2 September 2024
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam
Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim
Executive Director
ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity
Yang Mulia Dayang Noralinda binti Haji Ibrahim, Director of the Forestry Department, Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, Brunei Darussalam;
Representatives from the ASEAN Working Group on Nature Conservation and Biodiversity, ASEAN Task Force of Peatlands, colleagues, ladies and gentlemen.
Good morning to all!
Thank you very much for inviting the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity in this very important and relevant forum, as the region and the world face extreme challenges that are brought about by the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.
Peatlands are unique ecosystems found in large swathes of land in Southeast Asia. We have around 250,000 sq km of peat forests and peat swamps in ASEAN, representing over half of the world’s peatlands. These areas are rich in species found only in these types of ecosystems, such as the identified 927 flowering plants and ferns surviving in the peat forests of Borneo, which may even hold the key to building more resilience under inhospitable conditions. More importantly, peatlands play a role in climate regulation, storing vast amounts of carbon that would otherwise contribute to substantial greenhouse gas emission, if released into the atmosphere. Studies have shown that peatlands in ASEAN may store almost 95,000 M tons of carbon per sq km. As we gather here, we are reminded of the critical role that peatlands play in our global ecosystem and their valuable role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Peatlands, those remarkable landscapes rich in organic material, are much more than mere swamps or bogs. They are vital components of our environmental heritage and crucial allies in our fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. As the largest natural terrestrial carbon store, they serve as excellent carbon sinks due to their very high carbon content.
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework envisions a world living in harmony with nature where “by 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.”
It has also set up 23 targets for 2030 to take urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss to put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of people and planet.. This involves conserving and sustainably using biodiversity and by ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of genetic resources, while providing the necessary means of implementation.
As we move forward to achieving our Global biodiversity targets, the ACB has been assisting the ASEAN in crafting its Regional Biodiversity Plan. It will reflect ASEAN’s collective contributions to the implementation of the KM GBF. Through this Regional biodiversity framework, we will be able to synergise our regional priority efforts and the global commitments to halt biodiversity loss. The ASEAN Biodiversity Plan integrates existing ASEAN strategies and action plans, such as the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy 2023-2030, ensuring a cohesive approach across sectors and pillars. This synergy will enable more effective cross-sectoral and cross-pillar coordination, enhancing our ability to implement the necessary measures to preserve our region’s rich biodiversity and contribute to global sustainability efforts.
Our ASEAN Heritage Parks, such as the Agusan Marsh in the Philippines and U Min Thuong National Park in Vietnam, consist of portions of significant peatland areas. It is estimated that the Caimpugan wetlands in Agusan Marsh stores about 22.9 M t of carbon aboveground within its 54.87 sq km of area.
Sustainable management of our peatlands in the ASEAN region offers a multitude of benefits, including protection from extreme climate fluctuations, enhanced livelihoods through tourism, fisheries, and non-timber forest products, and the development of more resilient and sustainable industries. By managing these ecosystems responsibly, we can continue to harness their resources and services without exhausting them.
I hope this forum will inspire the ASEAN Member States to consider nominating peatland ecosystems as ASEAN Heritage Parks. This would recognize and bolster ongoing efforts across the region to conserve our remaining peatlands.
Let us acknowledge the natural wealth with which our region has been blessed, embrace our shared responsibility, and work collaboratively as ‘One ASEAN’ to enhance connectivity and resilience in our region.
I wish you a fruitful four days of discussions, and may the learnings be applied in our respective line of work.
Thank you and good morning to all.
