Background
Partner: Republic of Korea
The ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Project (AKECOP) was an offshoot of a need for the environment sector in ASEAN to partner with the Republic of Korea (ROK) to address numerous environmental problems in the region. The ROK responded with the AKECOP to contribute to the sustainable management of forest and natural resources in the ASEAN region through collaboration in research and education. The ROK has financially supported the Project’s activities under the title “Restoration of Degraded Forest Ecosystem in the Southeast Asian Tropical Regions” during its Phase 1and 2 (01 July 2000 – 30 June 2008) implementation. ROK expanded its financial support to the Project for Phase 3 (targeting degraded terrestrial and mangrove forest ecosystems) up to 2011. Under the recommendation from the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN Working Group on nature Conservation and Biodiversity (AWGNCB), AKECOP strengthened its collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB).
Between ACB and the AKECOP, both co-organized the “conservation campus” program during the 2012 International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) World Conservation Campus on 06 – 12 September 2012 in Jeju, Korea. This was followed by a signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between AKECOP and ACB in November 2013 to seal the partnership.
Objectives and Approach
The main goal of the AKECOP from 2015 – 2016 is to enhance the capacity of the AMS in managing their forests and mangrove ecosystems by providing low carbon green livelihood for the people while rehabilitating degraded areas and maintaining wood biomass to contribute for the mitigation of climate change in the region.
This project duration would produce a state-of-the-art report on forest restoration activities currently being conducted in the AMS and serve as a basis for improving the capacity of AKECOP researchers in conducting research related to climate change, biodiversity issues and, among others, dealing with the different types of forest ecosystems in the region, including mangrove ecosystems. Regional research will focus on restoration, poverty reduction, bio-energy, climate change mitigation, agroforestry, and biodiversity conservation.
For more info: ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation Project | ACB | ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (aseanbiodiversity.org)