ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2009
Despite occupying only 3 percent of the earth's surface, the ASEAN region is home to over 20 percent of all known plant, animal and marine species. Yet it is constantly challenged by habitat and species loss.
Considering these biodiversity resources provide food, shelter, medicine, clothing and other services to over 500 million people, the need to address biodiversity loss has never been more pressing.
From 21 to 23 October 2009, about 300 participants from the region's government, academic and non-governmental sectors gathered for the inaugural ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2009 (ACB2009) at the Republic Polytechnic.
Co-organised by NParks and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), and set against the 2010 target of significantly reducing biodiversity loss, the conference focused on three main areas: climate change and biodiversity, access to genetic resources and sharing of benefits, and economics of ecosystems and biodiversity. Recommendations from the conference were presented at the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the Environment held last month in Singapore.
Minister of State for National
Development, giving her opening
address.
ACB2009 was graced by Senior Minister of State for National Development and Education, Ms Grace Fu. She stressed in her opening address that the implementation of biodiversity strategies and action plans at the local level is critical, and that a holistic approach be adopted to balance the trade-offs between conservation and development.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Aaron Bernstein, co-author of the book "Sustaining Life - How Human Health Depends on Biodiversity", reasoned that our survivability depends on the continued conservation of biodiversity, where natural products from biodiversity resources remain as the major source for new medicines.
Dato' Misrain Karmain, ASEAN Deputy Secretary General, and Ambassador Holger Standertskjöld, Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Singapore, also made opening remarks at the conference.
Garden City (2nd Edition)" by
Dr Ahmed Djoghla.
The Welcome Dinner cum ASEAN Night on 21 October 2009 saw the launch of the second edition of the book "Trees of Our Garden City” by Dr Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
At the end of the conference, 130 participants took the opportunity to visit one of four attractions - TreeTop Walk at MacRitchie Reservoir Park, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, National Orchid Garden and Dairy Farm Nature Park (Singapore Quarry).