NAIROBI, Kenya—In recognition of its contribution to the achievement of global environmental goals, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) officially received its Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) Observer Status from the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). This accreditation was announced during the plenary session of the recently concluded sixth session of the UNEA (UNEA-6). Setting strategic direction for the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEA is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental issues.
ACB Executive Director Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim delivered intervention as first-time IGO at UNEA-6.
‘’We welcome the significant strides that are being taken by UNEA to highlight the synergy among the MEAs, and reinforce collaborations as we grapple with the triple planetary crisis. As the ASEAN region’s centre for excellence for biodiversity, the ACB appreciates MEA synergies as an opportunity for expanding partnerships and maximising resources to achieve multiple objectives’’, cited Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, executive director of the ACB, in her intervention delivered during the plenary.
Dr. Lim said that since the creation of the ACB by the 10 Member States of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2005, it has been facilitating and strengthening regional action in Southeast Asia towards delivering the goals of the CBD and in the process, also achieving the targets set by other multilateral environmental agreements.
‘’By fostering cooperation among the ASEAN Member States and with our dialogue and development partners, as well as other stakeholders, including the private sector, indigenous peoples and local communities, women, and the youth, the ACB, as a regional IGO, contributes to multilateralism and the ASEAN’s whole-of-community approach,” Dr. Lim added.
UNEA-6 focused on how multilateralism can help tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution. The meeting concluded with 15 resolutions, 2 decisions, and a ministerial declaration adopted.
‘’Part of our collective efforts in the ASEAN region is the ACB’s facilitation of the development of the Regional Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan or the “ASEAN Biodiversity Plan,” which will support the implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework and NBSAPs, scale up national action at the regional level, and take into account ASEAN’s common priorities, such as mainstreaming biodiversity across development sectors, the promotion of nature-based solutions to climate change, including the restoration and conservation of mangroves and peatlands, resource mobilisation, capacity enhancement and technology transfer, and developing regional indicators for monitoring and evaluation,’ Dr. Lim said.
UNEA-6 recorded 7,000 delegates from 182 UN Member States, civil society, indigenous peoples, international organisations, scientists, and the private sector in various events held from 19 February to 1 March 2024.
Among the resolutions covered were environmental aspects of minerals and metals, the sound management of chemicals and wastes, and highly hazardous pesticides to sustainable lifestyles, sand and dust storms, land degradation, and environmental assistance and recovery in areas affected by armed conflict. The importance of cooperation with multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) was also underscored during the discussions. The ACB is also an accredited IGO observer of various MEAs including the Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
More than 170 ministers participated in a high-level segment that featured three leadership dialogues and a multi-stakeholder dialogue.
