Representatives from the ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat join the 20th anniversary celebration of the ACB during Harmony for Biodiversity, an appreciation night with conservation partners and advocates.
Dr. Jerome L. Montemayor
Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
This past week, the usually quiet headquarters of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) situated in the lush forests of Mount Makiling Forest Reserve in the Philippines, was filled with colour, energy, and excitement as we led several events celebrating a remarkable milestone—twenty years of serving as the region’s response to the challenge of biodiversity loss.
During the first day, we started with a Biodiversity Marketplace featuring different workshops as well as local merchants showcasing various food and biodiversity-based products. The next day started early with BioRun, a 3- and 5-kilometre fun run with representatives and partners from the scientific, research, academic, and business sectors. The day concluded with an evening of glamour and creativity through the very first Eco-Couture fashion show that showcased unique masterpieces created by promising young designers and models. The third day was dedicated to celebrating the power of collaboration with more than a hundred conservation and advocacy partners through a night of music and thanksgiving during the Harmony for Biodiversity event. All of these events reignited the passion and shared commitment to biodiversity conservation that we embraced with the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN Member States, and like-minded organisations 20 years ago.
ACB Executive Director Jerome L. Montemayor leads anniversary celebrations at the ACB Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna which include a Biodiversity Marketplace and Exhibit, workshops, and BioRun.
Building on the need to sustain the achievements of the ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Project, the ACB has now become a centre of excellence and one of the world’s regional and subregional technical and scientific cooperation support centres for the ASEAN Member States in contributing to the achievement of the global biodiversity goals. Since being established by the Environmental Ministers of ASEAN in 2005, the ACB has led different flagship initiatives that strengthen regional collaboration, support protected area management, promote sustainable use of resources, facilitate knowledge exchange on biodiversity conservation, and lay out the foundation for an inclusive, nature-positive ASEAN.
In the past two decades, the ACB has worked to restore and protect 108,879 hectares of forests through the Small Grants Programme, an initiative with the KfW Development Bank of Germany. Together with 22 ASEAN development and dialogue partners, the ACB has implemented 29 conservation projects worth USD 59.5 million from 2014 to present, and has invested more than USD 22 million for biodiversity conservation and livelihood projects.
The network of ASEAN Heritage Parks now includes 69 diverse terrestrial, marine, and wetland protected areas covering about 11.87 million hectares. These were chosen for their outstanding biological and conservation significance. In line with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the ASEAN Green Initiative demonstrates the region’s commitment to planting at least 10 million native trees across the 10 ASEAN Member States in a span of 10 years, while contributing to people’s well-being, livelihood improvement, and resilience-building.
We have also initiated different knowledge exchange platforms such as the ASEAN Clearing-House Mechanism, the ASEAN Biodiversity Dashboard, and the flagship publication, ASEAN Biodiversity Outlook. We have processed, analysed, and published around 22 million biodiversity data to date. The ACB also keeps well over 4 million records of species and their images. Furthermore, the ACB has also launched several communication, education, and public awareness campaigns, including #WeAreASEANBiodiversity and the ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes Programme. Through the ASEAN Youth Biodiversity Programme, the ACB has empowered 62 youth leaders to mainstream youth voices in biodiversity policy and action planning. The ACB has also worked with 20 Young ASEAN Storytellers who use their talents and creativity in communicating biodiversity through different platforms.
Over a hundred representatives from the ASEAN Member States, the diplomatic corps, and various conservation and advocacy partners gathered for Harmony for Biodiversity in Alabang, Metro Manila, Philippines.
To strategically contribute to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of the Convention for Biological Diversity, the ACB, in coordination with the ASEAN Secretariat, assisted the ASEAN Member States in developing the region’s biodiversity strategy and action plan, known as the ASEAN Biodiversity Plan. This framework ensures complementarity with the national biodiversity strategies and action plans of the member states, as well as synergies between the global biodiversity targets and ASEAN’s vision and priorities.
All of these would not have been possible without the cooperation of ASEAN Member States and over a hundred dialogue and development partners, all of whom contribute to a shared vision in which biodiversity in the ASEAN region is valued, conserved, and sustainably managed, with the benefits of its use equitably shared. The past two decades are a testament to the strength of collective action and of our shared commitment to addressing the urgent challenges of biodiversity loss and the triple planetary crisis.
Looking forward, the ACB remains fully committed to the mandate it received 20 years ago. We will further strengthen collaboration among ASEAN Member States, partners, and stakeholders to create a unified front against biodiversity loss. Aligned with the goals of mainstreaming biodiversity, we will reach out and form meaningful partnerships with different sectors, ensuring that economic growth and environmental sustainability go hand in hand. We will continue to scale up research and knowledge sharing to support sound decision-making, capacity-building, education, and inclusive participation.
The journey thus far has been both challenging and inspiring. As we turn the page and begin this new chapter, we continue to invite all sectors—governments, civil society, the private sector, and the youth—to join us in our efforts to achieve a greener, more prosperous, and happier ASEAN region, with a more developed economy and thriving biodiversity.
Let us continue working together for nature, nations, and the next generations of ASEAN and beyond.
Happy anniversary, ACB!
