ASEAN launches Green Initiative
THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) formally launched yesterday Green Initiative, a region-wide program that aims to ramp up restoration efforts and plant at least 10 million native trees in a span of 10 years.
Ahead of the celebration of the 54th anniversary of ASEAN, the virtual launch of the ASEAN Green Initiative (AGI) on Zoom is led by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the ASEAN Secretariat and joined by representatives of the ASEAN Member States, civil society organisations, and the private sector.
Demonstrating the strong cooperation and commitment among the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) to biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration in the region, the AGI aims to set standards for the recognition of tree-planting activities and programmes across the region that not only regrow our forests but contribute to peoples’ well-being, livelihood improvement, and resilience-building.
“Across the ASEAN, there are ongoing commendable efforts in nature restoration. With the AGI, we hope to give recognition to the outstanding initiatives that comprehensively address the concerns of the people and the environment,” said ACB Executive Director Theresa Mundita Lim.
Lim cited various tree planting movements in the ASEAN, such as the aim of Singapore to plant a million trees over a period of 10 years and Malaysia’s 100 million tree-planting campaign.
Dr. Lim, ASEAN Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Kung Phoak and Norsham binti Abdul Latip, senior Undersecretary for Biodiversity and Forestry Management, Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Malaysia, will open the virtual launch. Convention on Biological Diversity Executive Secretary Elizabeth Maruma Mrema will take part in the event through a recorded video message. In a talk show dubbed as “BiodiversiTalks,” representatives of the Communities Organized for Resource Allocation, Metro Pacific Investments Corporation,, Boon Rueang Wetland Forest Conservation Group of Thailand, and the ASEAN Member States will have an exchange of their insights and ongoing biodiversity conservation efforts that may be aligned with the AGI.
The AGI is supported by the European Union and the German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit through the Biodiversity Conservation and Management of Protected Areas in ASEAN (BCAMP) Project, and the Institutional Strengthening of Biodiversity Sector in the ASEAN II Project, respectively.
