LAGUNA -- The ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity welcomes the first official draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), saying the upcoming negotiations to finalise the framework at the global level are opportunities for the ASEAN region to make its collective voice heard.

“The CBD released today the first official draft of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework after several months of negotiations, in which the ASEAN Member States as parties have actively participated. The draft, which has considered more than 2,000 comments from the science community, policy leaders, indigenous peoples, and civil society, is a product of robust multilateralism across the world,” ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim said at the ASEAN Seminar on Multilateralism hosted online on 13 July 2021 by Brunei Darussalam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Brunei Darussalam is the current chair of the 10-member regional bloc.

Lim said the framework is crucial to the ASEAN and the world as it will serve as the blueprint to bring about a transformation in society's relationship with biodiversity and to ensure that, by 2050, the shared vision of living in harmony with nature is achieved.

“There will be tough and drawn-out discussions leading up to the framework’s finalisation and adoption at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Kunming, China later this year or next year. These are opportunities for the region to harness multilateralism and let its collective voice be heard to influence the outcome of the framework in a manner that promotes the common interests of the region,” she said.

The ASEAN Member States actively participated in several meetings and discussions as part of the preparation of the first draft. Most recently at the Third ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity held virtually, officials and representatives of the member states shared their perspectives on the framework.

Some member states expressed hope for an ambitious but realistic framework that can be translated into concrete actions especially as they face difficult challenges in recovering from the pandemic, highlighting the importance of integrating biodiversity into key development sectors and nature-based solutions as part of strategic planning processes.

The draft framework, which builds on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 comprises 21 targets and 10 milestones proposed for 2030. (ACB)