News

ASEAN countries meet in Manila to prepare for COP 9 in Bonn, Germany

Environment officials from member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Manila on 1-2 May 2008 to prepare for the forthcoming global conference on biodiversity conservation.

Organized by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the regional workshop reviewed key topics that will be discussed in the Ninth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be held in Bonn, Germany from 19 to 31 May 2008.

CBD is the key international agreement for the conservation of biodiversity. Currently, there are 190 parties to the Convention, which aims to “promote the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.” ASEAN Member Countries that have ratified the Convention have the obligation to contribute to the reduction of biodiversity loss by 2010.

ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said the workshop enabled ASEAN member countries to review measures taken, and identify important initiatives and actions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

“The international meeting in Bonn will be the last meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity before 2010, which is the target year for the significant reduction of biodiversity loss. There is so much pressure for the international community, including the ASEAN Region in meeting this target. ACB organized the pre-meeting workshop to enable ASEAN Member Countries to review and discuss thoroughly the key topics that are relevant to the region’s efforts to reduce biodiversity loss. These include issues on agricultural and forest biodiversity; island and marine/coastal areas biodiversity; biodiversity and climate change; and issues on incentive measures and access and benefits sharing; programme of work in protected areas; technology transfer, strategic plans and clearinghouse mechanisms; and monitoring, assessment and indicators,” Director Fuentes explained.

The Manila workshop was facilitated by leading international experts on biodiversity:
Dr. Sarat Babu Gidda of the Canada-based Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, an ecologist with more than 20 years of experience in biodiversity conservation and natural resource management; Dr. Percy Sajise, former Regional Director for Asia, Pacific and Oceania of Bioversity International; Dr. Jan Henning Steffen, a marine ecology expert of the Indonesia-based UNESCO Coastal Regions and Small Islands Programme; and Atty. Catherine Monagle, programme manager and researcher at United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies.