tailieunhanh - Asean Biodiversity: Biodiversity in Focus 2010 an Beyond

The fight to stop biodiversity loss is at a critical moment. Species are currently going extinct at up to 1,000 times the natural background rate. Sixty per cent of examined ecosystem services worldwide have been degraded. | Conserve Biodiversity Save Humanity Volume 9 Number 1 January April 2010 ASEAN CENTRE BIODIVERSITY Conserve Biodiversity Save Humanity ASEAN Region s Rich Biodiversity Despite occupying only three percent of the earth s surface the ASEAN region hosts 20 percent of all known species that live deep in the region s mountains jungles rivers lakes and seas. The region includes three mega-diverse states Indonesia Malaysia and the Philippines several bio-geographical units . Malesia Wallacea Sundaland Indo-Burma and the Central Indo-Pacific and numerous centers of concentration of restricted-range bird plant and insect species. ASEAN has one-third translating to 284 000 square kilometers of all coral reefs which are among the most diverse in the world. Common land and water borders have allowed the ASEAN Member States to share many species that are biologically diverse from the rest of the world. All these make the ASEAN region significant to global diversity. The Threat The region s rich biodiversity is heavily under threat. Out of 64 800 known species two percent or 1 312 are endangered. Seven of the world s 25 recognized biodiversity hotspots are in the ASEAN region. If the rate of deforestation continues the region will lose up to three-fourths of its forests and up to 42 percent of its biodiversity by 2100. Eighty percent of coral reefs are at risk due to destructive fishing practices and coral bleaching. Forest conversion forest fires shifting cultivation large-scale mining wildlife hunting and trading population growth and poverty climate change and lack of conservation resources greatly contribute to biodiversity loss. Biodiversity loss could trigger enormous effects on food security health shelter medicine and aesthetic and other life-sustaining resources. Without a concerted effort to protect and conserve biodiversity the ASEAN region s 567 million people and the entire human race would be in danger. ASEAN s