WWF - WWF Greater Mekong Programme

Dogs to sniff out the state of Vietnam's critically endangered rhinos

2009-11-20

Vietnam – Highly trained detection dogs are being used help to determine the population status of the Javan rhino in Vietnam, in an attempt to save one of the world’s rarest mammals from extinction.

WWF researchers have teamed up with national park rangers using two detection dogs from the United States to determine the population status of the Javan rhinos in the forests of southern Vietnam, home to one of the world’s last two remaining populations of the species.

Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) were thought to be extinct on mainland Southeast Asia until hunters in Vietnam killed an individual rhino in 1988. It is believed less than ten remain, but no conclusive survey has ever been conducted to verify this.

“The Javan rhino is possibly the rarest large mammal on Earth,” said Sarah Brook, leader of the WWF rhino project in Vietnam. “This field survey aims to reveal the secrets of Vietnam’s little known Javan rhino population in an effort to save it from extinction.”

Samples of the dung will be sent to Queen’s University in Canada where DNA analysis will detect the sex and number of animals. The Zoological Society of London will carry out a hormone analysis to show the animal’s breeding capability.

After just five days of surveying the area, seven rhino dung samples have been found. These specimens have given the project team confidence that they will be able to gather all the necessary scientific information. The results of these analyses will be used to formulate an urgent rhino conservation plan.

“The rhino is not only a rare animal unique to this country, but protecting the rhino is a flagship for conservation efforts in Vietnam,” said Hien Tran Minh, Country Director for WWF Vietnam. “If we lose the rhino the future does not look good for Vietnam’s other rare and endemic species.”

The Javan rhino is a highly valued commodity in the illegal wildlife trade, with the rhino horn, skin and faeces used for medicinal purposes. Habitat encroachment from agricultural expansion and planned hydropower development also pose increasing threats to this small population.

To improve protection for rhinos and other wildlife threatened by poachers, WWF in collaboration with the Asian Rhino project is supporting local communities to join the Forest Protection Department and national parks staff.

‘Rhinomania’, a blog written by the WWF team, will keep the public up to date on the rhino survey as well as on life in the national park.

Emerging hope for the critically endangered Mekong dolphins

2009-11-20

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – His Excellency Nao Thuok, Director General of the Cambodian Fisheries Administration, recently hosted an informal meeting of national and international experts to discuss urgent conservation actions for the critically endangered Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin.

“It is time for all of us to think carefully about how to conserve and recover this increasingly small population of Mekong dolphins. Today is an important step toward building an urgent recovery plan,” said H.E Nao Thuok in his opening statement to the informal meeting at the Fisheries Administration headquarters on October 28.
The Mekong River population of Irrawaddy dolphins has been declining since the mid 1970s. A 2008 Fisheries Administration and WWF study estimates about 70 Irrawaddy dolphins remain in the river, and there is evidence to suggest this population is in danger of extinction.

Recognising the urgency of the situation, in August of this year, the Cambodian Government approved a Sub-decree listing the Mekong dolphin among 58 endangered species protected under Cambodian law. However, despite such progress by the Cambodian Government to conserve and protect the dolphins, additional conservation measures are still urgently needed.

“The Mekong River dolphin is a revered species and an important part of the natural heritage of Cambodia. Its disappearance would represent a tragic loss,” said Dr Randall Reeves, Chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Cetacean Specialist Group, and spokesperson for the international expert panel.

“Our best chance of saving this iconic species from extinction is through joint conservation action,” said Seng Teak, Director of WWF Cambodia. “WWF is committed to continuing work with the Fisheries Administration and the Dolphin Commission on an immediate conservation plan.”

During the meeting, local and international experts presented population and mortality studies on the species, in addition to discussing lessons learned from the extinction of the Baiji dolphin in China.

“If you don’t move quick enough your population will be gone,” said Professor Wang Ding from the Institute of Hydrobiology in The Chinese Academy of Sciences during his presentation on the demise of the Baiji dolphin.

The Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin is ranked as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List, and CITES Appendix 1, the highest international forms of threat ranking for endangered species.

The panel of national and international experts put forward key recommendations for immediate conservation action these include, improved enforcement of fishery regulations in collaboration with local communities, data sharing and the quick examination of any dolphin carcasses to determine cause of death.

Participants in the informal meeting included representatives from the Fisheries Administration, Kratie and Stung Treng provincial fisheries authorities, The Mekong River Commission, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Zoological Society of London, the California Marine Mammal Centre, the United States National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, IUCN, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and WWF.

Famed clam fishery first to receive MSC certification in Southeast Asia

2009-11-10

Hanoi, Vietnam – The Ben Tre clam fishery in Vietnam has received Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification, becoming the first fishery in Southeast Asia to meet the organization’s sustainability and management standards.

The nationally renowned Ben Tre hard clams (Meretrix lyrata) are hand picked using metal rakes and collected into mesh sacks. Once collected, the clams are sold to domestic markets and exported to Europe, the US, Japan, China and Taiwan.

Ben Tre province covers a 65-kilometre coastal area and contains more than 4,800 hectares of protected mangroves. In this important region of tremendous biodiversity, the clam fishery plays a vital economic role.

The fishery is operated by a local cooperative that provides close management and surveillance of the broodstock and harvestable clams within their area. Support and advice are provided to the cooperative by the Ben Tre People’s Committee Department of Fisheries and the Ben Tre Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). Ben Tre DARD and WWF co-sponsored the MSC certification process.

“Although our clams are largely familiar to the EU market, we are still thinking of ways to better promote our business overseas,” said Tran Thi Thu Nga, Vice Director of Ben Tre DARD. “MSC certification gives us the right to promote our products with the credible MSC ecolabel to customers worldwide.”

“I congratulate the Ben Tre clam fishery on their MSC certification. This is an historic occasion – the first small-scale, community-based fishery in South East Asia to achieve MSC certification,” said MSC Chief Executive Rupert Howes. “I am also delighted to hear that certification is already bringing benefits to the communities who depend upon this sustainable resource and very much hope other Vietnamese fisheries will soon come forward into the third-party assessment process.”

In 1997, provincial authorities established the Rang Dong Fishery Cooperative, which is co-operated and managed by the fishing community. In 2007, the Cooperative’s profits reached 40 billion VND (approximately 2.2 million USD), greatly improving the income of its members. Already, ten additional clam cooperatives have now been established, forming an alliance of cooperatives that covers all clam areas in Ben Tre.

“It is our pleasure to contribute to the first MSC certification in Vietnam and in Southeast Asia,” said WWF’s Fisheries Officer Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy. “One of our major tasks is to harmonize economic development with the maintenance of the natural environment. MSC certification of the Ben Tre clam fishery is such a success. Importantly, the Ben Tre fishery can now serve as a model sustainable fishery at both national and regional levels.”

“As the first MSC-certified fishery in Southeast Asia, the Ben Tre clam fishery will play a key role in demonstrating how certification can conserve resources, preserve local communities, and positively impact the bottom line for business – all at the same time,” said Meredith Lopuch, deputy director of the WWF-US Fisheries Program’s Major Buyer Initiative.

The government of Vietnam and the MSC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in May 2005 declaring their joint commitment to encourage sustainable fishing in the country by promoting and facilitating MSC certification. The initial agreement was for three years and renewed in 2008.

“Vietnam was the first nation-state to publicly commit to using MSC certification to promote sustainable fishing,” said Howes. “Today, with the certification of the Vietnamese Ben Tre clam fishery, we are celebrating the first successful MSC certification in South East Asia. This confirms Vietnam’s pioneering role in advancing sustainable fisheries management in the region.”

“I would also very much like to thank WWF for their partnership and support working with the Ben Tre fishery towards MSC certification,” said Howes. “Today, Ben Tre fishery joins ranks with a number of other fisheries that have achieved MSC certification with the support of WWF.”

The MSC recently announced the addition of a Risk Based Framework (RBF) to the MSC Fisheries Assessment Methodology (FAM). The RBF enables fisheries with limited data to undergo assessment to the MSC standard.

The Ben Tre clam fishery was one of the pilot fisheries involved in the testing of the RBF methodology, but was ultimately assessed using the conventional methodology in use at the time.

Green Office “cool” at the British Embassy

2009-11-03

The number of “Green Offices” in Vietnam has grown with the British Embassy in Hanoi, the British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City and the Department for International Development Vietnam (DFID Vietnam) becoming the newest members of WWF Vietnam’s Green Office programme.

There are now five certified Green Offices in business and government sectors in Vietnam and more than 130 around the world.

To qualify as a Green Office, the embassy, the consulate general and DFID Vietnam implemented an environmental management plan to reduce their consumption of electricity and paper, reduce transport emissions, and educate staff in sustainable practices and climate change mitigation.

"The UK team deals with the big issue of global warming and climate change with every smallest effort,” British Ambassador Mark Kent says. “We also have a pro-active Green Team, a hub for many office-greening innovations. The Green Office has helped us to make a big difference.”

But it’s not only the planet which benefits from Green Office. As Ambassador Kent explains: “We have even launched our casual Fridays when people wear T-shirts or jeans to work (to avoid sweating and using air-cons); obviously, greening is cool here!"

In only three months, the embassy reduced paper consumption by 20 percent by encouraging staff to stop unnecessary printing and to print on both sides of the paper. Plastic bag consumption was reduced by 20 per cent by switching to reusable canvas bags.

At DFID Vietnam, there was a 16 per cent reduction in electricity consumption achieved by reminding staff to turn off lights and appliances when not in use, and activating the energy-saving functionality of office equipment.

WWF Vietnam Country Programme Manager Ruth Mathews congratulated the embassy on their results, which showed that “business and government sectors know that it’s everyone’s responsibility to protect the planet’s natural wealth”.

“By successfully completing the audit and certification process, you have demonstrated that you are taking practical measures to make a personal, measurable difference to the fight against climate change.”

Climate change in the Mekong

2009-10-23

Hanoi, 24 October 2009- Today, International Climate Action Day unites the world in the fight against climate change, an issue of grave importance to Vietnam as the region is already strongly affected by climate change. A lack of immediate action on climate change will come at great cost to the region, states a new WWF report on climate change.

Through the release of this new report, and in the months leading to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, WWF Vietnam is working to engage people in climate change and to increase Vietnam’s presence in the world forum. The success of awareness raising campaigns such as Earth Hour already show the commitment of the Vietnamese government and its citizens towards a climate change deal that will protect people and protect the planet.

Sea level rise is threatening the country’s coastal communities and changes to the climate are stressing ecosystems. A one-meter rise in sea-level could drastically devastate nine key biodiversity hotspots in the Mekong Delta alone.

Between 1951 and 2000, it is estimated that Vietnam’s average temperature has increased by 0.7°C. Such climate changes exacerbate current regional pressures such as habitat loss, poorly planned infrastructure and unsustainable natural resource extraction, further degrading ecosystems, threatening livelihoods, and undercutting the region’s social and economic future.

All sectors in Vietnam will be affected by climate change and adaptation measures must be integrated into existing development plans The most promising approaches are those that use natural ecosystem defenses to buffer development and livelihoods.

In its report, WWF recommends three key climate change adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability across the Greater Mekong region, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southwest China. These strategies include the protection of regional ecosystems, a reduction in non-climate related stresses such as unsustainable infrastructure and over extraction of natural resources, and the implementation of a regional climate change adaptation agreement.

“The Mekong Delta is one the most vulnerable deltas to climate change in the world and understanding these vulnerabilities and how healthy ecosystems can strengthen the ability of communities to cope with climate change is an important step toward adapting to climate change.” explains Trine Glue Đoàn, Climate Change Advisor for WWF Vietnam.

Regional cooperation will be a significant part of facing the threat of climate change.

For more information:

Jonathan De Luca
Communications Officer
WWF Greater Mekong – Vietnam Programme
39 Xuan Dieu Rd, Tay Ho dist., Hanoi
Tel. 84-4-3719 30 49, ext.136
Fax. 84-4-3719 30 48
E-mail: wwf.jonathan.deluca@gmail.com

The Greater Mekong & Climate Change Report

2009-10-02

Bangkok, Thailand - The Greater Mekong region is already strongly affected by climate change and a lack of immediate action will come at great cost to the region, states a new WWF report released during the UN climate change talks in Bangkok.

Average daily temperatures across Southeast Asia have already increased between 0.5 and 1.5ºC over the last 50 years, and temperatures are predicted to rise between 2ºC to 4ºC in the Greater Mekong region by the end of the century. These changes have negatively affected the area, which is one of the most biologically diverse in the world.

“Greater regional cooperation and coordination among Mekong nations is necessary to best cope with the impacts of climate change,” said Geoffrey Blate, Climate Change Coordinator for the WWF Greater Mekong Programme. “Maintaining ecosystem health across borders and over larger areas is likely the most cost efficient and effective long term adaptation strategy available.”

Already sea level rise is threatening the region’s coastal communities and changes to the climate are stressing ecosystems. Land is being lost in coastal zones, glacial melting in the Himalayas may impact the region’s major river flows, and wetlands will either dry up or flood out.

Such climate changes exacerbate current regional pressures such as habitat loss, poorly planned infrastructure and unsustainable natural resource extraction, further degrading the ecosystems upon which the region’s social and economic future depends.

In its report, WWF recommends three key climate change adaptation strategies to reduce vulnerability across the region, which comprises Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and southwest provinces of China. These strategies include the protection of regional ecosystems, a reduction in non-climate stresses such as unsustainable infrastructure and over extraction of natural resources, and the implementation of a regional climate change adaptation agreement.

“There is a leadership opportunity here to champion what would be Asia’s first regional climate change adaptation agreement to help Greater Mekong nations prepare for the inevitable impacts of climate change,” said Blate.

But the report stresses that without decisive action on a global scale it would be very hard to avoid the worst impacts. It urges politicians to strike an ambitious and fair agreement on a climate treaty at upcoming talks in Copenhagen.

“Rich and developed nations must make deep emission cuts and commit to significant financial help to assist vulnerable regions such as the Greater Mekong,” said Kim Carstensen, Leader, WWF Global Climate Initiative.

For further information contact:

Nicole Frisina, Communications Officer, Greater Mekong Programme
Email: nicole.frisina@wwfgreatermekong.org
Mobile: +66807806035

Natalia Reiter, Media Officer, WWF International
Email: nreiter@wwfint.org
Mob: +41 79 873 8099

Ashwini Prabha, (English, Hindi, Fijian)
aprabha@wwfint.org
Mob: +41 79 874 1682

Notes to the Editor

• To download the full report go to: http://www.divshare.com/folder/609576-f98

• WWF is working with governments and industry of the six Greater Mekong nations to conserve and sustainably manage 600,000 km2 of transboundary forest and freshwater habitats in this unique and rapidly changing land.

• The Greater Mekong grouping of countries is committed to increasing cooperation for accelerated economic development as facilitated by the Asian Development Bank. Economic activity and associated investments in infrastructure development is concentrated along three "economic corridors" that crisscross the region and have the potential both to lift the region's rural populations out of poverty but also to exacerbate existing threats, ultimately depleting the natural resource base upon which long-term development of the region depends.

• Sixteen of WWF’s Global 200 ecoregions, critical landscapes of international biological importance, are found in the Greater Mekong. These landscapes are home to rare Asian elephants and Indochinese tigers, and one of only two populations of Javan rhino in the world. In addition to rare populations of Irrawaddy dolphins, the Mekong River basin is estimated to house at least 1,300 species of fish, including the Mekong giant catfish, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. By length, the Mekong is the richest waterway for biodiversity on the planet, fostering more species per unit area than the Amazon. Many of the species are endemic to the region.

First rattan association of Cambodia, a step to sustainable rattan industry

2009-10-01

Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Eleven rattan small and medium enterprise owners and other community rattan processors from Phnom Penh and provinces meet on September 28th to officially form Cambodia’s first rattan association. The agenda will focus on election of a management committee and discussion over conditions and roles of current and future memberships.

"While the association is perceived by members as creating space and opportunity for key actors in the rattan production chain to meet and work together, this institutional initiative is described as a fundamental first step to achieve the goal of maintaining sustainable rattan production and supply. We are delighted to support this project and this activity in particular," said the representative of the European Commission's Delegation in Phnom Penh.

“The formation of the rattan association is critical to ensure understanding of community suppliers, processors and traders about the need to maintain sustainable supply of rattan for clean and better production,” said Mr Lip Cheang, a founder of the rattan association and owner of Kampuchea Samay Thmei rattan factory.

Fast growing economies elsewhere in the region are motivating rapid expansion of processing activities leading to demand for rattan resource at an unsustainable level. There is urgent need to establish a model of sustainable production that can support continuous growth of rattan in forests, while maintaining seasonal harvesting and sustainable supply.

“This is the right time for moving forward with concrete actions that help the development of rattan industry of Cambodia if the country is to export clean and high quality products into international markets, while continuing to sustainably manage rattan resource in forest,” said Mr Ou Ratanak, Rattan Project Manager from WWF.

The rattan association will first of all put a legal identity to a group of rattan suppliers and processors. Such an identity is important for the recognition of their action and goal by national and international societies.

“As a legally established entity, we can make our voice heard when we need support from the Government, for instance, with coordination from WWF and NGO partners, we will meet and dialogue with relevant ministries to obtain licence for our business so that we can legally export our products in the future,” Mr Lip Cheang said.

One of the operational objectives of the association is to also provide Cambodian processors with new knowledge and experience related to rattan, processing techniques, trade and markets. This will be the key learning platform and guide for them to improve their processing and product quality.

“The project identified that processors and exporters are not familiar with using the environmentally-friendly production techniques and that there is lack of understanding about international market requirements,” Mr Ratanak said.

“Limited skill to creatively diversify design and style also refrain Cambodian products from being competitive in the international market,” he added.

WWF is working with Institute for Environmental Science and Technology based in Hanoi and Artisans Association of Cambodia to improve the current non environmentally friendly production practices of rattan as such: wasteful use of rattan during processing, poor grading and storing as well as chemical use, which has negative impacts on the environment and therefore affects the product quality.

“One of the project’s major objectives, funded by European Union, is to engage small and medium enterprises in Cleaner Production, which aim at introducing proper techniques for processing activities to ensure a system of quality assurance,” said Mr Thibault Ledecq, Rattan Programme Manager from WWF.

For more information, contact:
asnarith.tep@wwfgreatermekong.org

New species discovered in the Greater Mekong at risk of extinction due to climate change

2009-09-22

Greater Mekong - A bird eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it’s from another planet and a bird which would rather walk than fly, are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report launched by WWF ahead of UN climate talks in Bangkok.

During 2008 alone, scientists identified these rare and unique species within the jungles and rivers of the Greater Mekong, including a bird eating fanged frog that lies in streams waiting for prey, one of only four new species of musk shrew to be described in recent times, and a leopard gecko whose “other world” appearance – orange eyes, spindly limbs and technicolour skin – inspired the report’s title Close Encounters.

Such is the immense biodiversity of this region that some discoveries such as the tiger-striped pitviper were made by accident.

“We were engrossed in trying to catch a new species of gecko when my son pointed out that my hand was on a rock mere inches away from the head of a pitviper! We caught the snake and the gecko and they both proved to be new species,” said Dr Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in California.

Close Encounters spotlights species newly identified by science including 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 2 mammals and a bird, all discovered in 2008 within the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia that spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan.

The reluctant flyer, Nonggang babbler, was observed walking longer distances than flying. It would only use its wings when frightened.

“After millennia in hiding these species are now finally in the spotlight, and there are clearly more waiting to be discovered,” said Stuart Chapman, Director of the WWF Greater Mekong Programme.

But no sooner are these new species discovered than their survival is threatened by the devastating impacts of climate change, the report warns.

Recent studies show the climate of the Greater Mekong region is already changing. Models suggest continued warming, increased variability and more frequent and damaging extreme climate events.

Rising seas and saltwater intrusion will cause major coastal impacts especially in the Mekong River delta, which is one of the three most vulnerable deltas on Earth, according to the most recent International Panel on Climate Change report.

“Some species will be able to adapt to climate change, many will not, potentially resulting in massive extinctions,” said Chapman.

“Rare, endangered and endemic species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats,” he said.

Often these newly discovered species are highly dependent on a limited number of species for their survival. If they respond to climate change in a way that disrupts this closely evolved relationship it puts them at greater risk of extinction.

Over the next two weeks, government delegates will meet in Bangkok, Thailand, for the next round of UN climate change talks in the lead up to the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December, where the world is scheduled to agree on a new global climate treaty.

“The treasures of nature are in trouble if governments fail to agree a fair, ambitious and binding treaty that will prevent runaway climate change,” said Kathrin Gutmann, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“Protecting endangered species and vulnerable communities in the Greater Mekong and elsewhere around the world depends on fast progress at the UN talks in Bangkok - a hugely important conference that can lay the groundwork for success at the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December.”

Close Encounters: new species discoveries in the Greater Mekong

2009-09-16

A bird eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it’s from another planet and bird which would rather walk than fly, are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report launched by WWF ahead of UN climate talks in Bangkok.

During 2008 alone, scientists identified these rare and unique species within the jungles and rivers of the Greater Mekong, including a bird eating fanged frog that lies in streams waiting for prey, one of only four new species of musk shrew to be described in recent times, and a leopard gecko whose “other world” appearance – orange eyes, spindly limbs and technicolour skin – inspired the report’s title Close Encounters.

Such is the immense biodiversity of this region that some discoveries such as the tiger-striped pitviper were made by accident.

“We were engrossed in trying to catch a new species of gecko when my son pointed out that my hand was on a rock mere inches away from the head of a pitviper! We caught the snake and the gecko and they both proved to be new species,” said Dr Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in California.

Close Encounters spotlights species newly identified by science including 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 2 mammals and a bird, all discovered in 2008 within the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia that spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan.

The reluctant flyer, Nonggang babbler, was observed walking longer distances than flying. It would only use its wings when frightened.

But no sooner are these new species discovered than their survival is threatened by the devastating impacts of climate change, the report warns.

Recent studies show the climate of the Greater Mekong region is already changing. Models suggest continued warming, increased variability and more frequent and damaging extreme climate events.

Rising seas and saltwater intrusion will cause major coastal impacts especially in the Mekong River delta, which is one of the three most vulnerable deltas on Earth, according to the most recent International Panel on Climate Change report.

“Some species will be able to adapt to climate change, many will not, potentially resulting in massive extinctions,” said Stuart Chapman, Director of the WWF Greater Mekong Programme.

“Rare, endangered and endemic species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats,” said Chapman.

Often new species are highly dependent on a limited number of species for their survival. If they respond to climate change in a way that disrupts this closely evolved relationship then they are at a greater risk of extinction.

Over the next two weeks, government delegates will meet in Bangkok, Thailand, for the next round of UN climate change talks in the lead up to the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December, where the world is scheduled to agree on a new global climate treaty.

“The treasures of nature are in trouble if governments fail to agree a fair, ambitious and binding treaty that will prevent runaway climate change,” said Kathrin Gutmann, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“Protecting endangered species and vulnerable communities in the Greater Mekong and elsewhere around the world depends on fast progress at the UN talks in Bangkok - a hugely important conference that can lay the groundwork for success at the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December.”

Advanced river flow management vital to facing climate challenge

2009-08-16

Stockholm, Sweden: Improved river flow management will be vital to protecting communities from the worst impacts of climate change and to achieving international goals on poverty reduction, according to a new report issued on the eve of World Water Week.

Securing Water for Ecosystems and Human Well-being: The Importance of Environmental Flows also finds that river flow management to meet diverse environmental and human needs should be funded through appropriate valuation of the ecosystem services provided by healthy rivers. These include maintenance of groundwater levels, flood and drought mitigation, and contributions to human livelihoods, nutrition and health.

The report, developed in collaboration between major global institutions including Water Week organizer the Stockholm International Water Institute, Swedish Water House, UNESCO-IHE, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), UNEP- DHI, Deltares and NGOs such as WWF, Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, draws on the latest research and practices on environmental flows and their significance.

“Initially the emphasis in environmental flows was on the amount of water released down rivers,” said one of the report’s lead authors, Dr Birgitta Malm Renöfält, Cluster group leader at Swedish Water House.

“Now we recognize the importance of different flow levels and the timing of flows to different river functions and understand that maintaining a healthy functioning ecosystem requires much more sophisticated river management.

“For example, base flows are vital to surrounding water table levels and soil moisture levels, pulse flows shape the character or river channels and large floods replenish nutrients and recharge aquifers over wider areas.”

The report documents sensitive infrastructure development and operation and appropriate environmental flow management benefits for health and earnings in Kenya and Tanzania, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Iran and the Sudan.

With water availability expected to be one of the major and most severe impacts of climate change in many areas of the world, sufficient and equitable allocation of water will become more and more vital for both people and nature.

“The environmental community has critical tools to offer for climate change adaptation, and environmental flow regulation is an important part of the climate adaptation toolbox,” said Dr Mark Smith, Head, IUCN Water Programme.

Note: Further information on this report will be available at the Swedish Water House Cluster group booth at World Water Week, at EH 0310, Stockholm International Fairs on 17.45 CET on 16 August 2009.

For further information contact:

SIWI/SWH: Josh Paglia, josh.paglia@siwi.org, +4673914 39 96
WWF: Phil Dickie, pdickie@wwfint.org, +41797031952
UNESCO-IHE: Lara Kwak, l.kwak@unesco-ihe.org +31152151710
UNEP-DHI: Louise Korsgaard, lok@dhigroup.com, +4540544774,
Deltares: Karen Meijer, Karen.Meijer@deltares.nl, +31 15 2858537
The Nature Conservancy: Cristina Mestre, cmestre@tnc.org mobile: +1703 841-8779 work: +17036785639
Conservation International (CI): Rob McNeil, rmcneil@conservation.org mobile: +1571 232 0455 work+1703 341 2561
IUCN: Claire Warmenbol claire.warmenbol@iucn.org mobile: +41 79 404 1973

Greater Mekong Climate Change Adaptation agreement: a world’s first in the making…

2009-08-07

Asia’s first climate change adaptation agreement was the focus of a recent meeting held in Bangkok, convened on July 22 by WWF Greater Mekong Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme and the Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia.

Enhancing Regional Integration in the Greater Mekong – the opportunity for Asia’s first Regional Climate Change Adaptation agreement, brought together 32 senior representatives from the leading regional organizations to explore ways to secure government commitment for a regional climate change adaptation agreement, the first of its kind in the world.

“Climate change should be considered a symptom of unsustainable development,” said the Swedish Environmental Secretariat for Asia (SENSA) in their opening statement to the meeting.

The Greater Mekong subregion is one of the fastest growing economic regions in the world. It is also one of the richest in terms of biodiversity. The region’s relative wealth of natural resources has powered its rapid economic and social development. But the uncertainties of climate change place this development under increasing threat.

Participants to the meeting included representatives from the Asian Development Bank, the Secretariat of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Biodiversity Centre, AusAID, the European Union, the FAO, IUCN, the Mekong River Commission, Southeast Asia Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training (START), Stockholm Environment Institute and US-AID.

During the meeting the participants identified several benefits of a regional agreement such as; improved regional coordination and cooperation, providing a platform to discuss trans-boundary issues, and strengthened management of trans-boundary or shared natural resources.

Peter King from the Institute for Global Environment Strategies emphasised the urgent need for regional cooperation within a formal agreement. He said ‘business as usual’ in the absence of any agreement was no longer an option. However, some participants questioned the need for a regional agreement saying that sufficient national legislation already exists, and that the problem is with implementation and enforcement.

A significant opportunity identified was the engagement of China in the region. China’s “Going Global” policy, which includes guidelines on outward investments, and their interest in working with ASEAN, were seen as possibilities to actively engage China in a regional climate change adaptation agreement.

During the day, WWF presented the lessons learned from five global initiatives developing regional environmental agreements. The United Nations Environment Programme likewise gave an overview of its programme supporting regional environmental agreements, and highlighted how agreements can support national governments to meet global commitments.

Overall perspectives on a regional climate change adaptation agreement varied from supporters, through neutral, to a few opponents. At the day’s end, all participants agreed that regional cooperation would be a positive step and affirmed that the issue needs to be explored further. WWF said discussions with key partners will continue.

Assessing climate change vulnerability in the Greater Mekong Region

2009-07-30

The experts, covering a broad range of specialties, from development and socio-economics to ecology and adaptation, focused on assessing the relationships among biodiversity, ecosystem services and society in the context of future scenarios influenced by climate change, development and other change factors.

Initiated by the WWF Greater Mekong Programme, this workshop was meant to provide a forum where specialists can discuss and exchange information as well as share their knowledge and experience.

WWF Greater Mekong’s Climate Change Coordinator, Geoffrey Blate said that each of the six working groups aimed at identifying adaptation options that enhance the climate change resilience and maintain the key ecosystem services of the priority areas.

Climate change will profoundly affect the Greater Mekong Region’s (GMR) biodiversity, water resources, and economy, all of which in turn will impact its people. Recent studies conducted by researchers in the region, have shown that the GMR climate is already changing. Models suggest continued warming, increased variability and more frequent and damaging extreme climate events. In combination with changes in precipitation patterns, warmer temperatures will likely reduce the productivity of agriculture and fisheries.

Also, rising seas and saltwater intrusion will cause major coastal impacts especially in the Mekong Delta, which is one of the three most vulnerable deltas on Earth, according to the most recent International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.

These expected impacts as well as the large human population living in floodplains and low-lying coastal zones and which depends on ecosystem services, combined with rapid developmentand extraordinary biodiversity, contributes to the region’s vulnerability, Geoffrey Blate considers.

Mekong dolphins on the brink of extinction

2009-06-18

The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population inhabits a 190km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Lao PDR. Since 2003, the population has suffered 88 deaths of which over 60 percent were calves under two weeks old. The latest population is estimated between 64 and 76 members. This estimate does not include calves and juveniles.

“Necropsy analysis identified a bacterial disease as the cause of the calf deaths. This disease would not be fatal unless the dolphin’s immune systems were suppressed, as they were in these cases, by environmental contaminants,” said Dr Verné Dove, report author and veterinarian with WWF Cambodia.

Researchers found toxic levels of pesticides such as DDT and environmental contaminants such as PCBs during analysis of the dead dolphin calves. These pollutants may also pose a health risk to human populations living along the Mekong that consume the same fish and water as the dolphins.

“These pollutants are widely distributed in the environment and so the source of this pollution may involve several countries through which the Mekong River flows. WWF Cambodia is currently investigating the source of the environmental contaminants,” said Dr Dove.

High levels of mercury were also found in some of the dead dolphins. Mercury, suspected to be from gold mining activities, directly affects the immune system making the animals more susceptible to infectious disease.

“A trans-boundary preventative health programme is urgently needed to manage the disease affected animals in order to reduce the number of deaths each year,” said Seng Teak, Country Director of WWF Cambodia.

Limited genetic diversity due to inbreeding was another factor in the dolphin deaths.

“The Mekong River dolphins are isolated from other members of their species and they need our help. Science has shown that if the habitat of cetaceans is protected then populations can show remarkable resilience,” said Mr Teak.

The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin has been listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2004.

Notes to Editors
WWF is working to conserve 600,000km2 of the world's most biologically diverse, economically viable and seriously threatened forests and rivers within the Greater Mekong, home and life source to over 300 million people in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin is regarded as a sacred animal by both Khmer and Lao people, and is an important source of income and jobs for communities involved in dolphin-watching ecotourism initiatives.

More than 60 million people in the lower Mekong basin depend on the river system for food, transport and economic activity. The Mekong River produces an estimated 2.5 million tons of fish per year, with a value of at least US$2 billion, making it the largest inland fisheries in the world. Eighty percent of the animal protein for Mekong inhabitants comes from the Mekong, with 70 percent of the commercial catch being long distance migrant species.

For further information
Nicole Frisina, Communications Officer, WWF Greater Mekong
Nicole.frisina@wwfgreatermekong.org - +856 (0) 207 590 164

Remy Kalter, Media Assistant, WWF International (Switzerland)
rkalter@wwfint.org - T: +41 22 364 9561, M : +41 79 330 7162

Governments take action to protect Mekong giant

2009-06-18

The Governments of Lao PDR and Thailand have declared an early end to the 2009 Mekong giant catfish fishing season in an effort to protect the critically endangered species.

The Mekong giant catfish is one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, measuring up to 3 metres in length and up to 350 kilograms in weight.

The decision by authorities in Bokeo province, Laos, and Chang Rai province, Thailand, to ban fishing was taken to allow wild stocks of the species time to recover from two decades of unsustainable fishing pressure. This decision also supports the implementation of the Aquatic Animals and Wildlife Law of Lao PDR, which lists the Mekong giant catfish as an endangered species in need of protection.

“This is an important step in the right direction,” said Trang Dang Thuy, Mekong Ecoregion Coordinator with WWF Greater Mekong. “If this immense species is to survive all of the Mekong states must act together to better manage and protect the species and its critical spawning habitat,” she said.

This year’s giant catfish fishing season was due to run from April 24th to May 27th, however, policy makers in Bokeo province restricted Lao fishermen from participating in the hunt. The Bokeo Governor office then sent a letter to the Chiang Rai Governor office requesting Thailand’s cooperation. In response, Thailand stopped fishing for the Mekong giant catfish on May 7th, three weeks prior to the official end of the season.

Prior to the request, a female giant catfish weighing approximately 230 kg was captured by fishermen from Hat Krai village in Chiang Rai. This was the only catch reported during the 2009 season.

“The Mekong giant catfish is a part of Lao and Thai culture and if we want future generations to enjoy it, we need to stop fishing now. If the Mekong giant catfish becomes extinct, this fishing custom that has been passed from generation to generation, for hundreds of years, will disappear,” said Bounthong Sapakdy, Head of the Fisheries Division of the Lao Department of Livestock and Fisheries.

WWF and the Mekong River Commission and have been working with the communities and government agencies of Lao PDR and Thailand to develop trans-boundary management practices and policy for this globally important species.

“WWF is working with Thai Department of Fisheries to try and pinpoint the Mekong giant catfish spawning sites. If the spawning sites are located then they can be protected and these Mekong giants will have a better chance of recovering,” said Yangyong Sricharoen, Mekong giant catfish project manger for WWF Thailand.

Very little is known by science about the ecology or migration behaviour of the species, which is under increasing pressure from numerous threats. Estimates state there are only a few hundred – or less – of these Mekong giants left in the wild.

The Mekong giant catfish has been declining rapidly in numbers over the years. The Mekong River Commission says that more research needs to be conducted into the potential consequences of proposed hydropower schemes along the mainstream of the Mekong, especially in the lower part of the basin where dams could endanger the Mekong giant catfish further by acting as barriers to fish migration.

“If a single one of the proposed Mekong mainstream dams are constructed it will block the migration pathway of migratory fish like the Mekong giant catfish, effectively separating the fragile population into separate groups above and below the dam,” continued Trang Dang Thuy.

“This would have serious consequences for the Mekong ecosystem, with knock-on impacts on the livelihoods and food security of 60 million people dependent on the river's fishery,” she said.

The Mekong giant catfish is listed as “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List, the highest degree of threat listing before a species becomes extinct in the wild. The species is also protected by national legislation in both Thailand and Lao PDR.

Paper protection not enough for Vietnam's marine turtles

2009-05-23

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Marine turtles are vanishing from Viet Nam’s waters and illegal trade is largely to blame says a new study by TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network.

An assessment of the marine turtle trade in Viet Nam, launched to mark World Turtle Day found that large marine turtles are now virtually absent from Viet Nam’s waters except for Green Turtles around the Con Dao Islands National Park.

A government-owned souvenir shop found selling illegal turtle products was a potent symbol of how a national ban on turtle products enacted in 2002 has been undermined by a lack of enforcement.

Traders in all Viet Nam’s coastal localities reported that catches of local marine turtles, especially Hawksbill Turtles, were becoming rare, and even the few caught were smaller than in previous years.

“Without effective enforcement of the laws, the future for marine turtles in Vietnamese waters looks very bleak.” says Tom Osborn, Acting Director of TRAFFIC’s Greater Mekong Programme.

A 2002 TRAFFIC study found that trade in marine turtles had extended into a large-scale wholesale export market and a Ministry of Fisheries report estimated the combined take across the entire Vietnamese coastline at 4,000 marine turtles annually.

Shortly after these surveys, the Viet Nam Government prohibited the exploitation of marine turtles but the current TRAFFIC survey finds the trade has continued, though at a reduced rate.

Government enforcement of illegal marine turtle catching, processing and trade has been uneven at best—evidenced by a great decrease in the number of outlets and marine turtle products on display in some areas and an increase in others, particularly in some newly developing tourist areas.

In Ha Tien and Ho Chi Minh City, traders cited Indonesia and Malaysia as their main sources of turtles and raw scutes (the large scales on the turtle’s carapace or shell).

All international trade in marine turtles is banned under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

Already threatened by habitat degradation, accidental or opportunistic capture by fishermen and the direct take of nesting females and their eggs, whole turtles are also stuffed and, in the case of Hawksbill Turtles, their shells turned into jewellery, fans and handbags, known as bekko.

According to the report, a lack of product more than law enforcement explains the steady downturn in the number of outlets selling marine turtle products.

Green Turtle meat was rarer than in 2002, and its price had increased significantly compared with those recorded during a 2002 TRAFFIC survey. In a Ha Tien market, after allowing for inflation, its price had more than doubled by 2008, pushing it into the luxury meat category.

However, in some towns, the study found bekko workshops and stores, including a government-owned souvenir shop, selling hundreds of marine turtle products operating in plain view of authorities.

The study found that businessmen in some areas were aware that it was illegal to capture, process and sell marine turtle products but there had been no action taken to confiscate or destroy the illegal items on sale.

The study said that most indicators pointed towards a falling demand, but vendors continued to report good sales for most marine turtle products indicating that the trade still posed a serious threat.

The study recommends that authorities look into finding alternative sources of income for communities dependent on the sale of marine turtle products, expand existing awareness programmes and confiscate and destroy all marine turtle products that remain on sale.

Rethinking investments in natural resources: China’s emerging role in the Mekong region

2009-04-02

This report was written by Jeff Rutherford, Kate Lazarus and Shawn Kelley.

This scoping study is part of a research project entitled Understanding China as an Actor in the Mekong Region, jointly implemented by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, WWF and the International Institute for Sustainable Development. The project aims to shed some light on China’s economic role in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia as a basis for constructive dialogue between decision makers and other stakeholders in China and the Mekong countries.

The research focus is on Chinese investments in natural resources – in particular in the mining, agribusiness and hydropower sectors – while also touching on issues related to trade and aid. In addition to the scoping study, case studies in the three countries will provide a more indepth analysis of China’s engagement in specific sectors. The project outputs will be available at: www.boell-southeastasia.org, www.tradeknowledgenetwork.net and www.wwf.dk.

For more information, please contact:
Colin McQuistan
WWF Greater Mekong Regional Policy Coordinator
Greater Mekong Programme
Chulawich 1 Building, 5th Floor
Chulalongkorn University
Henri Dunant Road, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

Email: colin.mcquistan@wwfgreatermekong.org

New report on agricultural trends in the Mekong region

2009-03-15

Agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors across the Greater Mekong. The region's suitability for a wide range of crops, increased trade and investment linked to regional integration, and the development of infrastructure have contributed to significant agricultural growth in recent years.

However, the region is far from uniform agriculturally. Vietnam and Thailand are major global exporters of commodities like rice, sugarcane, and coffee. Lao PDR and Cambodia, on the other hand, rely heavily on agricultural production for subsistence and local markets; more than two-thirds of their populations depend upon agriculture for a significant portion of their livelihoods.

Agriculture has made a genuine contribution to economic growth and poverty reduction across the Mekong region, but this has come with significant costs to the environment. Widespread forest conversion, biodiversity loss, and water pollution and over-extraction have directly resulted from agricultural expansion. In Cambodia and Lao PDR, a recent surge of land concessions for agricultural plantations has added to pressure on both natural ecosystems and the rural communities who depend upon them.

The region faces a set of agricultural challenges related to broader ones facing the broader Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) project: How to ensure that regional integration leads to truly sustainable development that protects the region's unique biodiversity and valuable ecosystem services, while helping millions of people to emerge from poverty.

In 2008, WWF completed a set of studies that examined threats and opportunities related to agriculture (focusing on three key crops: sugarcane, rice, and rubber) for the four lower Mekong countries. We have just released a regional synthesis report that includes key findings from these studies, areas of emerging concern, as well as recommendations for governments, regional institutions, and others.

Since the report was completed, additional factors have further complicated the challenge of ensuring that future agricultural development in the region is sustainable. These include last year's global food price crisis, and this year's global economic crisis; competition for land due to explosive growth in demand for bioenergy crops; and looming threats to agriculture posed by climate change.

WWF hopes that this report can inform discussions over how best to manage future agricultural growth across the Greater Mekong region. WWF looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure that agriculture contributes to a healthy and sustainable future for both people and nature.

For more information, please contact:
Colin McQuistan
Regional Policy Coordinator
colin.mcquistan@wwfgreatermekong.org

New report on agricultural trends in the Mekong region

2009-03-15

Agriculture is one of the most important economic sectors across the Greater Mekong. The region's suitability for a wide range of crops, increased trade and investment linked to regional integration, and the development of infrastructure have contributed to significant agricultural growth in recent years.

However, the region is far from uniform agriculturally. Vietnam and Thailand are major global exporters of commodities like rice, sugarcane, and coffee. Lao PDR and Cambodia, on the other hand, rely heavily on agricultural production for subsistence and local markets; more than two-thirds of their populations depend upon agriculture for a significant portion of their livelihoods.

Agriculture has made a genuine contribution to economic growth and poverty reduction across the Mekong region, but this has come with significant costs to the environment. Widespread forest conversion, biodiversity loss, and water pollution and over-extraction have directly resulted from agricultural expansion. In Cambodia and Lao PDR, a recent surge of land concessions for agricultural plantations has added to pressure on both natural ecosystems and the rural communities who depend upon them.

The region faces a set of agricultural challenges related to broader ones facing the broader Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) project: How to ensure that regional integration leads to truly sustainable development that protects the region's unique biodiversity and valuable ecosystem services, while helping millions of people to emerge from poverty.

In 2008, WWF completed a set of studies that examined threats and opportunities related to agriculture (focusing on three key crops: sugarcane, rice, and rubber) for the four lower Mekong countries. We have just released a regional synthesis report that includes key findings from these studies, areas of emerging concern, as well as recommendations for governments, regional institutions, and others.

Since the report was completed, additional factors have further complicated the challenge of ensuring that future agricultural development in the region is sustainable. These include last year's global food price crisis, and this year's global economic crisis; competition for land due to explosive growth in demand for bioenergy crops; and looming threats to agriculture posed by climate change.

WWF hopes that this report can inform discussions over how best to manage future agricultural growth across the Greater Mekong region. WWF looks forward to working with all stakeholders to ensure that agriculture contributes to a healthy and sustainable future for both people and nature.

For more information, please contact:
Colin McQuistan
Regional Policy Coordinator
colin.mcquistan@wwfgreatermekong.org

Stronger push for sustainable rattan production in the Greater Mekong region gives new hope to the forests

2009-03-05

Hanoi, Vietnam: A new program for sustainable production of rattan in the Greater Mekong region was launched today. It aims to achieve cleaner and more efficient production and give communities, governments and industries an economic incentive to conserve forests. By 2010 up to 100 villages in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam will be working towards a greener and sustainable management of rattan production.

“We are delighted to support this project which will benefit consumers, industry and the environment alike. It aims to mitigate negative impact of rattan production on humans and the local environment, but if we are to succeed all stakeholders in Lao PDR, Cambodia and Vietnam must work together transparently,” says the representative of the European Commission's delegation in Hanoi.

The European Union finances 80 percent of the programme’s total budget of 2.4 million euros, with co-financing from the international home-products retailer IKEA and the German development finance institution DEG.

The global rattan trade is estimated at USD 4 billion. More than 50 species of rattan in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam form the basis of an extensive rattan-processing industry. Vietnam exports almost 60 percent of all finished rattan products to the European Union. However, much of the pre-processing taking place in Cambodia and Lao PDR poses serious health risks to the workers, and the methods used cannot compete in the global market. Many villages rely on the rattan trade which accounts for 50 percent of their total cash income, making this a major contributor to poverty alleviation in rural areas.

“At the moment rattan resources are decreasing because of overexploitation. The implementation of sustainable harvesting and cleaner production will provide long-term livelihood security to local people. It makes them good stewards and guardians of the forest,” says Thibault Ledecq, rattan programme manager at WWF´s Greater Mekong Programme.

By the end of the project at least 40 percent of targeted small and medium enterprises in the supply chain will be actively engaged in clean and safe manufacture of rattan products, and 15 percent will export sustainable and environmental friendly products to Europe and worldwide markets.

Media Contacts:

- Thibault Ledecq, WWF rattan program manager
   Mobile Vietnam: + 84 122 862 887

- Hoang Thi Minh Hong, WWF Greater Mekong, Communications Manager
   Mobile in Vietnam: +84 90 3403686

- Marie von Zeipel, Senior Press Officer, WWF Sweden
   Mobile in Lao PDR: +856 0207424166

More information:

Over the last three years, WWF-IKEA Sustainable Rattan Harvesting and Production Project (2006-2009) worked in two countries and with six villages. This pilot project demonstrated, through a community based model, that sustainable rattan resource management can go along with sustainable production and marketing.

Around 800 hectares of forest are under sustainable management with more than 60 households gaining economic benefit from the project. Increased knowledge of rattan and strengthened research capacity at national university level has been reached during the first phase of the project.

Based on the good results during the pilot project, the second phase is now being initiated. The programme is funded by the European Union with co-financing from the international home-products retailer IKEA and the German development finance institution DEG.

Conserving Forests with Rattan

2009-02-20

Establishing a Sustainable Production System of Rattan Products in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam will be launched on 5 March in Hanoi, Vietnam. This project forms the second phase of WWF’s Sustainable Rattan Harvesting and Production Programme, which aims to give communities, government and industry an economic reason to conserve forests.

The Sustainable Rattan Harvesting and Production funded by the European Commission, IKEA and DEG (German Society for Development), aims to deliver measurable improvement in the sectors environmental performance.

By the project end, at least 40% of all targeted small and medium enterprises in the supply chain will be actively engaged in cleaner production of rattan products. Meanwhile, 15% of targeted processing enterprises will be providing sustainable products to European and other markets.

Implementation of this approach will optimise supply chain management through less wastage. Cleaner production techniques and technologies at the pre-processing village level will reduce pollution and mitigate negative impacts on workers and the local environment.

Eco-related product standards and labelling will also be incorporated into the supply chain, by introducing credible certification. This will provide incentives for sustainable rattan primary production and will deliver increasing socio-economic benefits to rattan harvesting communities.

Demand from international environmentally and socially responsible retailers and end consumers will be used as a lever to create the necessary incentives to successfully introduce these improvements.