| James Kon |
ENVIRONMENT ministers yesterday during the 2nd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS) held at the International Convention Centre in Berakas highlighted the need to work together to combat climate change through the protection and conservation of rainforests in their respective countries.
In the keynote address of Asia-Pacific government speeches during the second day of the APRS, Constancio Pinto, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Environment of Timor Leste, highlighted that as a new born country in the region, Timor Leste still faces significant problems on a national level.
The minister said, “The lack of access to alternative energy solutions in communities, unsustainable agriculture practices such as slash and burn methods and unsustainable livestock production as well as expanding harmful industrial activities in forest areas are major challenges for the government in efforts to protect our forests.”
“Many local communities face poverty and lower income levels, so that they are forced to resort to cutting trees to use and sell firewood or to open up new land to practise agriculture. Therefore, it is essential for the leaders in this region to assist each other through capacity development and financial assistance to reduce degradation of our pristine rainforest areas in the Asia-Pacific region. Aside from that, to protect and conserve the rainforests and use their resources sustainably requires political commitment from the leaders in this region,” he said.
Meanwhile, Matai Seremiah, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity of Vanuatu, touched on his country’s exposure to global climate change and Vanuatu’s vows to protect the rainforests.
Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism presenting a memento to Matai Seremiah, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biosecurity of Va-nuatu. – JAMES KON
Development and management of Vanuatu’s forests, he explained, “Is guided by Forest Policy and the sustainable development policies and plan currently in development. Apart from the requirement for sustainable management of the natural forest, the policy requires Vanuatu to establish 20,000 hectares of planted forests by 2020. Achieving this target will place Vanuatu on the route to self-sufficiency in forest products. To achieve this target, Vanuatu has endorsed the Planted Forests Act in 2015 to facilitate development of planted forests.”
Matai Seremiah added, “It is true that we are from different nations, but forests that occur in rainforest nations have only one name, known as Rainforests. Vanuatu will continue to require financial and technical resources to enhance its ambitions towards achieving sustainable landscape management.”
Vaeno Vigulu, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Forestry and Research from the Solomon Islands meanwhile spoke on the country’s initiatives in conserving forests.
He said, “The Solomon Islands have allocated several blocks of forests for conservation, including one of the biggest uninhabited island in the South Pacific, called Tetepare Island. More forest areas currently conserved are going to be officially declared as protected forests for biodiversity management and ecotourism. Large forest protected areas are critical to allow terrestrial biodiversity to live and recover, which has great spillover benefits for the region and the world, helping island rainforests to maintain their critical ecological functions and as an effective carbon sink.”
This 2nd ASPR, he said, “Offers an unprecedented opportunity to once again make a commitment to take heed of scientific findings about anthropogenic changes to climate, and act collectively to accelerate the overall effort to combat climate change through mitigation and adaptation through sustainable management of the rainforests and rehabilitation where natural recovery process failed.”
Bounkham Vorachit, Vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Lao PDR, in her speech called for the private sector involvement in forest rehabilitation activities.
Osea Naiqamu, Fiji Minister for Fisheries and Forests, said, “Adaptation to climate change is an area that will be needing our very close attention, as the effects of climate change has the potential of undermining current national development efforts.”
Steps have also been undertaken with forest owning communities in collaboration with the private sector, non-government organisations (NGOs) and development partners, in the protection and conservation of their forest resources through capacity building and identification of alternative economic opportunities. This has received a lot of support and interest from local communities.
Yin Kim Sean, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment Royal Government of Cambodia, in his speech said, “Cambodia looks forward to collaborating with the global and Asia-Pacific community, our regional neighbour countries, development partners, civil society and the private sector.”
Present for the Asia-Pacific government speeches were Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong, Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism as well as other senior officials and participants of the summit.
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