As part of the effort to build one Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Community by 2015, the ASEAN Foundation and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) have signed an agreement to increase awareness on biodiversity among ASEAN countries.

The agreement, an ASEAN-wide search for Champions of Biodiversity, seeks to enhance the state of biodiversity in Southeast Asia, which is “under grave threat.”

“There’s very little awareness of ASEAN and ASEAN identity. By 2015, ASEAN will be a single production base and a single market to be able to compete in the global market,” ASEAN Foundation executive director Filemon Uriarte, Jr. said.

“This [project] is essential if we’re going to be one ASEAN Community in six years,” he added.

Under the project, one Champion of Biodiversity per category (business, youth, and media) will be selected per ASEAN country, which will compete in the regional competition. The winner in the regional competition will represent ASEAN as the Ambassador of Goodwill for Biodiversity.

According to ACB executive director Rodrigo Fuentes, ASEAN biodiversity is “under pressure” due to economic development, population growth, countries’ efforts to strive for economic prosperity, deforestation, illicit wildlife trade, among others.

Southeast Asia has three megadiverse countries, including the Philippines. The other two are Malaysia and Indonesia. The region also has four countries identified as biodiversity hotspots, including the Philippines.

”We’ve lost about 10 million hectares of forest and land in a span of 10 years,” Fuentes said. “We’re very rich in [natural] resources but on the other hand, we’re on extreme pressure.”

“The government is addressing this but it needs the participation of everyone. Collective action is needed,” Fuentes added.

The ACB said the Japanese government has pegged $44,000 for this activity while the European Commission has provided US$68,000.