CBD Hails Heart Of Borneo Initiative
By Sonia K

Bandar Seri Beagawan - The signing of the declaration on the Heart of Borneo initiative to protect the rainforests of Borneo demonstrates "the commitment to conserve one of the world's most spectacular transboundary tropical rainforest biodiversity hotspots," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia signed the declaration in Bali, Indonesia on Monday. CBD is one of the most broadly subscribed international environmental treaties in the world.

"The endorsement of the Heart of Borneo conservation initiative is a firm step toward achieving the 2010 biodiversity target, and implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity's programmes of work on protected areas and forest biological diversity," he said in a statement.

The initiative aims to set up a network of transboundary protected areas across the borders of these three countries to maximise linkages, forest connectivity and sustainable land-use practises for effective management and conservation, the statement said.

"This decision, taken at the Third Summit of the East Asean Growth Area, is of the greatest political significance and concretises the initiative taken by these countries during the eighth meeting of the

Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity held in Curitiba, Brazil in 2006," he said.

The initiatives also serve to highlight South-South cooperation on biodiversity, for which the `Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in partnering with the Group of 77, is in the process of preparing a multi-year programme of work to implement the three objectives of the Convention, the press release said.

In the era of the new enhanced phase of implementation of the Convention and greater focus on the achievement of the 2010 biodiversity target, the Heart of Borneo initiative is a testimony to the resolve of these three Asean countries to spare no effort to meet the challenges of protecting life on Earth, and he congratulates them for their political will and commitment, he said.

Meanwhile, the EU Presidency welcomed the Declaration of the Ministers responsible for Forestry and Natural Resources of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia on the Heart of Borneo Initiative.

The declaration is seen as an encouraging signal. The Heart of Borneo initiative provides the basis for the decisive action necessary to ensure sustainable management of natural forests and effective conservation of protected areas, so promoting the welfare of the people of Borneo and the protection of Borneo's unique natural resources. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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