Promoting Marine Protected Area Networks in the ASEAN Region
Recalling the fundamental principles of the Convention, expressed in Article II, to take individual or co-operative actions to avoid any migratory species becoming endangered, and to pay special attention to those migratory species whose status is unfavourable, taking appropriate and necessary steps to conserve such species and their habitats,Further recalling the fundamental principles of the Convention, expressed in Article III, to conserve and, where feasible and appropriate, restore those habitats of the species that are of importance in removing the species from danger of extinction,Further recalling Resolution 11.251 on Advancing Ecological Networks to Address the Needs of Migratory Species, which calls upon Parties to develop transboundary area-based conservation measures including protected area and other area systems,1Now consolidated as Resolution 12.7Acknowledging that the globally important marine and coastal biodiversity in the East and South-east Asia region are currently facing complex threats like habitat change, sea level rise and other impacts of climate change, over-exploitation and pollution,Acknowledging also the importance of effectively managed coastal and marine areas to food and energy security, biodiversity conservation, community health, climate change resilience, sustainable livelihoods and economic growth, which is especially true of the South-east and East Asia region, which hosts an immensely rich marine environment, including 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs, 35 per cent of mangroves, about 18 per cent of seagrass meadows,Aware that effectively managed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), as provided for in IUCN’s Protected Area Management Categories and Governance types, including highly protected reserves, are important tools that help conserve the critical habitats, ecosystem services and biodiversity that support human life,Aware also that the Convention on Biological Diversity recognizes that effectively governed protected areas are a proven method for safeguarding both habitats and populations of species and for delivering important ecosystem services,Conscious that the Protected Areas Gap Analysis in the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN Region) (ACB, 2010), reports severe under-representation of marine habitats and ecosystems and absence of protection of 78 per cent, or more than 6 million hectares, of the 82 identified marine Key Biodiversity Areas (mKBAs),Recognizing that due to the complexity of environmental issues and the variety of sectors benefiting from the coastal and marine resources, there is a need to adopt an innovative approach that will address environmental as well as socioeconomic issues in a comprehensive and integrated manner in order to promote optimum resource utilization and sustainable coastal and marine development,Also recognizing that Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) is a dynamic process of planning and management involving stakeholders, and requiring the analysis of the environmental and socioeconomic implications of development, the ecosystem processes, and the interrelationships among land-based and marine-related activities across jurisdictions,Recognizing further the need to strengthen the institutions and implementation process of existing National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPAs) through the application of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) as a process-oriented, holistic, science and ecosystem-based management system and driver for strengthening public and private sector commitments and investments in biodiversity conservation as it will contribute to: a) mobilizing implementation of NBSAPs and related PoWPA processes, b) preventing the extinction of known marine threatened species (e.g. Chinese White Dolphin, Irrawaddy Dolphin, Humphead Wrasse, etc.) as a contribution to Aichi Target 12, c) scaling up the coverage and resilience of habitat building species, namely mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs in areas of globally significant biodiversity and ecosystem services (Aichi Target 11), d) improving the ability of ecosystems to retain their services and adapt to climate changes (Aichi Target 10) that in turn will e) sustain natural marine resource-based livelihoods and eco-businesses,Noting that most of the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs of the countries in the ASEAN have proposed priority coastal and marine ecosystems for designation as MPAs, and proposed measures and actions to address ecological representation, connectivity and management effectiveness,Considering the need to scale up marine biodiversity conservation in the ASEAN Region, identified on the basis of: a) the marine Key Biodiversity Areas (mKBA) process that seeks to address the ecological gaps identified in the current PA identification practice, using criteria of vulnerability and irreplaceability of species, among other equally relevant criteria; b) the Gap Analysis of Protected Areas conducted for the region prepared by ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity highlighting those mKBAs that are unprotected or partially protected; c) the coastal and marine sites identified through the Important Bird Areas (IBAs) process, d) current level of MPA designations in the ASEAN Region (2 per cent); and e) the connectivity patterns among habitats based on results of studies on larval migration,Seeking to strengthen representativeness and connectivity of marine conservation areas using a combination of tools, including Important Bird Areas (IBAs, Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) and Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) sites,Further seeking to conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with Aichi Target 11, national and international laws, based on the best available scientific information that identify sites critical to the persistence of biodiversity and ecosystem services, for the purpose of sustainably using oceans and marine resources essential to human well-being and social and economic development,Recognizing that the ICM approach will provide an enabling framework for improved governance processes, marked by functionality, transparency, accountability and participation, which will have the effect of increasing community confidence and sense of stewardship over resources,The Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals1.Calls upon Parties to continue development of transboundary area-based conservation measures including marine protected areas, particularly in the ASEAN Region;2.Encourages Parties and other Range States of the ASEAN Region to participate in promoting marine protected area networks and connectivity that will improve the identification and governance of important sites for migratory species and support internationally coordinated conservation and management, with support from the CMS Scientific Council, where appropriate;3.Urges Non-Parties to collaborate closely with Parties in the management of transboundary populations of CMS-listed species, including by acceding to CMS and its associated instruments, to support the development and implementation of ecological networks globally;4.Urges also Parties, in line with Targets 10, 11 and 12 of the CBD Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the related Targets 7, 8 and 10 of the Strategic Plan for Migratory Species 2015 – 2023) to expedite efforts in increasing the number and coverage of protected areas, and addressing continued losses in biodiversity, particularly to coastal and marine ecosystems;5.Further urges Parties and Non-Parties to collaborate with existing region-wide networks which includes the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI), the ASEAN Working Groups on National Conservation and Biodiversity (NCB), Coastal and Marine Environment (CME), Climate Change (CC) and mechanisms associated with ASEAN State Officials for Environment (ASOEN) and various other national and regional programs that promote the establishment of marine protected area networks;6.Strongly encourages the participation of the ASEAN Member States to support government implementation of marine biodiversity conservation actions at the regional, national and local levels and scale-up the coverage and effectiveness of marine conservation areas and threatened species protection in South-east and East Asia in support of the implementation of regional strategies and plans of action that address issues relating to the governance of coasts and oceans including but not limited to the ASEAN Heritage Parks Programme, the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs Fisheries and Food Security Regional Plan of Action (CTI-CFF RPOA) and the Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia (SDS-SEA).