
need for cross-cutting and
holistic measures from all
sectors, and encouraging
greater commitment for
biodiversity conservation.
In relation to the 2010
biodiversity target, ASEAN

Member States were urged
to demonstrate their sup-
port for developing new
targets beyond 2010 based
on lessons in achieving the
2010 target. This will help
ensure that new directions
and new targets must be pro-
posed for 2015 and 2020.
ACB2009 provided an
opportunity to reflect on
conservation efforts and the
many challenges to achiev-
ing the 2010 target, start
working on new and more
realistic targets, forge stron-
ger partnerships, as well as
commit to greater efforts to
conserve the region’s fragile
ecosystems.

T
he Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) region registered
“impressive and dramatic progress”
in the last 50 years, but this came with a
“stiff price” in terms of loss of biodiversity
resources.
Thus, said Mr. Rodrigo Fuentes, ex-
ecutive director of the ASEAN Centre for

Biodiversity (ACB), in his speech at the
plenary session during the opening of the
three-day ASEAN Conference on Biodi-
versity (ACB 2009) on October 21, 2009,
held at the Republic Polytechnic in Singa-
pore.
This message was likewise resound-
ingly imparted by the other speakers at
the plenary session of ACB2009—that the
loss of biodiversity resources in Southeast
Asia has been gravely affecting people’s
lives, especially the poor, particularly
their health and livelihood, and the na-
tions’ economies.
Keynoting the conference was Dr.
Aaron Bernstein, member of the faculty
of Harvard Medical School and its Center
Dramatic progress at a stiff price: biodiversity loss
Biodiversity is key to human
development and survival

By LYN RESURRECCION
RODRIGO FUENTES
Executive Director
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
DR. AARON BERNSTEIN
Faculty Member, Center for Health and Global
Environment, Harvard Medical School
for Health and Global Environment.
Other plenary speakers were H.E.

Dato’ Misran Karmain, Deputy Secretary-
General of ASEAN; H.E. Holger Stand-
ertskjold Nordenstam, European Union’s
Ambassador to Singapore; Ms. Grace Fu,
Senior Minister of State for National De-
velopment and Education, Singapore;
Prof. Peter Ng Kee Lin, Department of
Biological Sciences, National University
of Singapore; Dr. Andreas Fischlin, mem-
ber, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC); Dr. Hapriya Gundimeda,
The Economics of Biodiversity Team
(TEEB), United Nations Environment Pro-
gramme (UNEP); Prof. Zakri A. Hamid,
Tuanku , Chancellor Chair, Universiti Sans
Malaysia; and Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Execu-
tive Secretary, Secretariat of the Conven-
tion on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Dramatically altering ecosystems
“We are losing our biodiversity re-
sources and dramatically altering our eco-
systems at unprecedented rates,” Fuentes
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
16 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
“Our biodiversity resources and
the ecosystems that support them are
our lifelines and are crucial contribu-
tors to global environmental sustain-
ability,” Fuentes stressed.
ASEAN Charter and

biodiversity conservation
H.E. Dato’ Misran Karmain said in
his welcome remarks that biodiversity
is a major component in sustainable
development in ASEAN, and biodiver-
sity conservation fits into its Charter
and the personality of ASEAN as a co-
alition of nations.
With the entry into force of the
ASEAN Charter in December 2008, he
said the regional grouping would oper-
ate under a new legal framework and
establish new instruments to boost its
community-building process.
He explained that the ASEAN
Charter features three roadmaps to
development: the Political-Security
Community Blueprint, Economic
Community Blueprint and Socio-Cul-
tural Community Blueprint. These
blueprints and other activities of the
ASEAN Member States show the full
commitment of ASEAN to sustainable
development, the Deputy Secretary
General said.
With ASEAN’s rich biodiversity,
he said the ASEAN community needs
to work together as a region to protect
the environment. He cited a number of
programs in ASEAN where countries

work together to address biodiversity
conservation. These are the ASEAN
Heritage Parks Program, the Heart of
Borneo Initiative, the Coral Triangle
Initiative, and the establishment of the
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity to co-
ordinate regional collaboration among
the ASEAN Member States.
European Union support
to ASEAN biodiversity
H.E. Holger Standertskjold Nor-
denstam said climate change is one of
the significant causes of biodiversity
loss, but, at the same time, biodiversity
has an important role in mitigating and
adapting to climate change.
Ambassador Nordenstam said:
“Coral reefs and mangroves provide
natural shoreline protection from
storm and flooding. Marine and ter-
restrial ecosystems currently absorb
half of anthropogenic carbon-dioxide
emissions. This means climate change
will accelerate further if biodiversity
and ecosystems are not effectively pro-
tected.”
Biodiversity, he emphasized, is im-
portant for all human beings because
at least 40 percent of the world’s econ-
omy and 80 percent of the needs of the

poor come from biological resources.
People benefit from biodiversity be-
cause it contributes to security, resil-
ience against climate change, social re-
H.E. DATO’ MISRAN KARMAIN
Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN
H.E. HOLGER STANDERTSKJOLD NORDENSTAM
European Union’s Ambassador to Singapore
said at the conference which had the
theme “Biodiversity in Focus: 2010 and
Beyond.”
Of the 64,800 known species in the
region, he said, 1,313 are endangered,
80 percent of coral reefs are at risk, and
deforestation rates are at least twice
higher than in other tropical areas.
“We have narrowed the genetic
range of our endemic foods through
agricultural intensification, and con-
centrated the production systems to
varieties and species of food that have
short rotation,” Fuentes explained.
He pointed out that “biodiversity
loss is beyond losing plants and ani-
mals. It’s an issue of human survival,
with the greatest impact on the poor.”
It is a real threat which could affect the
lives of more than 500 million South-
east Asians.
The ACB head said the region’s nat-

ural assets and heritage are decimated
by illegal trade in wildlife.
“Unbridled economic activities
have caused unwarranted pollution
that leads to the destruction of our eco-
system and their natural functions,” he
said.
Fuentes said that 12 years ago, esti-
mates of the global ecosystem services
were placed at US$33.3 trillion, while
the global gross national product was
valued at only $18 trillion.
“Clearly, the measured benefit of
economic progress is not even enough
to pay for the value of ecosystem
services,” the head of the European
Union-assisted ACB said.
A “treasure trove” of biodiversity
resources, ASEAN’s diverse landscape,
seascapes and ecosystem are home to
18 percent of all known plant, animal
and marine species, although it occu-
pies only three percent of the earth’s
total surface, he said.
The region has three mega-di-
verse countries (Indonesia, Malaysia
and the Philippines); several biogeo-
graphical units (Malesia, Wallacea,
Sundaland, Indo-Burma and the
Central Indo-Pacific); a third of the

world’s highly diverse coral reefs; and
extensive mangrove forest areas that
comprise a significant portion of the
world’s total.
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 17
lations, health, and freedom of choices
and actions, he said.
Ambassador Nordenstam ac-
knowledged that Southeast Asia and
other governments in the world have
increasingly recognized biodiversity
conservation as extremely important
for human development.
He noted that ASEAN has taken
measures to preserve its biodiversity
resources, such as the creation of
ACB.
Acknowledging the importance
of ACB, the European Commission
signed a financing agreement with
ASEAN in April 2005 granting a con-
tribution of
6 million to support the
creation of the Centre.
He added that the creation of ACB
has enhanced policy collaboration on
biodiversity in the ASEAN region to
strengthen institutional capacity on
regional and global biodiversity is-
sues, and boosted public awareness of

the values of biodiversity and conser-
vation.
Ambassador Nordenstam said
the European Union (EU) has been
involved in efforts to protect the
natural heritage in Southeast Asia in
the past 20 years through programs
and projects, such as the promotion
of community-based forest manage-
ment; strengthening protected areas
policies and legislation; biodiversity
research; agricultural diversification;
and marine conservation.
In the last 25 years, EU countries
have built up a vast network of over
26,000 protected areas covering all the
EU Member States and a total area of
around 850,000 square kilometers,
representing more than 20 percent of
total EU territory, he said. The sites,
known as the Natura 2000 Network—
the largest coherent network of pro-
tected areas in the world—shows the
importance that EU citizens attach to
biodiversity, he added.
As a global leader on environmen-
tal issues, and being committed to
contribute to a significant reduction in
the worldwide rate of biodiversity loss
by 2010, the EU, in 2006, through its

communication on “Halting the loss
of biodiversity by 2010—and beyond,”
reaffirmed the need to enhance fund-
ing earmarked for biodiversity and to
strengthen measures to mainstream
biodiversity in development assis-
tance. An EU Biodiversity Action Plan
accompanied this communication, he
said.
The EU has acknowledged that it
is unlikely to meet the target to stop
biodiversity loss in the Union by 2010,
he said, but “this must not mean that
we should give up or slow our efforts.
Quite the opposite: by stepping up our
efforts we can replicate the successes
we have already achieved on a larger
scale.” He emphasized that political
leaders must make “unprecedented
efforts” to significantly reduce cur-
rent rates of global biodiversity loss by
2010, and bring it as close to the 2010
target as possible.
International biodiversity being
high on its agenda, Ambassador Nor-
denstam said the EU aims to develop
its key strategic principles on the post-
2010 objectives. He stressed that this
would be one of the EU’s contributions
to the international debate that should

agree on the future Strategic Plan of
the Convention on Biological Diversity
and a vision for biodiversity beyond
2010.
Singapore Index as
a self-assessment tool
Singapore Senior Minister Grace
Fu said in her opening address that
her country, known as a “garden city,”
is working with the Secretariat of the
CBD and other partner cities to devel-
op the Singapore Index on Cities’ Bio-
diversity. She said this will serve as a
“self-assessment tool” that cities could
use to evaluate their own biodiversity
conservation efforts.
The draft Singapore Index is being
tested by the cities of Brussels, Curi-
tiba, Edmonton, Joodalup, Montreal,
Nagoya, and by Singapore itself.
Ms. Fu said in her opening address
that the measure would help cities
benchmark the success of their efforts
and enhance urban biodiversity in the
long term.
She added that the region’s vast
mangrove cover “play an important
MS. GRACE FU
Senior Minister of State for National
Development and Education, Singapore

role in protecting our shorelines and
buffer coastal settlements” from the
hazards of tsunamis and that biodi-
versity contributes significantly to
the economy, supporting agriculture,
pharmaceuticals, ecotourism and rec-
reation.
Ms. Fu said each ASEAN Member
State can do much to conserve the re-
gion’s rich biodiversity by formulating
their respective National Biodiversity
Strategy and Action Plans.
“Such action plans lay at the heart
of our biodiversity conservation ef-
forts. The successful implementation
of these plans at the local level is criti-
cal to reversing the rate of biodiversity
loss in the region,” she emphasized.
She added that biodiversity con-
servation plans should have a “holistic
approach that balances the needs of
nature conservation with the compet-
ing demands on their resources.”
Ms. Fu stressed that it is impor-
tant that biodiversity-related agencies
work closely with agencies in charge
of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, ur-
ban development, trade, industry and
tourism to ensure that considerations
on biodiversity are factored into the

sectors.
Singapore, a small city-state of only
700 square kilometers, faces the chal-
lenges of the tradeoffs between conser-
vation and development, she said.
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
18 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
He said ASEAN’s natural heritage
is being destroyed in the name of prog-
ress, with clearing of reefs and forests
on a huge scale. There are unrestrained
consumerism, uncontrolled hunger for
varied foods and other natural prod-
ucts, aquarium fish, wild plants, collec-
tion of souvenirs, such as shells, which
manifest the market forces at work.
Trade is free flowing, and invasive
alien species are brought in, he said.
Professor Lin said Singapore has
lost 90 percent of its forest and about
50 percent of biodiversity. He pointed
out that mitigation is necessary to re-
vive the natural ecosystem.
He added that Singapore’s experi-
ence can be an example and a lesson,
which may also apply to more biodi-
versity-rich ecosystems in the region.
Prof. Lin underlined the impor-
tance of adding culture, humanity and
aesthetics to the economic fundamen-

tals in conserving biodiversity.
Climate change impacts
on ecosystems
Dr. Andreas Fischlin discussed
“Climate Change and Biodiversity: The
IPCC Fourth Assessment Report and
Recent Updates.” He said that regard-
less of the pathway humankind would
embark in terms of climate policy, cli-
mate change is expected to impact on
ecosystems in many ways around the
globe at varying degrees, but signifi-
cantly in many cases.
He said climate change impacts on
biodiversity show that 20 to 30 percent
of higher plants and animals are at high
risk of extinction if there is a 1.5 to 2.5
degrees Celsius rise in temperature.
He cited the South African Fynbos
and the Karoo as examples of likely
impacts on biodiversity. Species can be
classed as winners, losers, unchanged,
or adaptive. In the Fynbos example,
three percent of plants might be win-
ners, nine percent unchanged, 15 per-
cent adaptive, and 73 percent losers to
climate change.
He reported that observations on
Arctic sea ice show the models were
not accurate and actual rates of loss

are faster than anticipated.
Dr. Fishclin elaborated on the regu-
lating services of biodiversity. He said
that carbon stored in terrestrial eco-
systems is 4.5 times the amount in the
atmosphere.
He pointed out that the future re-
silience of ecosystems is at stake, mak-
ing these a net source of carbon during
this century, contradicting the aspira-
tions of the UN Framework Conven-
tion on Climate Change.
The need for measures
to address biodiversity loss
On the topic “Economics of Ecosys-
tems and Biodiversity,” Dr. Haripriya
Gundimeda said the current deforesta-
tion rate of 13 million hectares per year
is roughly the same area as Greece.
She said that biodiversity loss is on
a huge scale. Emissions equivalent to
27 billion tons of carbon dioxide are
released into the atmosphere each
year. She added that one-third of the
carbon dioxide currently in the atmo-
sphere is derived from anthropogenic
causes, and that there has been over
50 percent decline in freshwater spe-
cies since 1970.
Dr. Gundimeda said that The Eco-

nomics of Environment and Biodiver-
sity (TEEB) Interim Report was re-
leased at CBD COP 9 in Bonn in May
2008. TEEB’s goals are to demonstrate
the value of biodiversity and ecosys-
tems, underline the urgency of prob-
lems, and show how people can take
PROF. PETER NG KEE LIN
Department of Biological Sciences
National University of Singapore
DR. ANDREAS FISCHLIN
Member, Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change
“Recognizing our constraints, we
have adopted a long-term and integrat-
ed approach toward land-use planning
and nature conservation.”
Ms. Fu emphasized that Singapore
was able to retain its rich biodiversity
“despite rapid urbanization” in the
past four decades through legislating
measures protecting nature reserves,
judicious land use, careful urban plan-
ning, and sensitive development.
Its greening efforts have yielded al-
most half of the island under a “green
cover.”
Singapore is home to 2,300 spe-
cies of plants, 360 species of birds, 280
species of butterflies, a large variety of

animals, one third of the world’s hard
coral reefs, and half of the number of
seagrass species in Indo-Pacific.
Biodiversity and culture,
humanity, aesthetics
Prof. Peter Ng Kee Lin, who pre-
sented a paper on “The Status of Biodi-
versity and Challenges in the ASEAN
Region,” pointed out that Southeast
Asia is at the heart of biodiversity rich-
ness of the planet, because of the di-
verse habitat types, and its complex in-
teractions. Rather than the widespread
single habitats presented by the low-
land forest of Amazonia or the corals
of the Great Barrier Reef, the ASEAN
region has a vast number of isolated is-
lands, mountains and reefs.
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 19
into account those values, identify
solutions, and address the needs of
policy-makers, administrators, busi-
nesses and citizens. The final TEEB
report will be released in June 2010.
She underlined the need for in-
struments and measures to address
the loss of biodiversity. A wide array
of steps are needed, including dec-
laration of protected areas, species
conservation, governance, legisla-

tion, monetary incentives and disin-
centives, schemes, such as Reduced
Emissions from Deforestation and
Forest Degradation (REDD), pay-
ment for ecosystem services, tools
for measurement, and many other
components.
Access to genetic resources
and equitable benefi t sharing
Prof. Zakri A. Hamidn raised some
issues and challenges being faced on
access and benefit sharing of genetic
resources (ABS) in ASEAN.
He pointed out that ABS is one of
the three important components of
the Convention on Biological Diversi-
ty when the treaty was signed during
the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992, the
other two pillars being the conserva-
tion of biological diversity and the
sustainable use of its components.
The factors that contribute to
the uncertainties in ABS in ASEAN,
Prof. Hamidn said, include the lack
of understanding and elaboration of
its provisions in the CBD; the link
between traditional and indigenous
knowledge to intellectual property
rights; and the current discussion
to develop an international regime

on ABS which is planned to be con-
cluded at the CBD COP10 in Octo-
ber.
He explained that ABS issues
are important to ASEAN because its
countries are both donors and recipi-
ents of genetic resources. It is rich in
biodiversity, with three of ASEAN
Member States among the 12 mega-
diverse countries in the world.
Thus, he underscored the need
for ASEAN to be a responsible mem-
ber of the global community, and to
demonstrate how it can achieve a fair
and equitable mechanism in the gov-
ernance of ABS.
COP 10 and beyond
Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf said that in
2002, the Parties to the Convention
on Biological Diversity established
the 2010 Biodiversity Target—a com-
mitment to significantly slow biodi-
versity loss worldwide by 2010.
However, with 2010, the Interna-
tional Year of Biodiversity, around
the corner, he said it does not appear
that the target would be met. He said
DR. HARIPRIYA GUNDIMEDA
The Economics of Biodiversity Team
United Nations Environment Programme

the loss of biodiversity is higher than
the natural rate of extinction. It has
brought major consequences on hu-
man well being, with millions of peo-
ple suffering, especially the poor who
largely depend on natural resources
for their survival.
The human costs of biodiversity
loss will be exacerbated by its strong
links to climate change, he said.
Dr. Djoghlaf pointed out the need
to do things differently. Nations must
work on new targets for 2010 and be-
yond, and based on lessons learned
on the assessment of the 2010 target,
new targets must be proposed for
2015 and 2020.
He added that interim reviews
must also be made to ensure that new
directions can be set and mistakes
rectified before nations report on bio-
diversity conservation in 2020.
He pointed out that, in the final
analysis, the goal of sustainable de-
velopment cannot be achieved by
governments, nongovernment orga-
nizations and business alone. There
is a need to wake up the citizens of
the world, to act responsibly and
learn to live in harmony with nature,

he explained.
The ASEAN Conference on Bio-
diversity held in Singapore in 2009
showed that biodiversity is key to hu-
man development and survival.

PROF. ZAKRI A. HAMID
Tuanku Chancellor Chair
Universiti Sans Malaysia
DR. AHMED DJOGHLAF
Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the
Convention on Biological Diversity
20 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
BIODIVERSITY
CONSERVATION
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

By Dr. RODEL D. LASCO, Dr. KONRAD UEBELHÖR
and Dr. FILIBERTO POLLISCO Jr
Facing the Challenge
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
A
mong the projected impacts of climate change
is the loss of thousands of species as well as
changes in natural ecosystems. Climate change
will exacerbate the many stressors that are already
endangering biodiversity in Southeast Asia. At the same time,
maintaining biodiverse ecosystems and especially tropical
forests can help mitigate climate change.

ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 21
Southeast Asia, also known
as the ASEAN region, has one
of the richest biodiversity re-
sources in the world. Although
occupying only three percent
of the world’s total surface,
18 percent of all known spe-
cies assessed by IUCN live in
its mountains, jungles, rivers,
lakes and seas. For example,
its tropical forests harbor 10
percent of the world’s floral
diversity
1
. Three of the world’s
17 mega diversity countries
are in the region, namely Indo-
nesia, Malaysia and the Philip-
pines. Southeast Asia also has
seven of the world’s 34 rec-
ognized biodiversity hotspots
– areas that are known to be
biologically rich but are under
great threat of destruction.
Biodiversity resources provide
significant goods and services
for the people of the region
and the world.
However, Southeast Asia’s

biodiversity resources are un-
der severe stress and in danger
of being lost. The region has
the highest relative rate of de-
forestation among the major
tropical regions. It could lose
three quarters of its original
forests by 2100 and beyond
by up to 42 percent of its bio-
diversity
2
. This unprecedented
erosion of biodiversity in the
region will have dire ecologi-
cal and socioeconomic conse-
quences.
In these contexts, the
ASEAN Conference on Biodi-
versity (ACB2009), one of the
biggest meetings of biodiver-
sity managers, scientists and
policy makers in the region,
was held at the Republic Poly-
technic campus in Singapore
on October 21 – 23, 2009. One
of the major themes of the
conference was biodiversity
and climate change.
The many aspects
of biodiversity and

climate change
At the plenary session,
Professor Andreas Fischlin,
a coordinating lead author of
the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC)
2007 report, presented the
link between climate change
and global biodiversity re-
sources. He emphasized that
climate change is already
happening and that changes
in climate have been ob-
served such as increasing
temperature and irregular as
well as decreasing precipita-
tion in many areas.
Professor Fischlin dis-
cussed four key messages: ma-
jor changes in structure and
functioning of ecosystems is
expected as climate warms; 20
to 30 percent of higher plants
and animals are at high risk of
extinction at 1.5 to 2.5 degrees
Celsius increase in global
temperature over the present
(mass extinction); land eco-
systems could become a car-
bon source in the future; and

resilience of many ecosystems
could be exceeded because of
climate change so that they
cannot adapt naturally.
The professor gave sev-
eral examples on how climate
change may impact biodiver-
sity. These include: species
distribution in South Africa,
coral bleaching at greater than
1.7
o
C, increasing melting of ice
in the poles threatening spe-
cies such as polar bears, and
ocean acidification that will
affect corals and those species
with shells.
Protecting climate is there-
fore protecting biodiversity re-
sources.
“Climate Change” Photo by George Cabig, Philippines
www.aseanbiodiversity.org
22 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY
A parallel session de-
voted to presentation of
papers on climate change
and biodiversity conser-
vation showed that much
uncertainty remains over

the magnitude of climate
change in Southeast Asian
countries and how biodi-
versity resources will be
affected. The session ex-
plored how climate change
will affect biodiversity in
the region, as well as the
potential adaptation op-
tions.
The first paper focused
on the role of Indonesia’s
forests in climate change
mitigation, especially on
the current discussions on
reducing emissions from
deforestation and forest
degradation (REDD). Indo-
nesia has the largest green-
house gas emissions from
deforestation in the world.
The paper also discussed
a concern on the present
definition of forest under
the United Nations Frame-
work Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC). Under
UNFCCC, the term “forest”
can include many types of
land cover and use, vary-

ing in presence of trees to
zero-tree cover lands, with
carbon-storage and carbon-
emission potential. Under
this definition, there is no
deforestation going on in
Indonesia because oil palm
plantations are considered
as forests. A forest defini-
tion more consistent with
climate change mitigation
and biodiversity conserva-
tion is needed. The paper
argues that inclusion of all
types of land uses (forested
and non-forested) will be
most effective in climate
change mitigation.
The second paper fo-
cused on the impacts of
climate change on biodi-
versity of coral reefs. The
key messages are: climate
change, runoff and over-
fishing are the three big
issues that have to be ad-
dressed together to protect
biodiversity; prevention is
better than cure; reefs are
not doomed if we act quick-

ly (but they will continue to
change); and the decisions
we make now on biodiver-
sity protection will have
profound long-term conse-
quences.
The third paper ex-
plored the concept of eco-
systems-based adaptation
(EBA) as an approach to
enhance adaptation of eco-
systems, as well as increase
the resilience of local com-
munities that depend on
natural ecosystems.
EBA is defined by the
International Union for
the Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) in 2008 as “a range
of local and landscape-
scale strategies for manag-
ing ecosystems to increase
resilience and maintain
essential ecosystem ser-
vices and reduce the vul-
nerability of people, their
livelihoods and nature in
the face of climate change.”
EBA will provide effective
strategies to minimize the

impacts in the community,
at the same time protect-
ing the watershed from
further degradation. Four
cases from the Philippines
were presented illustrating
various forms of EBA strat-
egies. A case was made for
combining EBA with eco-
systems-based mitigation.
The fourth paper dis-
cussed impacts and adap-
tation in mangrove ecosys-
tems. The effects of climate
change will be regional in
scale, and combine with
other direct and indirect
pressures on mangroves.
Temperature rise and sea-
level rise would have im-
pacts on mangrove ecosys-
tems.
For example, tempera-
ture rise and the direct ef-
fects of increased carbon di-
oxide (CO
2
) levels are likely
to increase mangrove pro-
ductivity, change phenolog-

ical patterns, and expand
the ranges of mangroves
into higher latitudes.
The fate of mangrove
habitats to climate change
globally will depend on a
number of factors, includ-
ing current tidal range,
sedimentology, salinity re-
gime, community compo-
sition, and shore profile.
Low-relief shorelines and
low islands will show more
change. Sea-level rise will
have more impact on in-
tertidal systems in micro-
tidal areas than macro-tidal
areas and in areas that al-
ready suffer from relative
sea-level rise due to deltaic
subsidence. There are lim-
ited studies of the impacts
of elevated CO
2
on man-
groves
The fifth paper focused
on the potential impacts of
climate change on wildlife
species. Warming climates

and changes in precipita-
tion and seasonality will
have negative impact on
orangutans. Perhaps, as a
sign of things to come, it
was mentioned that forest
fires following the 1997 -
1998 El Niño event killed
1,000 (or 2.5 percent of to-
tal) orangutans.
Possible impacts of cli-
mate change on phenology
and distribution of birds in
Japan and Africa were also
presented, mainly using
models, disruption of spe-
cies interactions and com-
munities, synergisms with
other stresses such as dis-
eases, invasives, and habi-
tat degradation. Species
likely to be affected by cli-
mate change are low-lying
island species, mountain-
top endemics, high-latitude
species, extreme-niche
specialists, and restricted-
range species.
Measures were recom-
mended to minimize the

impacts of climate change
on bird species. The pa-
per recognized the limited
information in the region
on the impacts of climate
change on wildlife species
and called for an increase
in research in this area.
The sixth paper dwelled
on the mapping of vulnera-
ble areas in Southeast Asia.
Using the IFCCC, a vulner-
ability map of Southeast
Asia was developed and
color-coded to depict vul-
nerability. Red-colored land
areas were the most vulner-
able and yellow-colored
ones are the least. In the
paper’s conclusion, low-ly-
ing areas along coasts, the
whole Philippines and the
eastern region of Southeast
Asia were the most vulner-
able. Countries with highly
vulnerable areas are the
Philippines, Lao PDR, Viet
Nam, Cambodia, Malaysia,
and Thailand.
REDD for climate change

mitigation and biodiversity
conservation
At the conference, a side
event on REDD for Climate
Change Mitigation and
Species likely
to be affected by
climate change are
low-lying island
species, mountain-
top endemics,
high-latitude
species,
extreme-niche
specialists, and
restricted-range
species.
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 23
Biodiversity Conservation
was organized by the Asia-
Europe Foundation (ASEF)
on October 22, 2009. De-
forestation leads to loss of
species as well as increased
greenhouse-gas emissions
to the atmosphere. Thus,
pursuing REDD benefits
climate change adaptation
and mitigation efforts, as
well as biodiversity conser-

vation.
The participants agreed
that REDD is very important
in biodiversity conserva-
tion in the ASEAN region,
provided that efforts must
be done for all ecosystems
and not only on terrestrial
ecosystems. REDD should
also be geared toward more
regional perspectives rath-
er than just on the country
and local levels. However,
numerous issues surround-
ing REDD are still under
negotiation and the road to
REDD implementation is
still a long one.
The side event recom-
mended the following ac-
tions:
 The definition of
“forest” must be re-
viewed as its current
definition under the
UNFCCC considers
even “plantations”
of any tall growing
monoculture (e.g., oil
palm) as “forest”.

 REDD must pursue
long-term goals with
ambitious targets,
that is, to halve the
gross deforestation/
forest degradation
by 2020 and halt it
by 2030; long-term
vision for REDD
should include all
land uses, but for the
shorter/immediate
term, it is to review
and implement the
previous agreements
on REDD before ex-
panding the mecha-
nism further.
 REDD mechanisms
must be started at
the smaller and local-
ized level with firm
agreements before it
is elevated to higher
levels.
 Communication and
public awareness
activities on REDD,
climate change and
other environmental

issues and concerns
must be enhanced
to encourage more
involvement and
participation from
key stakeholders, in-
cluding indigenous
work that is flexible
enough to meet the
different countries’
needs.
 There is still con-
siderable debate on
REDD, especially
its financing and
its governance pre-
requisites. Hence,
capacity building
is needed by coun-
tries to participate
in future activities of
REDD.
 REDD is not suffi-
cient as an approach
for sustainable for-
est management but
needs to be expand-
ing of the dire consequences
of the shift in temperature
and precipitation. However,

there are very limited empir-
ical data presented from the
ASEAN region on how bio-
diversity could be affected.
Most of the papers imported
data from other regions of
the world and tried to ex-
trapolate it to the region.
There is clearly a need to
ramp up research efforts to
inform policy makers on the
way forward.
There is also a need to
enhance baselines or refer-
ence levels, and capacity
building particularly in the
technical assistance and fi-
peoples and the busi-
ness sectors.
 Financing mecha-
nisms and schemes
must be studied thor-
oughly to determine
if they should contin-
ue to be government-
supported or should
be moving toward
self-financing.
 There should be
a general frame-

ed with due precau-
tions and broader
consultations with
key stakeholders
Conclusion and
Recommendations
The conference high-
lighted the threat posed
by climate change to the
region’s rich biodiversity re-
sources. The papers present-
ed were unanimous in warn-
nancial support aspects of
the mechanism. The rights of
the indigenous peoples must
also be taken into serious
consideration, together with
the complexity of socio-eco-
nomic and political-cultural
dimensions of this great en-
vironmental challenge.

References:
Gitay et al., 2002
Sodhi et al., 2004
Students cross this river to and from school every day. This is very dangerous as water in the river
rises at alarming rates even only after a few minutes of rain. Villagers blame this to the logging of
trees in the mountain.
Photo by Joel Forte, Philippines
24 / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / ASEAN BIODIVERSITY

www.aseanbiodiversity.org
WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC
ECOSYSTEMS?
OPPORTUNITIES FROM

By HITOMI RANKINE
or many in the biodiversity community, the usefulness
of biodiverse ecosystems lies in their intrinsic value.
For other stakeholders in the general public, or in the
private sector, the value lies in other benefits, such
as the watershed protection or carbon sequestration provided
by natural forests, or the profits generated from eco-tourism.
The perspectives may be
different, but at the end of
the day, it is clear that ecosys-
tems provide different kinds of
services to different kinds of
stakeholders.
The language of ecosystem
services presents a practical
way to bridge the interests of
environmentalists and busi-
ness people who have a stake
on sustainable land manage-
ment, and those who manage
specific areas of land that may
have high but undetermined
value to these stakeholders.
The ability to put a price on
ecosystem services, even those

benefits which are not normal-
ly sold or bought such as soil-
erosion control or habitat pro-
tection, creates the potential to
reduce the opportunity costs
of sustainable land manage-
ment through payment. This
provides the foundation for
potentially creating win-win
economic solutions to natural
resource management chal-
lenges, under the right condi-
tions.
The session on the Eco-
nomics of Ecosystems and
Biodiversity at the ASEAN
Conference on Biodiversity on
October 21 - 23, 2009 in Sin-
gapore gave several important
insights into how valuation of
ecosystem services should be
approached; the potential for
generating investments in eco-
system services; developments
in these investments in the
ASEAN region; key conditions
for creating effective, equita-
ble and sustainable investment
partnerships; and the potential
for engaging the private sector

in investing in biodiversity.
What is the scale of the eco-
nomic opportunities that are
available from ecosystems ser-
vice investments in the ASEAN
region? How feasible are such
investments as a way to secure
services that are critical to the
economy and society?
Ecosystem services have
high economic values, and
investments in such services
can reap significant economic
benefits. At the conference, Dr.
Jose Padilla, a Resource Econ-
omist from the Philippines,
and Dr. Marian de los Ange-
les, Senior Environmental
Economist at the World Bank
Institute, presented the high
economic value of sustainably
managed marine areas in the
Philippines.
Surveys showed that
residents in certain towns in
the Philippines were much
more willing to pay to protect
marine areas than might be
expected. The presentation
ASEAN BIODIVERSITY / JANUARY - APRIL 2010 / 25

The ability to put a price on
ecosystem services, even those
benefits which are not normally
sold or bought such as soil-erosion
control or habitat protection,
creates the potential to reduce
the opportunity costs of sustainable
land management through payment.
This provides the foundation
for potentially creating win-win
economic solutions to natural
resource management challenges,
under the right conditions.
showed that putting a mon-
etary value on these services
could contribute to decision
and policy making in several
ways, including by producing
a basis for comparing the real
economic benefits of alterna-
tive land and resource-man-
agement strategies, by reveal-
ing often hidden values.
Focusing on biodiversity
values, Dr. Haripriya Gundim-
eda’s presentation addressed
several aspects of ecosystem
service investments, and not-
ed the high returns on these
investments. Analysis of sev-

eral case studies revealed in-
ternal rates of return ranging
from seven percent for coral
reefs to as high as 79 percent
for grasslands.
Mr. James Peters, Chief of
Party of the USAID Asia Re-
gional Biodiversity Conserva-
tion Program, presented the
case of Viet Nam, as well as
an overview of the implemen-
tation of Payments for Envi-
ronmental Services (PES) in
Southeast Asia.
A pilot Payment for Forest
Environmental Services Pol-
icy in Viet Nam had secured
US$16.5 million in invest-
ments from hydroelectricity
producers and water utilities
from 2009 to 2010. These in-
vestments were the basis for
payments to land users for
land use that enhanced water
regulation and soil conserva-
tion. Co-benefits for biodiver-
sity conservation were secured
through a landscape-level con-
servation approach.
This is a key example of the

expanding and deepening ex-
periences in facilitating invest-
ments in ecosystem services
through payment mechanisms
in ASEAN Member States.
Tourists in Bohol, Philippines, pay a fee to get good view of the famous Loboc river. Photo by Rolando Inciong