The Good Balita

By Gloria Jane Baylon

The Philippines is officially the host of the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity headquarters.

The ACB, with funding support from the European Union (EU) and officially launched at the 9th Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in 2005, is an intergovernmental regional center tasked to facilitate cooperation and coordination among ASEAN Member States and with relevant national governments, regional and international organizations on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, or biodiversity.

ACB works with ASEAN Member States in ensuring the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biodiversity.

The Senate concurrence follows the entry into force of the ACB Establishment Agreement by six ASEAN Member States (Brunei Darussalam, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, and Viet Nam), completing the process to enable ACB to become a full-fledged international organization.

ACB Executive Director Rodrigo U. Fuentes said the Senate’s concurrence of the Host Country Agreement and the ratification by the ASEAN Member States of the Establishment Agreement would now further strengthen ASEAN’s resolve to save and conserve the region’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity.

Delivering and facilitating conduct of capacity-building services and technology transfer through engaging relevant and appropriate expertise; enhancing common understanding of biodiversity conservation issues; strengthening ASEAN regional positions in negotiations and in compliance with relevant multilateral environmental agreements; promoting regional public awareness to develop champions and enhance support at different stakeholder levels on biodiversity concerns; and undertaking innovative resource generation and mobilization measures to pursue impact activities that will enhance biodiversity conservation in the region,” Fuentes explained.

The Senate resolution was sponsored by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, with Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri and Loren Legarda as co-sponsors.

In her sponsorship speech, Santiago said the Senate concurrence with the ratification of the Host Country Agreement contributes to the sustainability of ACB’s operations as an international organization.

“Sustainability for ACB means more benefits for the Philippines and other ASEAN Member States through the Center’s policy coordination and capacity building services, biodiversity knowledge products, and best practices needed to implement the country’s national biodiversity strategy and action plan,” Santiago said.

She added that the Senate action is an important contribution of the Philippines in promoting unity and collaboration among ASEAN Member States and in helping realize the ASEAN Community 2020 target.

“This is also a timely contribution of the Philippines to the global observance of the International Year of Biodiversity 2010. More importantly, the ratification of the Host Country Agreement once again establishes the primacy and leading role of the Philippines and our people, in spearheading through our own experience, practice and knowledge, the most important challenge faced by our generation today, the survival of our planet and its environment,” Santiago emphasized.

In his co-sponsorship speech, Zubiri said majority of the Filipinos and other ASEAN peoples depend upon the region’s rich biodiversity for their daily needs such as food, medicine, shelter, clean water, and a host of ecosystem services.

“The Philippines and all other ASEAN Member States stand to lose a great deal if the battle against unprecedented biodiversity loss is not won,” Zubiri stressed.

As co-sponsor, Legarda said ACB’s recognition as an international organization will enable it to continue its role as a major partner of the Philippines and other ASEAN Member States in conserving biodiversity and in complying with the country’s commitments to various multilateral environment agreements.

Legarda explained that climate change can cause a two to three-degree Celsius rise in global temperature, which may lead to a three-percent decline in the global gross domestic product and a 30-percent risk of extinction of Philippine biodiversity in 50 years to 100 years.

“Biodiversity protection would reduce this risk,” she said. She added that protecting biodiversity would leave a legacy to future generations. She also called for the ACB to financially and technically assist the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) to preserve the region’s wide variety of coral species and fish.

The Coral Triangle supports the largest tuna fisheries in the world, which generates billions of dollars in global income every year. Its healthy reef systems buffer coastal communities from cyclones and tsunamis.

ACB started as the ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC) Project, a joint undertaking of the Philippines, ASEAN, and the European Union from 1999 to 2004. ARCBC was co-managed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and was acknowledged as the first regional initiative that critically addressed the Philippines’ and ASEAN’s rich but highly threatened biodiversity.

Recognizing the need to sustain the momentum made by the project and responding to the call for a permanent regional institution that would reinforce national conservation efforts, the ASEAN Member States agreed to establish the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity in 2005. The Philippines won the bid to host the new ASEAN regional center of excellence and was the first country to ratify ACB’s Establishment Agreement.

The decision of ASEAN to institutionalize the ACB was lauded by many international and multilateral bodies, led by the European Union, prompting them to commit resources that will pave the way for the complete establishment of ACB as a regional intergovernmental institution.

(Story courtesy of PNA Feature)

 

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