Sustainable Mountain Development in South East Asia and Pacific. From Rio 1992 to Rio 2012 and beyond
The report aims to provide an overview and assessment of trends, issues, and challenges for promoting the agenda of sustainable mountain development in the SEAP region since 1992 highlighting the progress made and lessons learned in key sectors and sub-sectors; it covers all the three pillars of sustainable development and scopes out opportunities in the two themes of the Rio+20 – Green Economy and Institutional Framework for sustainable development and poverty reduction.
The Southeast Asia and Pacific (SEAP) mountains comprising of two geographic regions (mainland and island/archipelagic states), forms one of the world’s highest biodiversity pools but the rapid loss of biodiversity has also earned for the region a place among the hottest global biodiversity hotspots. Climate change has made the structurally weak and fragile SEAP Mountains even more vulnerable owing to increased frequency and intensity of rainfall, extreme temperatures and severe tropical storms.
SEAP Mountains are home to a number of indigenous peoples who are marginalized, poor, and underserved by nation states. This is aggravated by global population and economic pressures that have driven migrant lowland settlers, extractive companies that harness the mountains’ timber, mineral and water resources, private investors and lowlanders, toward the mountains. Governments and civil society organizations, international and local donors, and development organizations have played key roles in facilitating development and/or resolving conflicts arising from competing demands by the variety of stakeholders that have laid claim on the mountains’ resources. Because mountains have not been mainstreamed in the governance of most Southeast Asian countries, government policies are generally inadequate to address pressing mountain issues, highlighting the need for effecting policy reforms to protect social and ecological systems in the mountains, strengthen sustainable development, prevent environmental damage, and improve global food security.
SEA Mountains are home to a number of indigenous peoples who are marginalized, poor, and underserved by nation states. This is aggravated by global population and economic pressures that have driven migrant lowland settlers, extractive companies that harness the mountains’ timber, mineral and water resources, private investors and lowlanders, toward the mountains. Governments and civil society organizations, international and local donors, and development organizations have played key roles in facilitating development and/or resolving conflicts arising from competing demands by the variety of stakeholders that have laid claim on the mountains’ resources. Because mountains have not been mainstreamed in the governance of most Southeast Asian countries, government policies are generally inadequate to address pressing mountain issues, highlighting the need for effecting policy reforms to protect social and ecological systems in the mountains, strengthen sustainable development, prevent environmental damage, and improve global food security.
Collaborative efforts in protecting and conserving the mountains are impelled by common awareness on the SEAP Mountains’ benefits and the anticipated adverse impacts of mountain-related disasters on both upland and lowland populations. The melding of traditional knowledge with externally-generated science are also reaping good results toward improving sustainability in resource utilization and in affording opportunities for multi-stakeholder participation to come up with workable solutions to mountain issues and problems. Finally, the more active participation of communities in mountain governance is paving the way for sustainable mountain management practices that will hopefully help put an end to pervasive poverty in the uplands and lead to carefully-planned and community-controlled, sustainable human development which would be the basic elements that can lead the region to sustainable mountain development balancing all the three pillars of sustainable development.
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