Under the theme of Parks for People and Nature, Parliament has set out over the next 10 years to strengthen the system of protected and conservation areas across the region and contribute to achieving the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework under negotiation. identified the most important actions needed to Under the Convention on Biological Diversity.
“This conference was unique in that it brought together voices from young people as well as indigenous peoples and recognized the need to go beyond business-as-usual to strengthen parks for biodiversity conservation and human well-being. ” said Chairman Dr. Madhu Rao. IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA).
Among other achievements, Parliament celebrated the IUCN Green Listing of the Sugud Islands Marine Reserve (SIMCA) in Sabah. This is the first marine protected area in Asia to receive this certification. The conference also led to the development of a number of new collaborative activities, including the launch of a new Asian Youth Network on Protected Areas and a new partnership between Sabah Park and the Korean National Park Service.
Delegates agreed to the Kota Kinabalu Declaration, a powerful statement that aims to communicate important issues from Sabah to the world. The Declaration calls on Asian and world leaders to negotiate strong global goals for protected and conserved areas. These should be implemented with sufficient financial resources to ensure fair and effective outcomes for people and nature. The Declaration focused particularly on the role of indigenous peoples and some local communities as customary owners and custodians of biodiversity and socio-ecological well-being. The Declaration also ensures that indigenous peoples and local communities have full, effective and meaningful access to policy-making fora that may affect their collective and individual rights, as well as their lands, territories and resources. We recognize the importance of participating in
Dr McLarin Rakim, Director of Sabah Park, said: Sabah is committed to achieving his 30 x 30 goal. We hope to proceed with the creation of many new protected areas in the near future, and in particular we are currently well underway with the creation of two new marine protected areas. ”
While many of the participants return home with new friends and new nature experiences through visits to local parks, cultural areas and ecotourism centres, they also bring back the Kota Kinabalu Declaration and its important messages. Help spread the word to colleagues and policymakers. All over Asia.
