Biodiversity Landscapes and Livelihoods

Transboundary biodiversity landscapes in the GMS are rich in natural capital, but are increasingly under threat from development and climate change pressures, leading to environmental degradation and more vulnerable local communities.

This brief summarizes major achievements, challenges, and key recommendations from a review of Viet Nam’s payments for forest environmental services (PFES) program. Led by the Center for International Forestry Research and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with support from the GMS Core Environment Progra...

Since 2011, Viet Nam’s payments for forest environmental services (PFES) program has generated $140 million for rural households to protect around 4 million hectares (40%) of the country’s forests.

This publication features ADB's support to the provincial authorities of Quang Nam in Viet Nam to scale up the implementation of payments for forest environmental services through a technical assistance financed by the Governments of Sweden and Norway. The project pilot-tested two innovations—the group approach and the use of a geographic information system—to speed up payments for forest environmental services planning and implementation in the province. Starting with five villages in Ma Cooih commune, the initiative expanded to include two more communes in the Song Bung 4 watershed. 

This ADB video features coffee farmers in Viet Nam's Central Highlands joining in efforts to conserve forestland and biodiversity.

Tourism in Myanmar has boomed in recent years, with the industry generating nearly $1.8 billion in revenue in 2014 as international tourist arrivals hit the 3 million mark for the first time, nearly triple the number of arrivals in 2012. 

On 29–30 May, representatives from more than 13 countries, including from the GMS, met in Ha Noi, Viet Nam to exchange experiences and innovative ideas on how to integrate natural capital into development decisions.

ADB’s Sanath Ranawana (and CEP project officer) was a panelist at the Forests Asia Summit on May 6 2014 in Jakarta, Indonesia. During the ‘Investing in Landscapes for Green Returns’ panel, he discussed the role of public financing to support environmentally friendly private sector investments in Asia’s landscapes (3:35–13:25).

Government and international organization representatives attended a two-meeting organized by EOC to explore collaboration opportunities for improving the management of Transboundary Biodiversity Landscapes (TBLs) in the GMS.