Background

 

Large amounts of biodiversity information are stored in various agencies of the ASEAN Member Countries (AMC).These information however are not regularly shared because the existing sharing mechanism is still not well established in the Region. To promote the exchange of relevant information and knowledge on biodiversity, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) helps facilitate cooperation and coordination through the establishment of linkages and networks of institutions in the ASEAN.

In November 2007, a Regional Workshop on Biodiversity Data and Information Harmonization was held in Vientiane, Lao PDR to determine and agree on mechanisms on biodiversity data and information harmonization, sharing and use in support to multilateral environment agreement (MEA) reporting. The participants reported on the gaps, issues and opportunities in their information management systems. They were also oriented on knowledge management (KM), including the KM tools and the enhanced Biodiversity Information Sharing Services (BISS). Sub-workshops on core datasets to be shared, statistical reports and regional analysis, and ways to foster discussion, sharing of knowledge, best practices and lessons learned were also conducted.

In the action plan of the workshop, the participants recommended the holding of more workshops on information sharing, database development and networking at the sub-regional level as venues for mentoring and discussion on strengthening networks of data providers and users. Hence, ACB through its Biodiversity Information Management Component has programmed three follow-up sub-regional workshops on “Mechanisms for Biodiversity Data and Harmonization”.