ACB joins Cambodia in celebrating International Day for Biological Diversity

In celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB), dignitaries from the Government of Cambodia, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) gathered in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on 22 May 2018.

Held at the Wat Bo Primary School, the annual event, which carried the theme, “Celebrating 25 years of action for biodiversity,” served as a venue for representatives of the government, international organizations, youth, media, and other sectors to come together, not only to celebrate this milestone, but also to show their commitment to biological diversity conservation. Officials who attended include His Excellency Eang Sophallete, Undersecretary of State, Ministry of Environment; His Excellency Pin Prakort, Deputy Governor of Siem Reap, Province; His Excellency Tin Ponlok, Secretary-General of the National Council for Sustainable Development; His Excellency Sou Sovuth, Undersecretary of the State, Ministry of Environment; Her Excellency Somaly Chan, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Council for Sustainable Development, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Vong Sok, Head of Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat; and Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Executive Director of ACB. The event was hosted by Secretariat of Cambodia’s National Council for Sustainable Development of the Ministry of Environment.

“Challenges on biodiversity conservation are far from over. As we continue to accomplish significantly in the forefronts of environmental concerns, problems continue to arise and persist—with this, a lot still needs to be done. As we speak, the trash isles or garbage patches in the North and South Pacific oceans continue to increase in size; killing aquatic life and endangering the marine food chain which includes, us, humans in the process. The rapid loss of species we are seeing today is estimated by experts to be between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. Our population number puts so much pressure on the environment that its carrying capacity is at the brink of collapse,” said Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). “Twenty-five years of action for biodiversity speaks of the shared vision, and passion translated into coherent initiatives towards aligning ourselves on the noble cause to take care of our natural heritage,” she added.

To highlight the actions that have been taken by the Centre and the ASEAN Member States (AMS) in actively promoting biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources, ACB held an exhibition featuring the Second Edition of the ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook, a publication on the progress of the AMS in achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and the ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes, 10 outstanding individuals from each AMS, who have contributed significantly to biodiversity conservation.

Other highlights of the IDB 2018 celebration in Cambodia is the conduct of the Sixth ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Committee Meeting and the European Union-ASEAN Youth Video Competition Awards Ceremony. With biodiversity as the overall theme, the video competition aimed at showcasing the importance of preserving the rich biodiversity of Southeast Asia and to strengthen joint actions for protecting the environment. Krittin Laohawarutchai of Thailand emerged as the grand prize winner who won an all-expense-paid trip for two to an AHP. AHPs are the best of the best national protected areas in the ASEAN region in terms of biodiversity and ecological richness.

Another commemorative activity for this year’s IDB celebration is the staging of the “Zooming in on Biodiversity,” an ASEAN-wide photo contest that aims to promote biodiversity conservation and appreciation through powerful photographs. Details about the contest can be accessed at www.aseanbiodiversity.org/zoomingin.

IDB 2018 coincides with the silver anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity. May 22 was proclaimed by the United Nations as the International Day for Biological Diversity to raise awareness and understanding of the public on biodiversity issues.

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The ACB is an intergovernmental organization that facilitates cooperation and coordination among the ASEAN Member States and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, guided by fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of such natural resources. The ACB is the sole ASEAN centre being hosted by the Philippines. To know more about the ACB, log on to www.aseanbiodiversity.org