ACB OPENING INTERVENTION
Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim
Executive Director, ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
Thank you, Mr. Chair, Madam Vice-Chair, may I provide you and the AWGNCB, with a brief introduction to the agenda items that highlight the initiatives and accomplishments of YOUR Centre for Biodiversity, and the updates on the support we provide to the ASEAN and the ASEAN Member States.
First of all, we are happy to report that earlier this year, the ACB was endorsed by UNCBD-SBI4 as one of the 18 regional and subregional scientific and technical support centres in the world selected to develop and lead initiatives that will contribute to achieving the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework or the Biodiversity Plan. It should be worthwhile to note that the ACB even topped this list of centres during the evaluation period. The process of how we achieved this feat, including the benefits of such recognition, shall be presented under Agenda Item 6.11.4.
We, of course, want to express our deepest appreciation to the AMS for their overwhelming support that eventually led to the adoption of this recommendation during the CBD-SBI 4 Meeting in Nairobi last May 2024. So now, more than ever, the ACB assures you that we shall work even harder to show that your endorsements are truly worth it.
In this light, together with the ASEAN Member States, we are now in the process of developing the ASEAN Biodiversity Plan, which reflects the region’s priorities for collective action in implementing the global BIodiversity Plan, and identifies efforts to complement the AMS’ s respective NBSAPs. The draft ABP encompasses forward actions from the programme outputs of the AWGNCB Action Plan, and also takes into account existing ASEAN frameworks and action plans to promote biodiversity mainstreaming and ensure synergies with the work of other sectoral bodies. We expect that this Plan will be adopted this year, under the Chairship of Lao PDR, and hopefully, launched at the UN CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia in October.
Meantime, we continue to expand our portfolio of partners, programmes, and projects, and so, as usual, this AWGNCB Meeting is packed with exciting new information to cover updates on the implementation of the AWGNCB Action Plan. This will include reporting on our on-going projects that help advance effectively managed protected areas, and our new projects, such as the ASEAN -ENMAPS or, “Effectively Managing Ecological Networks of Marine Protected Areas in Large Marine Ecosystems in the ASEAN Region” , which strengthens ACB’s support for marine biodiversity and marine protected areas in the region and is our first ever GEF-funded regional project, with UNDP as Implementing agency.
We will also be presenting regional efforts in mainstreaming biodiversity into various economic and development sectors such as business, agriculture, and forestry, as well as activities promoting synergy with other sectors such as health and climate change.
We will likewise appreciate recommendations and concurrence of the body on the nominated AHP sites; the AHP Regional Action Plan 2023-2030; AHP Operations Manual; concept design of the 8th AHP Conference; the proposal on the ASEAN Urban Wetlands Network; as well as the planned ASEAN Pavilion at the CBD COP 16, among others.
Finally, and most importantly, we will give you an update on our new funding partners, and on the operationalisation of the ASEAN Biodiversity Fund, which will eventually help provide us the means to implement and sustain all our efforts towards achieving our regional biodiversity targets.
The details of all these will be presented by my colleagues at the ACB in the succeeding discussions.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
