ACB MESSAGE ON THE OCCASION OF EARTH DAY, 22 APRIL 2008

By Rodrigo U. Fuentes, Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), through the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, joins the Philippines and the international community in celebrating Earth Day this 22 April 2008.

Our planet Earth, through its biodiversity, creates health and wealth.

Humans depend on thousands of plant, animal and marine species for food, shelter, clothing, medicine, and other basic commodities. From the smallest community to the largest city, human life revolves around the use of species in agriculture, forestry, fisheries, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, ecotourism, and many other industries.

Food security depends on many species and their potential for increasing agricultural production. New and effective medicines for many diseases rely on various species.

Life on earth functions properly because biodiversity provides every living thing with the elements required to cope with changes in the environment.

Biodiversity provides humans, plants and animals with ecological goods and services such as clean air, potable water, and fertile soils. The global ecosystem services have been valued at 33.3 trillion US dollars. The world’s GNP, estimated at 18 trillion US dollars, cannot even pay for the value of the services and benefits we get from our biodiversity.

Beyond economics, biodiversity gives comfort to human beings. The verdant and lush forests, the placid lakes, the deep blue seas, the majestic dipterocarp tree, the joyful chirps of birds, the graceful flight of a butterfly, or the soothing scent of a wild flower uplift the human spirit. For many, nature and its biodiversity is a refuge.

The ASEAN region, including the Philippines, is the richest reservoir of plant and animal life on earth. While occupying only three percent of the earth’s surface, the ASEAN region may contain the natural habitats of up to 40 percent of all species on earth. The region has one-third, translating to 284,000 square kilometers of all coral reefs, which are among the most diverse in the world. It includes three ‘mega-diversity’ countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
But this richness is under serious threat. The ASEAN region is home to seven of the world’s 25 biodiversity hotspots. Out of 64,800 known species, 1,312 are endangered. Eighty percent of coral reefs are at risk due to destructive fishing practices and coral bleaching. Deforestation rates in the region are at least two times higher than other tropical areas. If present levels of deforestation continue, the ASEAN region will lose nearly three-fourths of its original forest cover and up to 42 percent of its biodiversity by the next century. There will be massive species declines and extinctions which will result in catastrophic biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss could trigger enormous effects on food security, health, shelter, medicine, and aesthetic and other life sustaining resources.

Forest conversion is the major cause of biodiversity loss in the ASEAN Region. It is driven by large-scale deforestation for timber by commercial logging activities, shifting cultivation, large-scale mining, and agricultural expansion. These lead to loss of habitat for many birds, mammals and other animals; reduced pollinator activity, decline in species richness and populations, and overall reductions in biodiversity.

Many protected areas in the region are most severely affected by forest conversion and habitat loss due to the relatively low surrounding forest habitat and high subsequent loss. In Sumatra, for example, there has been a decline from 80 to 33 percent (1980-2001) in forest cover within 50 km periphery. Smaller protected areas are most greatly affected as the conservation capacity of protected areas is greatly reduced.

In 1997-1998, up to five million hectares of forests in Indonesia (Sumatra and Kalimantan, Borneo) were lost due to forest fires. In 2002 and 2006, forest fires destroyed several million hectares, including peat swamp forests. These resulted in disappearance or population decline and high infant and juvenile mortality in many animals, as well as reduced seedling and sapling population for many tree species.

Wildlife hunting and trade for food, pet and medicinal purposes also contribute to biodiversity loss in the ASEAN Region. In Sarawak, 2.6 million animals were hunted each year for bush meat while in Sabah 108 million animals suffered the same fate. In 2000, Indonesia contributed about 29 percent of global exports for snake and lizard skins. In the same year, Singapore imported 7,093 live animals and had a total net export of 301,905 animal skins. From1975 to1992, Korea imported 6,128 kilograms of tiger bones, 60 percent of which were from Indonesia. In China, tigers, rhinos, turtles, snakes and monkeys continue to be major sources of traditional Chinese medicine. Overall, wildlife was extracted from forests at more than six times the sustainable rate.

Increasing human population and poverty is a primary socio-economic driver of forest biodiversity loss.

Climate change can have the largest proportional effect on biodiversity in extreme environments (e.g., arctic, boreal zones). This phenomenon threatens the ASEAN Region, possibly in very cold mountain environments, on small islands, or low coastal areas.

Lack of financial resources contributes to biodiversity loss in the region as governments put more emphasis on budget allocation for food, health, education, infrastructure, and other priorities.

Without a concerted effort to protect and conserve biodiversity, Southeast Asia’s 580 million people and the entire human race are in danger.

In response to this dire situation, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its Member Countries have undertaken regional and country efforts to protect and save the region’ rich biodiversity. ASEAN member countries have ratified a number of international agreements with biodiversity concerns, including 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. Most countries are well under way in fulfilling their commitments to these international agreements.

The ASEAN has designated 1,523 protected areas and declared 27 areas as ASEAN Heritage Parks. To date, 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, the Elephants, Gaur, Sumatran Rhinoceros, Otter, and Pheasants. The conservation plans include aspects of research, ex-situ conservation, monitoring, and enforcement activities.

Further responding to the need for concerted action to protect and conserve the region’s dwindling biodiversity resources, the ASEAN, with funding support from the European Union (EU), established the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).

As an intergovernmental regional centre of excellence, ACB facilitates cooperation and coordination among the members of ASEAN, and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations, non-government organizations, private corporations and individuals on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

To contribute to the achievement of socially responsible access, equitable sharing, utilization and conservation of natural ecosystems and the biodiversity they contain, ACB builds strategic networks and partnerships geared to mobilize resources towards optimally augmenting effective programmes on biodiversity conservation.

Biodiversity is priceless. Understanding it enables one to use it prudently. Like humans, each species has the right to exist. Stopping and preventing the extinction of any species by destructive human activities is a reverence for life.

On the occasion of Earth Day, 22 April, ACB is inviting international and regional organizations, governments, private corporations and foundations, communities, and individuals to contribute financially or in kind to its programmes.

Join ACB, the ASEAN, and its Member Countries in saving Southeast Asia’s rich yet highly endangered biodiversity. Save humanity.