Photo by Karsten Würth on Unsplash
This year marks a crucial midpoint. Four years have passed since the launch of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in 2022, and we have four more years left to achieve this ambitious roadmap of 23 targets by 2030.
Our celebration of International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) offers an opportune moment for us across the ASEAN region and beyond to celebrate what we have done to contribute to the goals and renew our shared commitment to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
As part of our region’s commitment, the ASEAN Biodiversity Plan was developed and launched at the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia. This regional plan guarantees complementarity with the KM GBF, the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and with the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans of ASEAN Member States. While these large-scale regional and national plans, strategies, and activities are fundamental, these would not be complete without local actions.
This year’s theme for the IDB, “Acting Locally for Global Impact”, highlights the important reality that local, on-the-ground initiatives run by individuals, local communities, and key stakeholder groups are a crucial part in achieving global biodiversity targets.
The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), the region’s center of excellence for biodiversity and one of the technical and scientific cooperation support centers chosen by the Convention for Biological Diversity for the implementation of the KM GBF, has always valued local action in its programs and flagship initiatives.
Local action is at the heart of the Small Grants Programme by the ACB, the center’s longest-running program. Since 2014, the grant has played a vital role in protecting biodiversity, supporting natural resource management, and improving the livelihoods of local communities in and around select ASEAN Heritage Parks across Indonesia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
In Myanmar, the grant mobilised local actions among 12 buffer zone communities in the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary to conserve the vast mangrove ecosystem. Led by one of the its partners, the Myanmar Environmental Rehabilitation-Conservation Network, the project established a revolving fund that supported community-based agroforestry and livelihood initiatives and led to the establishment of nurseries for mangrove restoration.
Another notable initiative was implemented in Way Kambas National Park, Indonesia, which has long been known for tourism centred on the endemic Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus ssp. sumatranus). Together with community members, the Kelompok Sadar Wisata, developed ecotourism packages that helped shift traditional mass tourism to a more community-driven model. As communities became more involved, they also developed a stronger appreciation for elephant welfare, viewing the animals not as threats but as partners in local development.
Last month, marked a new phase for the program. In partnership with KfW Development Bank and the European Union, phase III will expand its reach to Cambodia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, and Vietnam—strengthening biodiversity conservation and building community resilience.
This year, we are also accepting nominations for the second staging of the ASEAN Green Initiative, which aims to plant 10 million trees in 10 years across the ASEAN while improving people’s well-being, livelihoods, and resilience. This local action-based program aims to encourage and recognize exemplary ecosystem restoration activities by government agencies, organizations, private sector and individuals.
Community action is also an important component of the Effectively Managing Networks of Marine Protected Areas in Large Marine Ecosystems in the ASEAN Region Project. Implemented by the ACB and the UNDP in Asia and the Pacific through the funding of the Global Environment Facility, this regional initiative works with local communities in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand to enhance the management of networks of marine protected areas and marine corridors within selected large marine ecosystems.
To harness local action for conservation, the project will support various initiatives that advance marine conservation through community-based management, sustainable fisheries, and the protection and restoration of critical coastal and marine ecosystems. One promising example is the “buka tutup gurita”, or the octopus seasonal closure system. Introduced in 2014, this community-led approach regulates octopus harvesting during peak months from June to August.
Responding to the pressing environmental crisis of peatlands and wetlands, the ACB is currently implementing the Enhancing Conservation and Restoration of Wetlands and Peatlands in ASEAN as Effective Sinks and Reservoirs of Greenhouse Gases Project. Funded by the UK Mission to ASEAN through the ASEAN-UK Green Transition Fund, The project works with indigenous peoples and local communities surrounding the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in the Philippines and the Maludam National Park in Malaysia.
While these initiatives ensure inclusive participation of key stakeholder groups, it is equally important for families, small groups and even individuals to step up and contribute to achieving our goals. This is reflected in our #WeAreASEANBiodiversity Campaign. Every ASEAN citizen can and should play a role in biodiversity conservation. No action is too small to count and catalyze a global impact that contributes to our shared mission.
At the personal level, one can start taking interest in nature and biodiversity by joining hiking trips, visiting one of our heritage parks, attending birdwatching sessions and supporting responsible and sustainable ecotourism. This should inspire us to adopt a conscious change in lifestyle by shifting to more sustainable habits such as responsible consumption, more mindful use of resources, properly reducing and segregating waste, refusing single-use plastics, and supporting sustainably sourced products and local businesses.
In a more active role, one can be part of local ecosystem restoration efforts, such as tree planting and growing activities using the right species in the appropriate areas; volunteering in green programs near you; clean-up drives; and not patronizing illegal wildlife trade, among many others. Even the simple act of sharing biodiversity information on social media counts as a means of increasing awareness of the importance of biodiversity conservation! While these may seem like small actions, each one contributes to the solution.
The ACB remains committed to supporting these efforts by facilitating regional cooperation, providing technical assistance, and connecting regional initiatives with local stakeholders to amplify its impact. At this midpoint, we continue to call upon governments, the academe, businesses and the private sector, civil society organizations, communities, and even individuals to work with us and work together in accelerating local action as we approach our 2030 targets.
Let us make every action count in our shared dream of living in harmony with nature.
The author, Dr. Jerome Montemayor, is the Executive Director of the Los Banos-based ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity. He is a development professional and scientist with over three decades of experience in conservation management, sustainable development, and climate action. He is an expert on Philippine peatlands and previously served as Executive Director of the Foundation for the Philippine Environment.
By: Dr. Jerome L. Montemayor
