Southeast Asia s BIODIVERSITY Challenges

Transcription

1 Southeast Asia s BIODIVERSITY Challenges Roundtable for ASEAN Chief Justices and Senior Judiciary on Environmental Law Clarissa Arida Director Programme Development and Implementation ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity 6-7 December 2011 Jakarta, Indonesia

2 + Overview of the wealth and threats to biodiversity in Southeast Asia q Southeast Asian region has one of the most diverse forest ecosystems in the world. ASEAN countries have a high number of endemic plant and animal species that are dependent on the health of forest ecosystems q Forest areas directly sustain more than 120 million people in the region, q Between 1980 to 2007, forests in ASEAN countries decreased by 555,587 square km, with only 43% remaining forest cover as of 2007.

3 . +Overview of the wealth and threats to biodiversity in Southeast Asia q The region has 4 of the world s recognized hotspots (Indo-Burma, Philippines, Sundaland and Wallacea) with massive habitat and species loss occurring. q Deforestation due Illegal logging, conversion of forest areas to agriculture (e.g., for palm oil production) contributed largely to the loss of forest ecosystems. q An estimated 88% of Southeast Asia s coral reefs are at risk due to human activities such as destructive fishing practices and coral bleaching

4 +Overview of the wealth and threats to biodiversity in Southeast Asia q Southeast Asia is a renowned center of tropical marine biodiversity with over 24,000 islands, a coastline of 173,000 km. It has 34% of the world s 284,000 square kilometers of coral reefs. q Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines are part of the Coral Triangle that is home to 75% of the world s reef building corals. q Southeast Asia has18 out of 60 species of seagrasses and has 33 percent of all seagrass areas on earth supporting economically important fisheries

5 + Climate Change Climate change is likely to become the dominant direct driver of biodiversity loss by the end of the century (MA, 2005). In Asia, up to 50% of biodiversity is at risk. As much as 88% of coral reefs may be lost. Large scale mining Population growth Poverty Pollution Overexploitation

6 +Overexploitation: Illegal Wildlife Trade q SEA long been targeted by illegal wildlife traders as a hotspot in the lucrative multibillion dollar global trade of wildlife. Over 100 million animals are hunted for bushmeat. q Illegal wildlife trade valued at 10 to 20 billion U.S. dollars annually (ASEAN-WEN). q Targets - Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar are targeted. Smugglers frequently caught utilizing transport links through Thailand and Viet Nam. (ASEAN WEN) q I3,000 metric tons of turtles shipped into China every year from SEA. q Wild species including illegally cut timber, birds, reptiles, and mammals are traded in SEA. The pangolin is the most heavily traded mammal.

7 Overexploita,on: + Species endangered by trade Taxa Number Birds 30 Flowering plants 4 Mammals 60 Rep,les 4 Fishes 7 Total 105 Species listed as most endangered and are therefore regulated under Appendix I of CITES. The hotspot countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines harbor a number of endemic species but also a considerable number of threatened or endangered species of birds, mammals, fishes, flowering plants and reptiles that are being traded for their economic use.

8 + The ASEAN Response and Imperatives for Actions ASEAN Heritage Parks ASEAN -WEN The Coral Triangle Initiative Greater Mekong Subregion In Southeast Asia, progress has been made mainly on conserving the components of biodiversity i.e., terms of expanding the coverage of terrestrial and marine protected areas. In terms of addressing the drivers and threats to biodiversity loss, the ASEAN region remains slow in delivering progress

9 + The ASEAN Response and Imperatives for Actions q Strengthening enforcement of international environmental laws obligations and national laws there has been good progress in understanding the obligations of countries as Parties to the UN CBD and other MEAs and in translating these into national laws many of the environmental principles have been enshrined national environmental laws - the constitution, environment code, forestry code, and even protected areas and wildlife laws q.continued awareness raising among policymakers and law enforcers q Continued capacity building on law enforcement ASEAN WEN

10 The ASEAN Response and + Imperatives for Actions Ø Transboundary Initiatives The Heart of Borneo Initiative Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion The Greater Mekong SubRegion-Biodiversity Corridor Initiative 30 ASEAN Heritage Parks Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs Fisheries and Food Security ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network

11 + The ASEAN Response and Imperatives for Actions q Targeting efforts to critical areas and ecosystems q Mainstreaming biodiversity in the national development processes q Connecting biodiversity management with climate change efforts q Building on current efforts, political commitments in designing future efforts q Recognizing the links between ecosystems degradation and persistence of rural poverty e.g., saving and restoring fisheries industry

12 + Imperatives for Action q Promoting better understanding and quantitative measurement of biodiversity and ecosystem (PES, Valuation/TEEB) q Saving and restoring fisheries industry q Systematic use of Sciencebased indicators q Recognizing the links between ecosystems degradation and persistence of rural poverty

13 + Imperatives for Action q Expand capacity on ecosystem assessment and management and species, habitat and human consumption interaction. q Assist the translation of issues, current and emerging threats and experiences into sound and locally viable policies at all levels q Support the preparation of environment and biodiversity management plans and appropriately communicate these to all stakeholder groups q Encourage the use of sound science as reference for conservation plans and measures

14 + Imperatives for Action: Key Issues for Discussion q What are he key areas of biodiversity significance? What are the key regulated species which are threatened? q Who are the stakeholders IUCN from sources to markets q What are the level of capacities of environmental authorities? q What are the economic values of species lost and degraded habitats or loss of natural compounds for medicines? q How do you calculate compensation or damages based on these values? q How is science-based information linked to policies and legal evidence?

15 Terimah kasih!!!