Welcome to the new edition of our bi-monthly Newsletter! We hope you will enjoy this first issue and find the new format easy to read and content enriched following our internal restructure of news distribution!
To this end, the Newsletter will be launched every two months starting with this June edition while the sharing of news with the SNRD Africa will continue to take place via a distribution email.
I seize this opportunity to thank all those who have submitted their contributions for this Issue, the editorial team and our dear reader for your continued support and belief in our Sector Network, which has resulted in the growing numbers of members and diverse project and working group portfolios across the region.
Having said that, we would like to warmly welcome our two new Speakers for WG Biodiversity, Nicole Bendsen, and for WG Adaptation to Climate Change, Michael Wahl. A big thanks to Ottilie Mooshofer for leading the Biodiversity WG until last month and a big thanks also to Julian Derbidge and his working group members of Mekong +. After many active years, they completed their tasks as a WG and consequently decided to discontinue the WG Mekong+, a decision confirmed during the joint conference meeting in Bangkok.
Please also take note of two more important updates: WG Coastal Zone Management has now changed its name to H2O (Hill to Ocean) and the Task Force on Green Education evolved into a WG under Michael Trockenbrodt. For detailed updates, please read on “Spotlight” section to find out more.
If you have any queries, feedbacks, or suggestions regarding the content, please do not hesitate to contact our PR Officer in Bangkok, Khun Sara (anusara.tanpitak@giz.de) or visit snrd-asia.org for more information.
On that note, I wish you all the best and every success for your working groups and projects.
Best regards,
Berthold Schirm
SNRD Asia Spokesperson
Our Common Future under Climate Change International Scientific Conference Jul 7 - Jul 10, 2016
Paris, France
Biodiversity conservation for human wellbeing Jul 17 - Jul 22, 2016
Isle of Vilm, Germany
Marine biodiversity conservation and fisheries management: Exploring options for enhanced integration Jul 24 - Jul 29, 2016
Isle of Vilm, Germany
Championing the SDGs How GIZ steps up policy integration efforts in Asia
Thanks to the statistics by the United Nations, we now know that about one in five persons in developing countries live on less than $1.25 per day; that water scarcity, poor water equality and drought afflict many parts of the world’s poorest regions; and that climate change is affecting lives and threatening communities at an unprecedented rate more than ever today. And even more tomorrow.
Adaptation to Climate ChangeBangkok--- 31 participants from 11 countries (Bangladesh, Fiji, Germany, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam) discussed adaptation topics and created 3 thematic groups on the following:
1. Planning and Finance (including NAP, NDC on Adaptation)
2. Community- and Ecosystem-based Adaptation
3. MRV & Information
Interested colleagues who were not able to participate in the meeting are invited to join the thematic work. Please contact the WG speaker or his tandem partner for more information: Michael at: Michael.Wahl@giz.de, or Susanne at: Schwan@giz.de
BiodiversityThrough two sub-working groups on Protected Areas and Economics of Ecosystems, the exchange of experiences and tools, as well as the conduct of trainings will remain in the focus. The WG also intends to revise existing biodiversity monitoring system, discuss ABS-based value chains, raise the awareness on human-rights, and create a bridge to the ICT for Development community of practice. Lastly, we encourage everyone interested to enroll in the training on “Basics of Biodiversity and Human Well-Being” offered by AIZ Bangkok in October 2016.
REDD+22 members of the REDD+ WG met on June 3rd to exchange on REDD+ and other forest related topics and identified areas of interest for future exchange/cooperation. The meeting covered a broad range of topics starting with a reflection of COP 21 and the Paris Agreement including the role of REDD+ and the forestry sector as well as climate financing opportunities through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Colleagues from the Programme for Sustainable Value Chains and Standards presented and discussed the results of a scoping mission on Deforestation-Free Supply Chains for Agricultural Commodities i.e. palm oil in Indonesia.
In addition to the inputs from GIZ Headquarters, the WG colleagues presented and discussed the importance of safeguards for REDD+ with piloting experiences from the Philippines, a low cost forest monitoring approach using dot grid interpretation of google earth images, the linkages between REDD+ and FLEGT, Reduced Impact Logging (RIL) and cooperation with the private sector in Indonesia, the status quo of REDD+ in Melanesia, carbon rights in Fiji as well as a new VCS methodology for REDD+ activities in landscapes affected by mosaic deforestation and degradation.
Green EducationThe recent SNRD Asia/TUEWAS conference in Bangkok was used to gauge the interest in the topic among the membership of the sector networks. Task Force members organized two thematic workshops on ‘Green Education’ that attracted more than 30 members from both sector networks. 12 members met again on the last day of the conference and decided to continue the work of the Task Force in form of a Working Group proper which is open to members of both sector networks.
Dr. Shailendra Dwivedi, a TUEWAS member working on the ‘Support to Ganga Rejuvenation’ in India was suggested as co-speaker and endorsed by the meeting. The new set up still has to be formalized but the Working Group members are optimistic that they will be able to raise awareness about the importance of transformative green education for successful development cooperation.
In this section, you will find some focus articles contributed by our Working Group members. For this issue, please read on to see contribution from the WG Hills 2 Oceans.
Philippines’ Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park declared an ASEAN Heritage Park
PALAWAN province – The Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a UNESCO Heritage Site since 1993, has been declared an ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Heritage Park.
The declaration by the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS) follows their recognition of
Science-based expansion of the Tri-National Turtle Corridor Sulu Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME) Project
Marine turtles are integral components of the Sulu-Sulawesi marine ecosystems, and a priority conservation component of the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape programme. Similarly, these are also a priority under the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia Marine Turtle
SEAG-N Alumni Network Undertakes the Learning Resource Materials Development on Climate Change for the Education Sector
In response to the ever growing need of educating the public on climate change and its impacts, the Southeast Asia Green Network (SEAG-N) is currently undertaking the “Learning Resource Material Development on Climate Change for the Education Sector” project.
Collaboration between CTI-CFF and GIZ Concerning the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape
Jakarta, 3 March 2016 – The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) declaring their mutual interest in
Philippines’ Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park declared an ASEAN Heritage Park
From 19-21 April 2016, ten marine spatial planning experts from various intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations and 6 countries met in Frankfurt, Germany to test the new training course called “Blue Planning in Practice”.
This photo is taken at the recent joint conference in Bangkok where Philipp Magiera, TUEWAS Spokesperson, on the left, and Berthold Schirm, SNRD Asia Spokesperson, on the right, symbolizing the two SNs in a new era of working towards the realization of global agenda 2030. This commitment paved way for a Task Force to be established to work specifically on Sustainable Development Goals and the decision to have a joint permanent Secretariat housing the two networks in Bangkok.
The Biodiversity WG had to bid farewell to three key members during its session on June 3rd. Both Ottilie Mooshofer, as speaker, and Gerrit Quarlitz as her support, will be leaving the region. The WG is very thankful for their continuous support and motivation, and hopes that the newly elected speaker, Nicole Bendsen, and co-speaker, Oemar Idoe, will keep up the productive spirit. Also Luis Waldmueller handed over his position as tandem partner to Paulina Campos, but will continue putting forth the topic of biodiversity in the agricultural WG.
Berater (m/w) mit Schwerpunkt Anpassung an den Klimawandel, Management natürlicher Ressourcen/landwirtschaftliche Wertschöpfungsketten in der Nordostregion Indiens
Published by SNRD Asia Secretariat
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
DENR-BMB, Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center
North Avenue, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
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