Policies, Goals and Objectives


have to increase their efforts to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Target 11 of conserving at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures, and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes.


Protected areas usually fall under the legal jurisdiction of a country and are vital for conserving biodiversity and ecosystems. They are also generally recognized by international agreements such as CBD, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the Ramsar Convention. While the gradual improvement in protected areas can be seen as a positive outcome of various efforts in Asia and the Pacific, including the MDGs, national and multinational efforts should give further attention to their sustainable management, including through community participation, equitable access to services, maintenance of species richness and ecological health, especially in light of increasing human disruption and climate change impacts, and to revenue generation to support essential management tasks.


The proportion of species threatened with extinction is another indicator of biodiversity which is considered to be off track. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species shows an alarming increase in the number of threatened species in all taxonomic groups (IUCN 2015) (Figure 3.1.6). Many examples show that species can be brought back from the brink of extinction and their status improved through focused conservation action involving captive breeding, supplementary feeding, habitat management, and prevention of illegal poaching and trade (UN-MDGs 2015).


Many Asia and the Pacific countries are signatories to CITES, which has the power to restrict or even ban international trade that is considered to endanger a species. However, ineffective control of international demand and illegal trade continue to pose a significant threat. Preventing habitat loss


also has to be achieved through maintaining forest cover or preserving protected areas. Coordinated and effective implementation of Aichi Strategic Goal C: To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems, species and genetic diversity and its targets 12, 13 and 14 and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 are vital to bring progress on-track. Consistent monitoring of progress on these related targets and goals in the post-2015 period is also advisable.


3.1.3 Water resources, drinking water and sanitation


The proportion of total water resources used is one of the most difficult indicators to assess because of a lack of readily available data. Relatively little attention was paid to overall water resource management during the MDG implementation period, since most of the focus was on achieving the targets related to drinking water and sanitation. Asia and the Pacific countries are still far behind in generating, updating and sharing information on their water resources. Based on the limited available information, the water resources of the region’s countries can be characterized as falling between abundant, with less than 20 per cent of the available resource being used; through approaching scarcity at 25–60 per cent being used; and scarce at more than 60 per cent being used (Figure 3.1.7).


However, this information alone cannot illustrate the distribution of water security challenges in the region. Unsustainable use of surface water and groundwater, pollution and climate change are major issues in Asia and the Pacific. The region has failed to control pollution of its rivers, more than 80 per cent of which are considered to be in poor health (ADB and APWF 2013). Countries already have multiple policies on water resources as well as specialized ministries and departments to deal with water resources management. However, all policy responses for this issue are uncoordinated and constrained by capacity gaps for implementing them efficiently at the local, national, transboundary and international levels. A global survey has found that integrated water resource management,


125


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212  |  Page 213  |  Page 214  |  Page 215  |  Page 216  |  Page 217  |  Page 218  |  Page 219  |  Page 220  |  Page 221  |  Page 222  |  Page 223  |  Page 224  |  Page 225  |  Page 226  |  Page 227