National Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and Action Plan to 2010

Article I:

Article 1: To endorse To endorse and declare the and declare the National National Biodiversity Biodiversity strategy strategy to to 2020 2020 and and Action Action Plan to Plan to 2010 2010 as the Minister Minister to the Prime Prime Minister's Minister's Office, Office, President President of of the the Science Technology and Environment Agency dated 3 June Science Technology and Environment Agency dated 3 June 2004. 2004.

Article 2:

Article2: To authorize To authorize the the STEA STEA to to collaborate collaborate effectively effectively with with the the concerned concerned line- line- Ministries for implementation of this strategy and action plan. Ministries for implementation of this strategy and action plan.

Article 3:

Article 3: To instruct To concerned ministries, instruct concerned ministries, ministerial ministerial equivalent agencies, provinces, equivalent agencies, provinces, Vientiane capital Vientiane capital city, special special zone and other other sectors to implement implement this decree decree strictly. strictly.

Article 4:

Article4: To inform To inform that that this decree will this decree will enter into force enter into force from from the the date date it is signed. it is signed. All All regulations and rules that are abrogated. regulations and roles that are abrogated. Prime Minister Pi/me Signed and Signed and Sea! Sea! Boungnang VORACHIT Boungnang VORACHIT V TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 1 2 Guiding Principles 5 3 Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 8 4 The Biodiversity Action Plan To 2010 11 4.1 Overall Goal 13 4.2 Main Objectives 13 4.3 Programmes 13 5 Implementing Measures 23 5.1 Institutional Arrangements 25 5.2 Target Groups 25 5.3 Funding Sources 25 5.4 Monitoring and Evaluation 25 References 26 iii Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan The Government of the Lao PDR (GoL) acceded the Human activity has been changing the Lao PDR’s ecosystem International Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for a long period of time. Modification or conversions of in 1996 and committed itself as part of its obligations as a natural ecosystems, overexploitation of biological resources signatory to developing a national biodiversity strategy. The and destructive harvesting techniques, as well as knock-on Environmental Protection Law of the Lao PDR has effects or externalities from other production processes defined Biological diversity as being the multiplicity of are the main contributors to the changes in distribution ecosystems, species and classes of living organisms such as and abundance. plants, animals, insects and micro-organisms which inhabit Maintaining biodiversity means much more than just any part of nature. The National Biodiversity Strategy and protecting wildlife and their habitats in specifically designated Action Plan (NBSAP) is the principal output of the Project areas. In the Lao PDR it also concerns the livelihood of on NBSAP, which has been implemented and jointly the majority of the population, the basis for sustained managed by the Science Technology and Environment economic development and therefore the sustainable use Agency (STEA) and the Ministry of Agriculture and of the nation’s biological resources. The sustainable Forestry (MAF) with support from the United Nations management of the Lao PDR’s terrestrial and aquatic Development Programme (UNDP). The Danish environments is essential to ensure the sustainable use and Government financed the project through a grant, which conservation of biodiversity. was supplemented by funds made available from the UNDP. National strategies aim to protect biodiversity Conserving biological diversity provides several benefits. resources and to ensure their sustainable use. Biodiversity is the primary source for the fulfilment of the population’s basic needs and provides a basis for the The NBSAP comes at a time, when the GoL is working adaptation to changing environments. An environment rich towards poverty eradication and sustainable development. in biodiversity offers the people of the Lao PDR the widest In the given context of the Lao PDR, the sustainable use range of options for sustainable economic activity, for of natural resources – and in particular the county’s rich human welfare and to adapt to change. biodiversity – may be the key to poverty reduction. The country’s economy also depends mainly on natural To date there has been little appreciation of the importance resources. Hydropower, non-timber forest products of biodiversity in economic terms, and conservation has (NTFPs), and wood products are important exports, thus often been seen as an uneconomic or unproductive use of contributing to the country’s hard-currency income. Eco- land, funds and other resources. Analysis however shows tourism as a new branch of the Lao PDR’s tourism industry that there are significant and wide-ranging economic markets the relatively undisturbed nature of the country. benefits associated with the conservation of the Lao PDR’s Estimates suggest that biological diversity is the main source biodiversity. of wealth for the country, and maintaining the productivity Biodiversity makes a major contribution to national of these important resources constitutes the true value of economic activity and growth, and contributes to biodiversity and remains central to any national government revenues. Biodiversity forms an integral part development strategy. of rural livelihoods and therefore is instrumental achieving The Lao PDR has a rather rich biodiversity and scientific poverty alleviation and it also plays an important role in assessments of Indochina’s biodiversity have concluded supporting urban and commercial production as well as that the country is a globally important region. There are consumption in key sectors of the economy. Biodiversity an estimated 8 – 11,000 species of flowering plants. Lao conservation supports a wide range of economic activities fauna comprises of 166 reported species of reptiles and and uses, including irrigated agriculture, medium and large- amphibians, 700 species of birds (another 100 are scale hydropower, fishponds and aquaculture and an urban reasonably likely to occur), 90 known species of bats and water supply. over 100 species of large mammals. In the Indochinese Benefits arising from the conservation of the nation’s Peninsula, despite limited surveys, 87 families of fish have biodiversity are not restricted to the sustained harvest of been identified in comparison to 74 families in the whole resources. Biodiversity provides crucial ecological services of Africa and only 60 in South America. About 500 through basic activities such as pollination, seed dispersal indigenous fish species are reported to live in the Mekong and pest control. This is true of all types of creatures River and its tributaries within the borders of the Lao whether mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians or PDR. The centre of origin of the glutinous rice types is especially invertebrates. Wildlife (particularly invertebrates recognised to be within the country. such as insects and spiders) and plants, together with bacteria and fungus carry out the critical daily (hourly) functions of 3 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan waste disposal and nutrient recycling, which are the building enhancing present individual and community welfare by blocks of the food chains that sustain the web of life. following a path of economic development that safeguards the well-being and welfare of generations to come; provides Another benefit of conservation is the avoidance of costs equity within and between generations; protects the integrity incurred through the degradation of ecological systems. of biological diversity and maintains the essential ecological Biodiversity conservation and catchment protection for processes and systems which provide life-supporting goods example help to avoid downstream damage costs arising and services. from the increased incidence of flooding and maintain dry season water supplies. Redressing environmental The Lao PDR needs to bridge the gap between current degradation can be excessively expensive. efforts and the effective identification, conservation and sustainable management of the country’s rich biodiversity. Biological diversity is also important for the population’s Implementing the NBSAP requires cooperation and cultural identity throughout the country. The Lao PDR is a coordination from all levels of government and within multi ethnic society with a cultural diversity unparalleled in Lao society. In addition, public awareness through the region. The groups’ social systems, cultural characteristics education and community involvement are crucial elements and identity are linked to their language, geographical area for the conservation biological diversity. The knowledge and surrounding ecosystem, their interaction with this and experience of local and indigenous people must be physical environment (e.g. forests, rice fields, wetlands or taken into consideration and fully utilised. Awareness needs rivers), and their access to material goods. to be extended to encourage the sense of community At a national level, major initiatives include the National involvement and ownership. Environmental Strategy, the Forest Sector Strategy (currently All relevant public and private sectors will need to co- being drafted), the Agriculture Sector Strategy and Decree operate in development planning and implementation. This 164, which established the nation’s Protected Area System. will be essential due to the manifold co-ordination of both It should also be noted that an achievement of the goals internal and international partners, which is required to set by the Socio-economic Development Vision and the ensure the effective implementation of the NBSAP and National Poverty Eradication Programme will be rather difficult without a stabilised environment and sustainable the achievement of its objectives. utilisation of natural resources. This means nothing less than 4 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Generally, the principles underlying the NBSAP are based on the Government of the Lao PDR direction for the nation’s sustainable socio-economic development, the expressed and felt needs of the Lao people as well as on international principles. The following principles have been adopted as the basis for the NBSAP’s objectives and actions. Implementation should follow these guiding principles: 1. Biodiversity is a national heritage and must presently be used in a sustainable manner and be conserved and protected for future generations. 2. The NBSAP must be fully consistent with the Socio-economic Development Strategy up to the years 2010 and 2020 and with efforts to attract foreign investment. 3. The NBSAP must be based on an analysis of the present status of the environment, but must also take into account the emerging trends of industrialization and modernization. 4. The national development process must reflect ecological, economic, social, cultural and spiritual values of the local people. 5. The sustainable use of biodiversity is a key element of livelihood strategies. 6. The knowledge, innovations and practices of local people should be respected and their use and maintenance of biodiversity carried out with the support and involvement of their people. 7. Biodiversity is best conserved in-situ. 8. The conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources require co-operation at all levels, namely local, national, regional and global and also a sharing of knowledge, costs and benefits. 9. The NBSAP should address biodiversity depletion, improve the data and information status and provide a link between biodiversity and economic development. 10. The formulation and implementation of policies and the establishment of a legal framework are necessary as effective measures against biodiversity depletion. 11. Education and the raising of public awareness are essential in ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity resources. 12. The integration of conservation and development is one form of sustainable PA management. 7 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan In order to support the long-term development objectives set by the Socio-economic Development Vision, especially the National Environment Strategy and National Poverty Eradication Programme as well as to ensure the environmental protection, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity the NBSAP addresses the following issues in its strategy to 2020: • The sustainable utilisation of natural resources as well as the protection and conservation of the environment in order to ensure the sustainable development of the country, the reduction of poverty and the enhancement of the quality of life and health of all the people in the Lao PDR. • Cultivated areas should remain diverse and productivity should be increased, through protection, conservation and the sustainable use of land resources. • The forests of the Lao PDR should remain rich and productive, through sustainable and productive management, and where necessary through conservation and protection. • The rich biodiversity of the Lao PDR should be maintained, through the protection, the conservation and the sustainable utilisation of biodiversity resources, including wild, semi-domesticated and domesticated biodiversity. • Water resources such as ground water, lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands should remain clean and abundant, and where necessary, be improved, through their protection, conservation and sustainable use. • Human settlements, including urban areas as well as cultural and historical heritage sites should be protected and improved. • The air should remain clean and the Lao PDR should contribute towards the protection of the earth’s atmosphere by limiting air pollution, ensuring that no contributions are made towards climatic change and by assisting in the maintenance of the protective ozone layer. • The safeguarding of user rights and the equitable sharing of benefits amongst Lao people through the utilisation of national biodiversity resources. • The improvement and development of laws and regulations; and securing their effective enforcement. 10 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 4.1 Overall Goal The overall goal of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan to 2020 is to: Maintain the country’s diverse biodiversity as one key to poverty alleviation and protect the current asset base of the poor as support to the implementation of the government’s priority programmes. 4.2 Main Objectives 1. Improve biodiversity data and fill data gaps through basic and applied research. 2. Improve biodiversity management and monitoring. 3. Plan and implement a biodiversity specific human resource development programme. 4. Increase public awareness of and encourage participation in the sustainable management of biodiversity. 5. Adjust national legislation and regulations related to biodiversity and harmonise them with Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). 6. Secure the NBSAP’s implementation. 7. Promote country needs driven international cooperation. 4.3 Programmes In order to achieve the goal and objectives of the Strategy and Action Plan to 2010, it is necessary to define and implement the following 7 programmes: 1. Scientific Data and Biodiversity Knowledge Development 2. Biodiversity Management 3. Human Resource Development 4. Public Awareness and Involvement 5. Institutional and Legal Frameworks 6. NBSAP Implementation 7. International Cooperation Details of the goals, objectives and actions are outlined in the table below: 13 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Programme 1: Scientific Data and Biodiversity Knowledge Development Goal Biodiversity data is improved and data gaps are filled through Action 2010 basic and applied research. Obj 1: Identify important biological 1 Assess data gaps and research needs. diversity components and 2 Develop a five-year research programme. improve the knowledge base. 3 Co-operate with international institutions. 4 Upgrade research methodologies to international standards. 5 Identify all relevant habitats and ecosystems in the Lao PDR and identify rare and/or threatened species. 6 Improve knowledge on taxonomy and the status of biodiversity and data information management. 7 Accelerate research into the taxonomy, geographic distribution of the nation’s terrestrial and aquatic plants, animals and micro-organisms with priority on lesser known groups. 8 Establish field research stations in areas where this is possible. 9 Identify biodiversity components that are important for conservation and sustainable use. 10 Identify biodiversity components which are inadequately understood. 11 Identify terrestrial and aquatic components of biodiversity that are important for conservation and sustainable use and those requiring an urgent need to be known. Obj: 2 Recognise and ensure the 1 Promote the participation of local and indigenous people in research programmes and the contribution of the ethno management of their resources. biological knowledge of Lao 2 Ensure the equitable sharing of the benefits which may arise from the use of knowledge PDR's local and indigenous and practices. peoples in the conservation of biodiversity. 3 Assess the potential of the knowledge and practices of local people for nutritional and medical uses, as well as for wildlife and PA management. 4 Acknowledge the value of knowledge and practices of indigenous people and local communities. 5 Encourage the recording of knowledge and practices with the approval and involvement of the indigenous people and local communities concerned. Obj: 3 Ensure the provision of 1 Exchange and share information on NBCAs at both regional and international levels. knowledge, information and 2 Compile existing species names in Lao and work towards forming a set of Lao names understanding of the nation’s usable in legal terminology and other circumstances. biodiversity which is required for its effective utilisation, 3 Design effective interpretative materials for legal documents naming wildlife species. conservation and management. 4 Establish a National Biodiversity Information Centre. 5 Provide regular information on the true status of biodiversity. 6 Develop in close cooperation with major stakeholders mechanisms for the improvement of research and co-ordination for safeguarding intellectual property rights. 7 Ensure that all information generated on the nation's biodiversity is published and disseminated (computer networks included) so as to safeguard intellectual property rights. 14 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Programme 2: Biodiversity Management Goal Improve biodiversity management and monitoring. Action 2010 Obj: Establish and manage a comprehensive and 1 Review the existing NBCA network and management system. 1 representative system of PAs that covers the 2 Identify and determine ecosystems zoning. nation's biodiversity. 3 Designate, protect, and manage habitat corridors linking PAs. Obj: Improve the standards of management and 1 Improve the institutional and legal basis for PA management. 2 protection of the nation's biodiversity. 2 Integrate the NBCA management plan into cross sector planning at the provincial level. 3 Establish appropriate incentives and financial mechanisms for NBCA management. 4 Provide sufficient funds for effective NBCA management. 5 Ensure that people living in and around NBCAs participate actively in their management. 6 Strengthen the NBCAs’ management capacity. 7 Promote participation in NBCA management. 8 Implement ICAD objectives. 9 Integrate the traditional knowledge of local and indigenous people in biodiversity management. 1 Introduce year-round bans on hunting and harvesting in substantial core 0 areas within NBCAs. Obj: Conserve threatened and endangered species by 1 Re-survey and reclassify threatened and endangered species. 3 enabling the species to survive in their natural 2 Compile a national Red List of declining wildlife species. habitats. 3 Adopt international classification for vulnerable and endangered species. 4 Formulate guidelines to ensure long-term conservation of all species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. 5 Limit the illegal hunting of and trade in wildlife resources. 6 Develop and apply mechanisms to enable the identification of vulnerable species. 7 Enhance wildlife resources conservation efforts through Flagship species. 8 Implement standing protection legislation. 9 Identify key species for specific management. 1 Develop and implement specific recovery plans for vulnerable species. 0 1 Concentrate on the species listed as subject to management controls. 1 1 Introduce accepted wildlife and plant management principles to national 2 management concepts. Obj. Establish and maintain ex-situ research and 1 Regulate and manage the collection of biological resources from natural 4 conservation facilities. habitats to ensure that ecosystems and the in-situ population are not disturbed. 2 Control and manage the use of ex-situ biodiversity effectively. 3 Promote research on ex-situ conservation. 4 Integrate ex-situ measures through research and develop appropriate approaches for the recovery, rehabilitation and reintroduction of endangered species to their natural habitats. 5 Establish a National Natural History Museum. 6 Develop an open zoo/botanical garden. 15 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Obj: 5 Ensure that the social and 1 Draft and enact legislation on access and benefit sharing for genetic resources economic benefits from the use of originating in the Lao PDR. genetic material and products 2 Establish national rules for the protection and use of traditional knowledge. originating in the Lao PDR accrue to the nation. 3 Develop capacity in the field of modern biotechnology. 4 Translate international regulations into national legislation and practical policies. 5 Participate in the renegotiation of the International Undertaking (IU) of Plant Genetic Resources. 6 Encourage industrialised countries whose businesses use genetic resources to ensure that such use can only occur if the origin of the material is indicated and the benefits are shared equitably. 7 Ensure that all concerned / involved parties share the benefits of genetic resources. Obj: 6 Protect indigenous biodiversity 1 Draft and enact legislation on the import and use of GMOs. from the uncontrolled introduction 2 Develop regulations according to international obligations. and spread of alien species and genetically modified organisms 3 Establish national bodies with the power and competency to execute the functions (GMOs). required by the CBD (risk-assessment, precautionary principle, public participation, etc.). 4 Monitor the occurrence of alien invasive species. 5 Establish a bio safety framework. 6 Raise public awareness of the use of GMOs. 7 Establish quarantine laws. 8 Control the importation of alien invasive species. 9 Enhance capacity in the fields of risk-assessment, risk-management, and socio- economic impact assessment. 10 Develop data and information exchange mechanisms on Bio safety. 11 Translate international resolutions and regulations on bio safety into national legislation and policymaking. Obj: 7 Promote ecologically sustainable 1 Co-ordinate, guide and regulate the sector to achieve target objectives. management practises for eco- 2 Support both the public and private sectors to promote sustainable growth. tourism. 3 Support training, capacity building and good practice. 4 Provide socio-economic development for host communities. 5 Improve and develop regulations for eco-tourism management. 6 Strengthen the capacity across the sector as well as institutional arrangements. 7 Support environmental protection and nature conservation. 8 Develop research and information. 16 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Obj.8 Support the conservation of 1 Delineate the forest types clearly according to the forestry law. biodiversity through ecologically 2 Revise and develop specific regulations. sustainable forestry management practices. 3 Improve the management system of production forests to ensure the sustainable use of biodiversity. 4 Support forest certification and apply it to the forest production system. 5 Conduct logging with low impact and ensure its sustainability. 6 Promote tree plantation for environmental protection and commercial purposes. 7 Regulate and control the collection of NTFPs and medical plants. 8 Promote the sustainable management of NTFPs to improve rural livelihoods. 9 Enhance the local, public and private sectors’ participation in the protection and utilization of forest resources. 10 Improve both the quality and quantity of staff to manage forest resources. 11 Ensure that plantations minimise their impacts on neighbouring ecosystems. 12 Ensure the sustainable supply of fuel wood. 13 Promote integrated catchment management for upstream forests outside of NBCAs. 14 Establish an information database on forest resources. Obj.9 Promote industrial, energy and 1 Enforce EIA and social impact assessment effectively. mining development by 2 Develop and implement environmental standards and EIA regulations for mining minimizing the impact on measurement tools. biodiversity during industrial development processes. 3 Encourage the private sector to integrate environmental concerns into their decision making. 4 Consolidate the national policy on energy development. 5 Promote the utilization of renewable energy. 6 Reduce the utilization of fuel wood in industrial processing. 7 Enforce relevant laws and regulations effectively. 8 Develop a strategy on mining. 9 Promote the use of the CBA as a selection instrument for investments. 10 Establish sustainable industrial processes. 11 Improve the facilities in existing industrial development zones. 12 Promote public participation in the industrial development process. 13 Promote the use of environmental friendly technologies. 14 Provide assistance to organisations within various industries. 15 Introduce the polluter pays principle. 16 Promote an industry code of conduct & environmental auditing standards. 17 Establish environmental standards for managing industrial development. 17 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Obj: 10 Support the conservation of 1 Review and revise existing regulations on agro business. biodiversity through ecologically 2 Promote irrigation management transfer and strengthen community managed sustainable agriculture. irrigation programmes. 3 Expand and strengthen the participatory land allocation and land use tenure. 4 Introduce sedentary agriculture systems for upland farmers. 5 Facilitate farmers’ access to credit and markets. 6 Classify land use and agro ecological zoning. 7 Analyse further regional trade opportunities. 8 Prepare a programme for revision based on need and suitable for agricultural transition. 9 Monitor the progress of regional trading in agricultural products. 10 Prioritise research, trials and demonstrations of new plant and animal species. 11 Encourage farmers demand driven research. Obj.11 Manage water resources for socio- 1 Protect and maintain natural wetlands. economic development. 2 Establish a fund for bank erosion protection. 3 Strengthen the implementation of water resources management. 4 Assess the downstream impact of catchment deforestation. 5 Develop laws or regulations pertaining to bank protection. 6 Ban the disposal of all waste into river bodies. 7 Co-operate with neighbouring countries to solve related problems. Obj.12 Support the conservation of 1 Encourage local governments to retain and improve natural ecosystems and to biodiversity in urban areas. use indigenous species for plantings in urban areas. 2 Establish environmental standards for the control of air, noise, water, soil as well as visual pollution. 3 Promote the participation of the public and private sectors in urban environmental management. 4 Create orderly, clean and beautiful green cities. 5 Develop urbanization plans at regional, provincial, and district levels. 6 Integrate biodiversity considerations into relevant polices and strategies. 7 Encourage the retention of habitat in urban areas, and encourage people to conserve landscapes and architectural heritage in the cities. 18 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Programme 3: Human Resource Development Goal Plan and implement a biodiversity specific human resource development Action 2010 programme. Obj: 1 Raise the awareness and capacity of 1 Enhance awareness and education on the significance of the conservation and government staff at all levels. sustainable use of biodiversity resources. 2 Increase the understanding of the importance of biodiversity for poverty reduction. 3 Promote the understanding of the strong linkage between poverty and environmental management. 4 Inform and educate government staff about the principles and objectives of the CBD. Obj: 2 Improve the research capacity of 1 Assess present research capacities related to biodiversity in terms of quality and national experts in different fields quantity. related to biodiversity. 2 Promote research activities by visiting scientists on all aspects of biodiversity that prioritise on the skills transfer to Lao staff and students. 3 Build staff capacity through training and research. 4 Seek active cooperation with the international research community. 5 Improve specific scientific knowledge of staff. 6 Develop a skills-improvement programme. 7 Ensure that all field surveys are designed to transfer skills to Lao counterparts. 8 Facilitate and support the development of taxonomic training programmes. 9 Establish scientific teams. Obj: 3 Improve the management capacity at 1 Assess training needs. all levels. 2 Develop a needs oriented training programme. 3 Educate and train national, provincial and district personnel whose duties relate to species conservation and management. 4 Design and implement a specific course for NBCA managers. 5 Develop capacity building through short and long-term training by focusing on specific skills identified through the training needs assessment. 19 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Programme 4: Public Awareness and Involvement Increase public awareness of, and encourage participation in the Goal Action 2010 sustainable management of biodiversity. Obj: 1 Improve public awareness and 1 Raise the public’s awareness of the importance of biodiversity in relation to education. poverty reduction. 2 Design and implement a communication campaign related to biodiversity. 3 Develop and promote public information and education programmes in consultation with stakeholders involved in the management of biodiversity. 4 Improve communication channels between the government and the public. 5 Produce and widely distribute field guides in Lao. 6 Co-operate with the mass media to produce, publish and broadcast programmes dealing with biodiversity issues. 7 Disseminate the principles and objectives of the CBD to the public and private sectors. 8 Encourage the participation of all stakeholders at all levels, including local and indigenous people. 9 Combine Biodiversity Status Reports with the State of Environment Report. 10 Encourage the national media in understanding and promoting biodiversity- related issues for dissemination to the general public. 11 Increase public awareness, education and training on ex-situ conservation. 12 Improve public access to environmental information. 13 Develop and implement an accessible clearing-house mechanism. Obj: 2 Encourage and support public 1 Develop specific public involvement guidelines. participation. 2 Ensure that public participation is a compulsory component in project planning and design processes. 3 Promote and develop nature-orientated groups for participants ranging from children to adults. 4 Introduce public participation as a guiding principle for all natural resource management activities. 5 Increase village involvement in research and management activities relating to NBCAs. Obj: 3 Introduce biodiversity related studies 1 Review and enhance curricula. to educational curricula. 2 Design and deliver a specific course in biodiversity conservation to BSc. level at the National University of Laos. 3 Ensure that environmental education is a standard part of the curriculum. 4 Create awareness of biodiversity issues among the new generation. 20 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Programme 5: Institutional and Legal Frameworks Goal Adjust national legislation and regulations related to biodiversity and Action 2010 harmonise them with MEAs. Obj 1: Strengthen institutional cooperation 1 Review existing laws and regulations related to biodiversity. and enhance inter-department 2 Clarify the institution responsible for implementation as well as their mandate. coordination in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity 3 Identify and implement appropriate mechanisms aimed at governmental co-operation and co-ordination in biodiversity planning. 4 Integrate the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity into sector macro planning. 5 Promote the inclusion of biodiversity goals and principles in planning schemes and strategic plans at all levels. 6 Harmonise international conventions (MEAs) with existing laws and regulations. 7 Accede to international conventions, which relate to biodiversity. Programme 6: NBSAP Implementation Goal Secure the NBSAP’s implementation. Action 2010 Obj. 1 Implement the strategy and action plan 1 Set priorities and time frames for each of the actions. through priority actions within established timelines. 2 Develop suitable success indicators. Obj: 2 Secure sufficient funding for the 1 Assess the NBSAP’s related costs, including both direct and indirect costs, and NBSAP’s implementation. ensure that adequate funding sources are made available to cover these costs. 2 Obtain increased state budget allocations for biodiversity conservation activities. 3 Obtain increased foreign aid flows for biodiversity conservation activities. 4 Ensure adequate funding for training and research activities. 5 Strengthen the degree to which biodiversity is integrated into the operations of existing financial institutions. 6 Raise additional state revenues that can be reinvested in conservation activities. 7 Design NBSAP activities so as to minimise costs, and be financially efficient in their operations. 8 Develop prices and markets for biodiversity goods and services so as to ensure that consumers of biodiversity goods and services pay a fair of price for this use. Obj: 3 Ensure that the NBSAP is Refer to Programme 5: Institutional and Legal Frameworks complemented by provincial and bioregional strategies, and is supported by effective legislation where necessary. 21 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Programme 7: International Co-operation Goal Promote country needs driven Action 2010 international co-operation. Obj: 1 Ensure continued and effective 1 Increase bi-lateral and multi-lateral co-operation, which is of mutual international and regional co-operation interest. with international governmental and 2 Promote cooperation, share information and exchange experiences. non-governmental organisations in the conservation of biodiversity. 3 Enhance international collaboration in research related to biological diversity. 4 Ensure that projects and programmes related to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity are included in the respective donor portfolios. 5 Ensure that impacts on biodiversity are considered as part of the planning cycles for internationally supported projects and programmes. 6 Ensure that opportunities to increase the level of technology transfer relevant to biodiversity conservation are included in donor programmes and projects. Obj: 2 Support and encourage the Lao PDR's 1 Review the status of the Lao PDR's participation in all bilateral and participation in Multilateral international agreements relevant to the conservation and sustainable Environmental Agreements. use of biodiversity to which the country is a signatory. 2 Ensure that all necessary steps are taken to fully implement these agreements. 3 Actively participate in and promote the development of new agreements and arrangements that are relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and that are in the Lao PDR's interests. 4 Maintain and strengthen the Lao PDR's participation in multilateral efforts related to biodiversity in areas outside the national boundaries, which are of mutual interest. 22 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 5.1 Institutional Arrangements • International organizations, both regional and sub- regional, including donor countries. STEA and MAF are directly responsible for cooperation and coordination with concerned agencies including both • Income from the use of biodiversity and biodiversity central and local administration authorities and international services. agencies, and also for identifying sources of funding in order to support the implementation of the NBSAP. 5.4 Monitoring and Evaluation All sectors, both at the central and local level have the The NBSAP is seen as a facilitator for the implementation responsibility to translate the NBSAP into their action plans, of directives advocated by the National Socio-economic which are to be implemented effectively. Development Vision in both regional and international Mass organisations in collaboration with other agencies have contexts. It promotes the conservation of biodiversity and the responsibility of contributing towards the support and the sustainable use of the country’s resources and confirms encouragement of people to actively participate in the that the Lao PDR will contribute towards the international protection, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. effort to implement the CBD. Internal and external private sectors running business in the Clear mechanisms, with the following areas of Lao PDR must strongly support government sectors in responsibility, should be established to ensure the the management, conservation and sustainable use of implementation of the NBSAP: biodiversity. • Co-ordination of the NBSAP’s implementation at national, regional and international levels. 5.2 Target Groups • Production of an annual report on policies, activities The major target groups in the implementation of the and plans for the implementers. NBSAP include: • Support of the local and private sector’s • STEA, MAF and other relevant ministries, participation. • All relevant local government sectors, • Production of regular reports on the status of the • Mass organizations, country’s biodiversity. • Both the internal and external private sector running • A revision of the NBSAP after the initial stage of businesses in the Lao PDR, implementation. • International organizations, both regional and sub- The monitoring and evaluation should be based on the regional, indicators set forth and will be carried out at the end of • Non-governmental organizations. each designed implementation phase. However, successful implementation will require the support from all partners 5.3 Funding Sources and levels. Funding for the implementation of the NBSAP can be obtained from the following sources: • The government budget allocated to each economic sector at both the central and local levels. • The National Environmental Fund. • The contributions from both the internal and external private sector running businesses in the Lao PDR. 25 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan REFERENCES Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Science Technology and Environment Agency. The Biodiversity Country Report, The Lao PDR. (2004) Science Technology and Environment Agency. Draft of the National Environment Strategy. (2004). Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The National Agriculture Strategy 2002. (2003). Committee for Planning and Cooperation. The National Committee for Poverty Eradication. The National Poverty Eradication Programme 2002. (2003). Government of Lao PDR. The National Socio-economic Development Programme 2005, 2010, and 2020. (2003). 28 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 1. The LAO PDR – An Overview 330 in 2000, the incidence of poverty remains high. Thirty nine percent of the population are currently thought to be The Lao PDR is a country abundant with natural resources living in poverty and the Lao PDR is ranked 140 out of lying in the central Indochina peninsula between 13.54 - 174 in UNDP’s Human Development Index, making it 22.31 degrees north and 100.05-107.42 degrees south. It is one of the poorest countries in the Asian region (ADB a landlocked country with total land area of 236,800 km2, 2001a, 2001b). more than 40% of which consists of stocked forestlands. The Lao PDR’s border stretches for 416 km in the north Unfortunately, the last few decades have witnessed heavy with the People’s Republic of China for 492 km in the losses in biodiversity resources due to the destruction of south with the Kingdom of Cambodia, for 1,957 km in natural habitats which has been caused by the unsustainable the east with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and for use of resources and increasing population pressures. These 1,370 km in the west with the Kingdom of Thailand. The losses can be attributed to the population increase in rural country is divided into sixteen provinces, one municipality areas, the over-exploitation of NTFPs and available wood and one special region. In 2002, it was estimated that the resources through legal and illegal logging, and the absence total population of the country was some 5.48 million of detailed planning. Furthermore, some shifting cultivation people or 861,500 households, of which approximately practises, particularly pioneering shifting cultivation, the 83% live in rural areas. prevailing hunting and fishing practises and the illegal trade of wildlife have accelerated the loss of the nation’s The Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC) – after biodiversity. The loss of forest cover and biodiversity both research, classification and categorisation – introduced an have a short and a long-term negative impact on the official ethnic classification system with forty-nine main environment, socio-economic development, and groups. These ethnic groups fall into four ethno-linguistic particularly the livelihoods of the Lao people living in rural families, namely the Tai-Kadai, the Mon-Khmer, the Tibeto- areas. Burmese and Hmong-Mien which are distributed from the north to the south of the country. Out of the four 2. Status on International and Regional regions the north has the highest number of distinct ethnic groups comprising 87% of the region’s population. The Biodiversity east has the second highest number with 69%, followed In May 1989, an ad hoc working group of experts on by the southern and central regions, each of which have biological diversity was established to prepare an ethnic populations of approximately 50%. international legal instrument for the conservation and The climate of the Lao PDR is seasonally tropical, with a sustainable use of biodiversity. Taking into account the need pronounced wet and dry season. The lowest levels of mean to share costs and benefits between developed and annual rainfall are about 1,300 mm in the northwest, while developing countries and the ways and means to support the highest levels are well above 4,000 mm in the southern innovation through an Intergovernmental Negotiating Annamite range. The majority of the lowlands experience Committee (INC), seven working sessions (five negotiating) between 1,500-2,000 mm of rainfall annually. were held which culminated in using the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text The value of biodiversity also represents a significant source of the Convention on Biological Diversity 2000 (CBD). of national income contributing to the country’s socio- economic development. Timber, processed wood and The convention was opened for signatories at the United handicrafts made from natural products are all export Nations Conference on Environment and Development commodities. Besides, biodiversity plays an important role (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 and came into in environmental protection. The combination of healthy effect on the 29th of December 1993. As of the 31st of ecosystems with diverse forests and aquatic resources can January 2003 there are 187 Parties to the CBD. support agricultural production and prevent natural disasters The principal objectives of the CBD are the conservation such as flooding, landslides and drought. and sustainable use of biological diversity, and the fair and The prevailing economy of Lao PDR is heavily dependent on equitable sharing of benefits arising form its utilization. natural resources as the country is dominated by subsistence The Convention recognizes that the key to maintaining production, with the majority of the population relying on biological diversity depends upon using this diversity in a farming and the collection of NTFPs for their basic sustainable manner. livelihoods. In 2000, nominal GDP was estimated to be The Convention translates its guiding objectives of 13,483 billion kip or US$ 1.65 billion (IMF 2002). Although conservation, sustainable use and equitable sharing of per capita GDP increased from US $114 in 1985 to US$ benefits into binding commitments in its substantive 1 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan provisions contained in Articles 6 to 20. These articles resources. A collapse of major ecosystems and a dramatic contain key provisions on, among others, measures for reduction in the numbers of species populations is not the conservation of biological diversity, both in-situ and only eroding the livelihoods of billions of the earth’s ex-situ, incentives for the conservation and sustainable use poorest citizens but is also causing major environmental of biological diversity, as well as research and training. disasters in the form of floods, landslides, droughts, Additionally public awareness and education; assessment desertification and smoke hazes. These problems are of the impacts of projects upon biological diversity; crippling the development of Asia’s agricultural and regulation of access to genetic resources; access to and industrial sectors. transfer of technology and the provision of financial In addition to the loss of habitat due to logging and resources have been included. agricultural expansion, the wildlife trade (both legal and In addition to its substantive provisions, the Convention illegal), pollution, alien invasive species, climatic change and establishes institutional arrangements that provide a the threats posed by genetically modified organisms mechanism for the further development of, and for (GMOs) are growing problems in the region. The most monitoring the implementation of, the Convention through important issues are to initiate ways of taxing the main meetings, work programmes, reviews and negotiations. offenders and to reward those regions and communities Three institutions have been established by the Convention, whose actions either enhance or refrain from destroying namely the Conference of the Parties (COP), the Subsidiary such resources and services. Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) and the Secretariat. The Convention has also 3. The Status of Biodiversity in the Lao PDR established a financial mechanism for the provision of financial resources to developing country Parties, and has Lao Flora and Fauna made provisions for the establishment of a clearing-house Surveys conducted in cooperation with foreign experts mechanism (CHM) for scientific and technical cooperation. have recorded at least 166 species of reptiles and Furthermore, the Convention enables the COP to establish amphibians. Ten amphibian species are threatened and one additional subsidiary bodies, as it deems necessary for the specie is likely to occur only in the Lao PDR. Surveys have implementation of the Convention. reported 247 mammal species including three new species. Since the adoption of the Convention, the COP has met These consist of the Muntiacus truongsonesis, the Muntiacus six times and, on each occasion, has, through its decisions, vuquangesis and Pseudoryx nghtinhensis, which occur only taken the necessary steps to translate the general provisions in the Annamite range, a landmass forming the boundary of the Convention into practical action. These measures between the Lao PDR and Vietnam. Out of the reported have included, among others, the adoption of number of mammal species, 60 have been classified as programmes of work for a number of thematic areas threatened. and crosscutting issues, and the issuing of specific guidelines Birds have so far been the best-surveyed class of animals for funding through the Convention’s financial mechanism in the country which according to a 1996 survey consist of for projects thereby ensuring the implementation of these 112 key-species, and are therefore of elevated conservation programmes. Measures also consist of the establishment concern. In 1999 Duckworth et al adjusted this figure to of ad hoc bodies to focus on the implementation of 150 key-species, of which 27 species are globally threatened specific provisions of the Convention, such as those relating and 47 species are near threatened. to access and benefit-sharing, traditional knowledge, and bio-safety. In reference to the latter, this process has led to Surveys have recorded nearly 90 species of bats, of which the adoption of a new legal instrument, the Cartagena 51 are considered to be key species. New species continue Protocol on bio-safety, itself a landmark treaty that to be recorded on most of the recent surveys and as many provides an international regulatory framework for areas in the Lao PDR have not been surveyed, more species reconciling the respective needs of free trade and are likely to occur. Many species are at risk of extinction environmental protection in the context of a rapidly due to their exploitation for food (Duckworth et al. 1999). growing global industry. About 500 indigenous fish species are reported to live in Asia, as one of the richest biodiversity regions of the the Mekong River and its tributaries in the Lao PDR world, is facing an ecological crisis due to population according to a 2001 survey conducted by Kotellat and his pressure. The region has an average human density eight team. Out of this number, nine species have been classified times higher than the rest of the world and consequently as threatened, and twenty-five are suitable for aquaculture. this puts enormous pressure on land and biodiversity 2 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NTFPs are important to the national and local economy, A) Economic causes as they are used as a resource for subsistence as well as • The unsustainable use and over exploitation of trade. NTFPs have a high commercial value and it is timber. estimated that about half of the cash income of rural • The conversion of ecosystems. households is derived from NTFPs. Previously the focus • Pollution resulting from production processes. has been on timber production and NTFPs have received little attention through the national forest policy. Their • An increase in the market demand for neglect has probably been due to their diverse and complex biodiversity resources. nature and their position outside of mainstream economic • Increased competition for the use of existing development. resources. Lao people consume wild vegetables, which are edible • The use of chemical compounds in the plants growing in their natural habitats, and include aquatic agricultural and industrial sectors. and terrestrial, annual or perennial plants. This tradition has B) Social causes been handed down from one generation to the next. Many • The scattered population distribution. species have been planted in home gardens but their use varies according to local traditions, culture, and naturally • The rapid population growth. availability. • The traditional life style and culture of ethic minorities. The Lao PDR lies within the centre of the domestication of Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.), and it is recognised to be • The war impact due to the previous use of the centre of origin of the glutinous rice types resulting in chemicals and devastating weapons. the country having become the largest producer and • The fact that people continue to live in poverty. consumer of glutinous rice in Asia (Appa Rao et al 2001a). C) Natural/Environmental causes The cultivated varieties of lowland rain-fed and upland rain-fed rice differ considerably in morphological, • The occurrence of floods, droughts, landslides physiological, agronomic, and grain quality attributes. In and forest fires. addition to the traditional varieties grown by farmers, • Infrastructure developments. hybrids from cultivated rice and wild rice are also D) Managerial causes commonly found. • Current institutional frameworks and The rice varieties found in the Lao PDR differ significantly management systems are inadequate. in terms of their ecological requirements, as is the case of lowland paddy and upland rice and also for the different • Laws have not been effectively applied and wild rice types. The National Agricultural and Forestry enforced. Research Institute (NAFRI) currently has 13,193 samples • Inadequate mechanisms are in place for the of cultivated rice genetic materials and 237 samples of control of cross border traffic. wild rice in cold (medium term) storage. For long-term conservation, duplicate samples have been sent to the Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in the Lao International Rice Gene bank at IRRI in the Philippines. PDR Medicinal plants are used in the prevention, diagnosis and The country’s NBCA system was officially established in treatment of diseases as well as ingredients for health 1993 through the Prime Minister’s Decree No 164 which products. The Lao PDR’s location in Southeast Asia resulted from the First National Forestry Forum in 1989. provides ecological systems with favourable conditions for The total number of NBCAs rose to twenty after another the development of biodiversity, including medicinal plants two were added, and furthermore provincial and district that can be harvested for the production of traditional PAs have also been established.. Additionally the following and modern medicine. two contiguous areas were created to act as corridors between three NBCAs at the end of 2000 through the Main Causes of the Loss of Biodiversity Prime Minister’s Decree No 193: As highlighted in the BCR, the various causes which have • The corridor between NaKai Nam Teun NPA and Phou led to the loss of biodiversity have a significant impact on Hinpoun NPA. livelihood systems and thereby have impeded the long- • The corridor between Nakai Nam Teun NPA and Hin term goal of socio-economic development. The NBSAP Nam Nor NPA. must therefore address the following key causes: 3 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan In order to enhance the effective management of the • Commercial production. This programme focuses on NBCAs the GoL established and promulgated the the production of goods for all significant sectors of following laws which have a bearing on biodiversity the domestic market and for export to regional and resources: The Forestry Law (1996), The Water and Water international markets. Many components of biodiversity Resources Law (1996), The Electricity Law (1997), The already have a significant commercial and trade value, Mining Law (1997), The Agriculture law (1998), and The which include agricultural and forest resources. There is Environmental a great potential for adding further value to sustainable biological resource harvesting and processing, and for Protection law (1999). Once the above-mentioned laws developing new biodiversity markets and products. had been issued, they were implemented through specific decrees and regulations by the relevant sectors. In addition, • Rural development. The main purpose of the rural the GoL has also focused on environmental education and development programme is to alleviate poverty in rural public awareness raising activities. Examples of these include areas through income generation and service Tree Plantation Day, Environment Day, and Wildlife and improvement. Biological resources, including indigenous Fish Release Day. The Ministry of Education is currently crop and livestock species as well as NTFPs, already developing the curriculum on biodiversity which is to be provide the main livelihood source of some of the integrated into various levels of the education system. poorest sectors of the rural population. They also contribute to economic and livelihood security when These efforts illustrate the GoL’s commitment towards other sources of production become unavailable. There the protection of the country’s biodiversity and the is a demonstrated potential for using biodiversity enhancement of socio-economic development. resources - such as through ecotourism or NTFP Currently the NBCAs system covers an area of 33,907 processing - as a source of rural income expansion and km2, or roughly 14.2% of the country’s land area, with the diversification. purpose of achieving the following three main objectives: • Service development. A stated goal is to develop the • The protection of forests, wildlife and aquatic animals. potential of new and emerging sectors such as tourism and trade. Both of these targeted sectors already depend • The maintenance of the natural abundance of heavily on biodiversity, and have a high potential for biodiversity and environmental stability. further development. • The protection of areas of natural beauty for • Development of foreign economic relations. leisure and research. Priorities are to make considerable use of global opportunities in order to develop the national economy, Biodiversity and Socio-economics promote foreign direct investment, and improve Biodiversity plays an important role in socio-economic economic co-operation with foreign countries and development as numerous activities in the economic sector international institutions. There already is a high global as well as those in various other sectors rely on the use of interest in the Lao PDR’s unique biodiversity, which is and services from biodiversity resources. However, the demonstrated by existing donor aid flows and tourist identification of the role of biodiversity in socio-economic demand. There are also many other opportunities to development is in its infancy in the Lao PDR and therefore promote foreign investment and to market elements is currently limited. of biodiversity on global markets. Biodiversity is of central importance to many of the key elements in the following socio-economic development priorities and targets: • Food production. A major priority is to provide food for national self-sufficiency, and to generate a surplus that can be sold in cross-border regions and used in the food processing industry. Indigenous agro-biodiversity plays an important role in food production and food security, as well as in the generation of products that have a commercial and a trade value. 4

ANNEX 2 THEMATIC AREAS OF THE NBSAP AND THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (CBD) Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 1 Nature Conservation Efforts (CBD Art. adjoining paper on the Lao PDR’s wildlife indicates, 13 large animals have already become extinct in the country in 7, 8, 9, 10) recent times and 56 large bodied animals have populations In-situ conservation (Art. 8) smaller than 500 individuals. These populations are in danger of local extinction because of hunting and the Context: wildlife trade. There is a lack of restrictions on current The Lao PDR’s NBCA system was legally established in land-use activities and all the communities living inside the 1993 through Prime Minister’s Decree No 164 in an effort PAs have expanded their agricultural land such as rice fields to reduce negative developments such as the rapid decline and cash crop areas. While commercial cash crops have in biodiversity resulting from unsustainable market and expanded, most villagers in rural areas derive their subsistence hunting, and accelerated habitat conversion. subsistence from traditional swidden agriculture. Population growth, migration and increased competition for land and The Decree lays out the system’s three main objectives: forest resources are forcing swiddeners’ expansion further Ø Protection of forests, wildlife and aquatic animals. into the primary forest. Ø Maintenance of the natural abundance of Key Issues: biodiversity and environmental stability. Ø The NBCA system does not fully represent all habitats Ø Protection of areas of natural beauty for leisure and and ecosystems. research. Ø Unplanned village settlements are scattered and have Ministerial regulation 0524 describes how PAs should be developed within NBCAs. administered, zoned and run. It provides for, and promotes Ø NBCAs with abundant resources are mainly located in the sustainable use of biodiversity in more than 1,100 villages the poorest regions of the country. that are inside and within a 5 km radius of the 20 existing national PAs. The PA system, although well planned, Ø The NBCA boundaries are unclear and not accepted primarily conserves species through PA remoteness and by local communities. terrain inaccessibility. Active conservation measures have Ø Some NBCAs are under increasing pressure from had a slow start and it is estimated that conservation exploitation, encroachment and large development measures are fully operational in approximately 50% of projects. the area designated as PAs. Experience with PA Ø NBCA management is not the first priority for local management suggests that at least two principles should authorities that have jurisdiction over them. be used to guide the development of the strategic Ø NBCA institutional arrangements are inadequate and approach to PA management. still weak. Firstly, ‘Participatory PA Management’ means to jointly Ø Incomplete taxonomic studies and inventories of fauna protect, enhance and manage PAs and their resources in a and flora hamper assessment and monitoring of the sustainable manner with guardian villagers and other true status of wildlife. stakeholders, for the benefit of local people and the nation Ø NBCA staff lack knowledge and experience in NBCA as a whole. Participatory PA management is a core strategic management. principle that recognizes stakeholder villagers and Ø The measurement of performance for violation and communities as full partners in the PA management process, for good practice in relation to biodiversity conservation and gives local people an integral role in planning and is currently inadequate. management activities. Ø The government still lacks funds for on going NBCA Secondly, the ‘Integrated Conservation and Development’ management. (ICAD) approach gives equal value and importance to Ø Public participation in biodiversity management needs both development and conservation in the management to be expanded. of PAs. It seeks an appropriate balance between conservation and development. The aim of integrating Intervention Options: conservation and development is to ensure “that development • Include all relevant habitats and ecosystems in the Lao has positive outcomes for conservation, and that conservation has PDR within the NBCA system. positive outcomes for development”. • Strengthen the NBCAs’ management capacity. Impact on, and change within the PAs, has been caused by • Improve the institutional and legal basis for PA agricultural expansion and resource exploitation. As the management. 1 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan • Clearly determine NBCA boundaries. recovery programmes for endangered animal and plant • Improve public awareness of NBCA management by species, provided that the species at risk are known. The educating and enhancing the people living in and around general data deficiency hampers the necessary assessment NBCAs to actively participate in their management, and and consequently the development of an integrated there by concurrently improving their livelihoods. conservation approach. Without such an approach, infrastructure and human resource development needs • Improve knowledge on taxonomy and the status of cannot be defined. Furthermore, the responsibility for ex- wildlife as well as biodiversity related issues in the Lao situ conservation is not clearly defined. PDR. • Provide sufficient funds, vehicles, and materials to ensure Key Issues: effective NBCA management. Ø Inadequate infrastructure for ex-situ conservation. • Review the existing NBCA network and management Ø Existing ex-situ infrastructure does not meet international system. standards. • Identify and determine ecosystems zoning. Ø Ex-situ conservation efforts are scattered and in their • Identify the key species for specific management. infancy. • Implement ICAD objectives. Ø The use of hybrids for high yield varieties may cause • Integrate NBCA management plans into cross sector the loss of landraces and cultivars. planning at a provincial level. Ø Many institutions collect data, samples and cultivars • Exchange and share information on NBCAs with all independently, which occasionally overlap. A data sharing concerned parties at regional, national and international and exchange system needs to be put in place. levels. Ø There are no systematic studies on traditional and • Enhance staff capacity building at various levels. indigenous knowledge. • Establish appropriate incentives and financial Ø A lack of qualified specialists in specific fields. mechanisms for NBCA management. Ø Funds, vehicles and materials are currently inadequate. Intervention Options Ex-situ conservation (Art. 9) • Establish the conservation of threatened, endangered Context: and endemic species as a priority. The Lao PDR lies within the centre of the domestication • of Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.). Moreover, the centre of . origin of the glutinous rice types is recognised to be within • Establish a National Biodiversity Information Centre. the country and it is also the main glutinous rice producer • Re-survey and reclassify species for management. and consumer in Asia. The richness and diversity of rice • Promote research on ex-situ conservation. varieties in the Lao PDR is reflected in the 3,169 distinct • Build the capacity of field specialists in various areas. names given to the traditional varieties (Appa Rao et al. 2001b). The National Agricultural and Forestry Research • Establish a National Natural History Museum. Institute (NAFRI) has 13,193 samples of cultivated rice • Develop an open zoo/botanical garden. genetic materials and 237 samples of wild rice in cold, i.e. • Promote the participation of local and indigenous medium-term storage. For long-term conservation, people in the planning and implementation process of duplicate samples have been sent to the International Rice ex-situ conservation. Genebank at IRRI in the Philippines. • Increase public awareness of ex-situ conservation Other ex-situ conservation efforts in the Lao PDR such as through education and training. zoos do not meet international standards and are therefore not recognised. Ex-situ conservation should be considered 2 Forest Resources (Art. 8c, 8i, 8j, 8l, as support to in-situ conservation efforts. The more 10b, 10c) traditional infrastructures such as zoos, botanical gardens, herbariums, tree nurseries as well as the modern seed and Context: gene banks will unfold their full potential if linked to an Forests in the Lao PDR are classified into five management overall conservation and recovery concept. systems, namely protection forests, conservation forests, Ex-situ conservation can play a very important role in production forests, rehabilitated forests and degraded 2 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan forests. Approximately 2.5 million ha are designated as export and the balance - just over 530,000 m3 a year - is production forests, but it is estimated that forests with the utilised domestically. Log production supports various potential for commercial production may total more than domestic forest industries, including sawmills, plywood, 5.6 million ha. Only 57,000 ha of plantation forests are veneer, parquet, poles, furniture and door production. All available for production, which is less than half of the of these industries have expanded rapidly over the last 113,000 ha of planted areas (Draft Strategy of Forest decade and it is estimated that the wood industry’s operating management, 2020). Virtually all forest resource extraction capacity almost doubled from just over 300,000 m3 in 1988 can therefore be considered to originate from natural forests to just under 600,000 m3 in 1999. More than 130 sawmills, and to comprise indigenous species. 2 plywood factories, 28 wooden furniture factories and 3 parquet factories currently operate in the Lao PDR. Indigenous forest resources yield five main categories of Applying current prices to the commercial log harvest direct economic benefits: commercial timber exploitation, suggests that formal-sector timber exploitation has a market household wood consumption, fuel wood use, and value of some Kip 530 billion a year, of which just over a NTFPs harvested at household and commercial levels. quarter derives from export earnings. Forest cover in the Lao PDR is estimated to be at 41% of Timber is also harvested non-commercially in order to the total land area and this remains amongst the highest in meet household demands for construction and repair, the region. However, rapid deforestation has resulted from fencing, poles, furniture and other domestic uses. A large encroachment of lowland farmers and expanding shifting proportion of this type of exploitation is carried out in cultivation in mountainous areas, forest fires, commercial degraded and non-production forests, whereby small forest extraction and infrastructure development. diameter, non-commercial timber is extracted. Specific concerns about logging include inadequate Estimates of household timber consumption vary greatly, systematic management or planning inventories, low and timber use also differs between regions, social regeneration; overexploitation by legal and illegal operations, categories and ethnic groups. At a national level, it is thought and long-term planning in the setting of logging quotas; that household wood consumption for non-energy and the selection of logging sites with little or no purposes equates to between 0.14 and 0.15 m3 per capita consideration of sustainability. per year for rural households. The BCR assumes an average The expansion of shifting cultivation in forest areas has rural household wood consumption of 0.15 m3 per capita increasingly contributed to deforestation, with an estimated per year. These data suggest that an average of just over annual clearance of about 300,000 ha. The GoL has 680,000 m3 of wood a year is consumed at a household therefore prepared and implemented a national priority level - a volume that is approximately equivalent to programme, namely the stabilisation of slash and burn commercial wood exploitation. Applying average prices practices in view of restricting clearance of forestland for for pole wood and low-grade timber to this exploitation agriculture. As result shifting cultivation was decreased by gives a market value of just under Kip 170 billion a year about 25,000ha between 1998 and 2000. for household timber consumption. Timber Non-Timber Forest Products A commercial logging industry exists in the Lao PDR and NTFPs play a central role in the rural economy of the Lao official statistics suggest that a total of 3.3 million m3 of PDR, and have been studied extensively as a result. Wild timber were harvested between 1995 and 1999, or an plant species provide a wide range of products for average of just under 650,000 m3 a year. consumption and production including wild plant proteins Production forests are thought to contain commercial and edible plants such as mushrooms, bamboo shoots, timber of between 100-150 m3/ha, and the total annual wild fruits and vegetables and honey. NTFPs also provide allowable cut has been determined to be 282,580 m3/year. materials for household construction and handicraft The balance of commercial timber is supplied from production including bamboo, rattan, pandanus, broom conversion. There has been an increasing reliance on log grass and paper mulberry. They are also the ingredients of production from infrastructure and land development traditional medicines and are also used for livestock fodder projects and between 1995-1999 almost two-thirds of and pasture. harvested logs came from this source. NTFPs are known to be a particularly important With an average annual commercial timber demand of component of household subsistence, especially food some 646,000 m3 approximately 17.5% is destined for consumption. Villagers rank wild foods consistently as the most important forest resource. It is estimated that wild 3 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan foods contribute between 61-79% of non-rice food Key Issues: consumption by weight, and provide an average of 4% Ø Insufficient quality and quantity, as well an inefficient of energy intake, 40% of calcium, 25% of iron and 40% allocation of staff within the forest management system. of vitamins A and C. They are also commonly used as buffers against seasonal and emergency food shortages. Ø Inadequate inter agency coordination. Ø Inadequate law and regulation enforcement. In addition to subsistence consumption, NTFPs also generate cash earnings. Subsistence products are collected Ø Inadequate regulations on forest and village land and sold especially during the peak season in local markets classification and delineation. and to exporters. Food items such as wild animals, insects, Ø Timber exploitation and NTFP harvesting in provinces frogs, mushrooms, bamboo and rattan shoots, wild is not conducted according to the annually allocated vegetables, bamboo culms, and rattan canes are sold quotas, or according to technical guidelines. everywhere at local markets in urban as well as in rural Ø Management have inadequate use of materials, tools areas and at roadsides almost throughout the year. Wild and vehicles. orchids are also widely sold for ornamental purposes. Ø Inadequate technical knowledge and experience on National studies have found that sales of NTFPs are worth plantation and NTFP management. an average of 11% of cash income, rising to 55% in forest- Intervention Options: rich areas. In many parts of the country NTFP cash income is far in excess of the national average. For example surveys • Maintain a healthy and abundant forest cover and expand carried out in Houapanh Province found that NTFPs forest cover areas. contributed an average of 38% of village cash income, • Provide sustainable production for local consumption rising as high as 56% for households living within and as well as for external demands, which takes into account adjacent to forests and on the Nakai Plateau NTFPs the protection of the environment. accounted for over three quarters of family income. • Translate laws and regulations and ensure that they are Although it is difficult to aggregate these data at a national strictly enforced. level due to the wide variations of social and cultural • Revise the forest production system. systems, livelihoods, dependency on forests, as well as • Provide sustainable management of NTFPs to ensure access to other sources of production and consumption, an improvement in rural livelihoods. estimates have been generalised for the country as a whole. On average NTFPs are worth a total of almost $320 per • Improve the tree plantation and forest management year for rural households in the Lao PDR, contributing to system, as well as promote reforestation. about 44% of subsistence value, 55% of cash income, or • Revise and develop specific regulations. 46% of the total household economy. • Establish an information database on forest Taking these average household data into consideration resources. NTFPs may be worth some Kip 2.6 million per household • Enhance the local, public and private sectors’ per year or Kip 1,837 billion in total. Firewood, fish and participation in the protection and utilisation of forest aquatic resource consumption values have been excluded resources. from this figure. • Clearly define forest areas mentioned in the Forestry NTFPs also have a high industrial and trade value. The Law. most important components of the commercial NTFP • Promote alternative development to shifting harvest are mainly plant exudates (resin, oleo-resin, Siam cultivators. benzoin), medicinal plants, spices/condiments, plant barks • Develop ecologically sound logging systems with a (paper mulberry or “po sa” / Broussonetia papyrifera, Persea limited environmental impact. kurzii, Boehmeria malabarica,), fruits (Malva nuts / Sterculia • Control NTFP and medicinal plant collection. lychnophora), sugar palm (Arenga pinnata, Dialium indum), and • Improve both the quality and quantity of staff stems (bamboo, rattan, broom grass). responsible for the management of forest resources. 4 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 3 Wildlife Resources, Wild Plants and the Lao PDR in 1975 the most important botanical studies were carried out within the flora-projects: “Flore Générale Living Aquatic Resources (Art. 8c, 8i, de l’ Indo-Chine” (1907-1951) and “Flore du Cambodge, 8j, 8l, 10b, 10c) du Laos et du Vietnam” (1960). Compared to its neighbouring countries, there have been Animal Wildlife very few studies on plant taxonomy in the Lao PDR since Knowledge of the varying locations of species occurrence 1975. Most of these have not been comprehensive and is fundamental to biodiversity conservation. However apart have generally been performed by untrained botanists. from sparse information on some aquatic groups, there Although there is no national herbarium in the country, currently is no solid documentation available on Lao many institutions have established their own herbarium, invertebrates, the largest and most varied group of namely the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Faculty of organisms on earth and in the Lao PDR itself. Forestry (the National University of Laos), the Traditional Medicine Research Centre (TMRC) and the Forestry The overall amphibian and reptile composition of the Lao Research Centre. Unfortunately, a great deal of the material PDR still remains unknown. Previous reports on the collected has been destroyed due to a lack of suitable herpetofauna are based largely on secondary, regional storage facilities. accounts or are extrapolations from documented occurrence in adjacent countries. Even the single attempt Living Aquatic Resources to catalogue any component of the herpetofauna, Deuve’s “Serpents du Lao”, contains suppositions and records that Rivers, water bodies and other natural and constructed could not be traced to museum specimens. wetlands are estimated to cover just under 945,000 ha or 4% of the Lao PDR, including 254,000 ha from the Mekong Birds are the best-surveyed class of animals in the country, and other major rivers, 57,000 ha from large reservoirs, and knowledge is based on surveys carried out between 96,000 ha from swamps and wetlands, 480,000 ha from 1949 and 1996 in 20 NBCAs in combination with incidental rice fields, 10,300 ha from fish ponds, and 47,400 ha from records from other areas. Approximately 700 species of small reservoirs, ponds and weirs (DLF, 2001). These birds are known or have been provisionally recorded in wetland resources support a large fishery, as well as yielding the Lao PDR and another 100 or so are reasonably likely a wide range of other aquatic animals that are harvested to occur (some seasonally). In comparison, however, with for household consumption and trade. With the exception neighbouring countries they remain insufficiently known. of a small number of introduced fish used for aquaculture, Twenty-seven Globally Threatened and forty-seven almost all of the fish caught in the Lao PDR are indigenous Globally Near-Threatened species are known from the Lao species. PDR, and as 70% of these bird species have been recorded The most extensive knowledge of aquatic resources is in the country to date, it makes the Lao PDR an important related to fish but other aquatic resources such as country for bird conservation. amphibians, reptiles, molluscs, crustaceans, and water insects Despite the size range of mammals, they are generally less have not been well researched. About 500 indigenous fish well known than birds of the same region, this particularly species are reported to live in the Mekong River and its being the case in the Lao PDR; however 247 species of tributaries in the Lao PDR. Of these, 9 species are mammals are reported to occur. There seem to be no threatened, and 25 species are suitable for aquaculture (DLF, confirmed Lao records for several species likely to occur 2001). (even though they existed in the past with some being of Ongoing research carried out by MAF in cooperation with high conservation concern), 36 species are considered MRC on fish habitat and spawning grounds aims to fill Globally Threatened and 32 species Globally Near important gaps in knowledge. The introduction of other Threatened. species to captive breeding is also the topic of ongoing research. Plants Fish, frogs, turtles, snails and other living aquatic animals There are an estimated 8,000 – 11,000 species of flowering cater for more than 50% of the animal protein consumed plants. Approximately one-third of the plants of the Indo- by the population in the Lao PDR and is of critical Chinese bio-geographic sub-region are endemic to the sub- importance to national food security. Official MAF statistics region, which covers most of the Lao PDR. Botanical (2002) mention an annual fish production in the range of research, including taxonomical studies began in the country 83,500 tons of which 55,500 tons derive from fish culture in the mid-nineteenth century. Before the foundation of with the remainder originating from natural sources such 5 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan as rivers, reservoirs, and swamps. According to MAF • Review and revise existing national legislation with statistics, the annual fish consumption is estimated to be 16 respect to the management of the trade in wildlife, wild kg per capita. plants and aquatic resources. Key Issues: • Encourage the participation of all stakeholders at all levels, including local and indigenous people. Ø Population growth has caused an increase in hunting • Limit the illegal hunting and trade of wildlife and wild and unsustainable fishing practices for subsistence. plant resources and enforce punitive measures for Ø An imbalance of the ecological process has occurred offenders. due to large-scale development projects and the • Control the importation of alien invasive species. introduction of exotic species. • Design, protect, and manage habitat corridors linking Ø Low and ineffective law enforcement. The introduction PAs. of exotic species is unregulated and there is no specific • Include mandatory independent environmental impact law on the management of aquatic areas and wetlands. assessments for major development projects. Ø Relevant laws and regulations have not been adequately • Control the hunting, fishing and harvesting of wild plants disseminated to the public. along country boundaries. Ø Clearance of forests and other habitats for agriculture • Improve taxonomic knowledge and data information (principally rice) and other purposes. management systems. Ø Forest fires, including the burning of forests to catch wildlife, as well as droughts. • Enhance public awareness, education and training. Ø The impact of the war and the remaining unexploded ordinance. 4 Agricultural Resources (Art. 8c, 8i, 8j, Ø The use of chemicals in the agricultural sector and 8l, 10b, 10c) industrial waste. Context: Ø Commercial logging, both legal and illegal. Farming, particularly rice production provides a basic Ø Infrastructure development has a destructive impact on source of livelihood for the majority of the Lao PDR’s wildlife and wild plant habitats. population. Indigenous crops and livestock varieties and Ø The participation of the government, the private sector their genetic diversity play an important role in agricultural and the general public in conservation activities is still production. Traditional land use practices and farming inadequate. systems contain high levels of agro-biodiversity, and are Ø The embankment and conversion of natural wetlands made up of a wide range of domesticated, semi-cultivated, for agriculture, construction or other purposes affects transferred and non-cultivated wild species. aquatic habitats. Agro-biodiversity yields have multiple economic values. Ø Scientific knowledge of and data on species is limited. Direct values include food production and income Ø The existing lists of species are not properly defined generation, which are relatively easy to quantify in monetary and are not appropriate for Lao conditions. terms. Although more difficult to value, the conservation of indigenous crop and livestock varieties on farms also Intervention Options: has a high economic benefit in terms of preserving genetic • Ensure the protection, conservation and recovery of diversity, providing resistance to pest attack, disease and endangered species in their native habitats. climatic variation, and thereby minimising risk in agro- ecosystems. • Enhance wildlife and wild plant resources conservation efforts through flagship species. Rice has long been a staple food and cash crop in the Lao • Improve the management and sustainable utilisation of PDR, which lies within the primary centre of origin and aquatic resources, wildlife and wild plants. domestication of Asian Rice, Oryza sativa L. To date 13,193 samples of cultivated rice have been collected in the country, • Improve and enhance the living aquatic resources including wild species such as Oryza ranulata, O. nivara, and management systems. O. rufipogon, along with spontaneous inter specific hybrids • Improve, disseminate and enforce relevant laws and between wild and cultivated rice. The proportion of rice regulations. production in the Lao PDR made up of indigenous • Enhance capacity in the implementation of laws and varieties has however been decreasing over time, as regulations related to PAs and wildlife. improved cultivars and introduced varieties have become 6 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan more common and have been promoted by the a quarter of livestock manure is applied to fields, and using government’s agricultural extension agencies and donor the replacement cost of fertiliser expenditures avoided projects. In 1993 it was estimated that less than a tenth of suggests an annual value of Kip 11.12 billion for the the rainfed lowland area was grown under improved contribution of livestock manure to soil fertility. varieties. By 2000 more than 70% of the area in some Key Issues: provinces along the Mekong River valley was planted with improved varieties, and all of the dry season irrigated rice Ø Uncontrolled utilisation of chemical inputs by farmers was composed of introduced or improved varieties - today who are unfamiliar with their use. only upland fields are planted wholly with traditional Ø Inadequate inter-sector co-ordination. varieties. Ø Poor management of irrigation systems. Nearly 750,000 ha were planted with rice in 2001, of which Ø Inadequate and ineffective enforcement of laws and just over a fifth was comprised of upland rice, nearly two regulations. thirds of lowland rice and 14% was grown under irrigation. Ø Use of improved varieties may cause the loss of National rice production was in excess of 2.3 million tonnes, indigenous genetic varieties. with a total market value of almost Kip 2,000 billion. It is Ø Conversion of agricultural land for other purposes. known that upland rice production entirely consists of traditional varieties, while dry season irrigated rice uses only Ø Mono cropping in the uplands resulting in the depletion introduced or improved varieties. It is assumed that about of soil fertility and thus lowering productivity. half of lowland rainfed rice is planted with traditional Ø Farmers have difficulties accessing credit and markets. varieties. Applying current market prices, this gives a total Ø Lack of registered crops and agricultural land. value for traditional rice varieties of approximately Kip Ø The technical knowledge of farmers remains low. 930 billion a year. Ø Insufficient information of markets and marketing for No data on non-rice indigenous crop varieties are available farmers. for the Lao PDR. It is possible that mung bean and soybean ntervention Options: production, as well as a proportion of vegetables and tubers, utilise various wild-related species, indigenous • Strengthen local and community based management of varieties and ancestral forms of cultivated plants. In 2001, irrigation systems. more than 3 million ha were planted with these crops, • Review and revise existing regulations on agro- business. yielding an output of nearly 750,000 tonnes of produce. • Monitor tangible progress of regional trading in With the exception of limited commercial pig, chicken and agricultural products. cattle farms in and around urban centres, the majority of • Expand and strengthen the participatory land allocation livestock originate from stock domesticated within the Lao and land use tenure. PDR or in nearby China and Vietnam, and can be • Support and encourage farmers to produce and utilise considered to be indigenous or traditional breeds. Almost bio-fertilizer, animal manure, compost, and green all livestock depend primarily on natural vegetation and manure. crop residues for their energy intake. The BCR assumes that the full output of buffalo, cattle, pig and poultry • Prioritise research, trials and demonstrations of new production depends directly on indigenous biodiversity. plant and animal species. Including off take for domestic consumption and for • Promote the transfer of irrigation management and export, estimates have been made that indigenous livestock community managed irrigation programmes. production has an annual value of almost Kip 780 billion. • Prepare an agro-biodiversity conservation programme, Livestock production under traditional management which takes into account the requirements of the practices has an additional benefit to agriculture in terms agricultural transition process. of maintaining soil fertility for crop production. There is • Analyse further regional trade opportunities. little use of chemical inputs in most farming systems in the • Classify land use and agro ecological zones based on Lao PDR. Cattle and buffalo, grazed on harvested or fallow landform, erosion risk and other criteria. fields, provide manure, which supplements soil nutrients • Introduce a sedentary agricultural system for upland and maintains soil fertility. Local breeds of cattle and buffalo farmers. produce an annual average of 0.7 tonnes of dung per head, • Encourage farmers’ demand driven research. containing 1.4% nitrogen and 1.3% phosphorus, which is equivalent to 9.8 kg of combined nutrients. Assuming that • Facilitate farmers’ access to credit and markets. 7 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 5 Energy Resources (Article 8l, 14) • Manage and protect forests in watershed areas. • Effectively enforce relevant laws and regulations. Hydropower development • Ensure that environmental and social impact assessments Context: are effectively applied for hydropower projects. • Promote effective and economical energy use, as well Hydropower, as the most abundant energy source in the as the utilisation of renewable energy. Greater Mekong River Basin, is one of the Lao PDR’s most important sources of foreign exchange. Estimates Fuel wood regard approximately 18,000 MW as technically exploitable but less than 5% of the country’s hydropower potential Firewood provides the major energy source for about 85% had been developed by 2002. of the population, and is used for heating, cooking and lighting by almost all of rural households. Estimates of Currently nine major hydropower plants are in operation. rural firewood consumption show extreme variations, Existing medium and large-scale hydropower dams rely ranging from 0.75-2.92 m3 or 0.58-2.26 tonnes per capita on a total watershed area of more than 4 million ha, per year. The BCR takes an average per capita consumption consisting of primary forest, forested and unstocked land. of 1.2 tonnes per year, which is a conservative estimate With a combined installed capacity of over 4,000 MW for rural households in the Lower Mekong Region, and and an annual power generation capacity of almost 20,500 accounts for variability between seasons, ethnic groups and GWH, the traded value of power generated by these regions. schemes is over Kip 7,000 billion a year. A minority of urban dwellers, and various industries, also Although forest cover is still extensive over much of the utilise fuel wood. Detailed studies have been carried out Lao PDR and siltation and sedimentation rates remain low on the volume of charcoal utilised by urban dwellers and by international standards, soil erosion resulting from industries (estimated at 42,146 tonnes or 280,973 m3 wood deforestation is becoming a major issue in rivers such as a year), and for firewood demand in cardamom, coffee, the Sebang Hieng, the Se Done, the Nam Ou and the upper tea, brick, salt and tobacco processing industries (estimated and lower stretches of the Mekong River. at 111,118 tonnes or 143,468 m3 of wood a year). Applying Key Issues: current prices suggests that household and commercial fuel wood consumption has a total annual value of some Kip Ø Watershed management and protection is currently 45.75 billion, and accounts for the exploitation of more inadequate. than 5.6 million tonnes or almost 7.5 million m3 of raw Ø Most of the Lao PDR’s major proposed hydropower wood a year. development potential is located within and around NBCAs. It is worth noting that these figures of 5.6 million tonnes or 7.5 million m3 of fuel wood consumption per year are Ø Hydropower development often results in reduced much higher than previous estimates which ranged from forest cover, wildlife habitats and biodiversity resources. 1.5 million m3 for rural firewood consumption, to almost Ø Dam construction has a direct impact on fisheries and 3 million m 3 for all firewood consumption. Figures local income, especially in down stream areas. generated by the BCR are between two and a quarter and Ø Some hydropower construction has occurred without five times higher than these previous estimates. Three main prior detailed studies. factors account for this difference. Firstly only a few of Ø The resettlement of the local people can have a direct the previous estimates included either charcoal or and indirect impact on biodiversity. commercial firewood demand in their calculations. Ø Dam construction changes the natural water flow. Secondly, there was a great deal of inconsistency between per capita estimates and whole-country data, and finally Ø There is high and increasing demand for electricity both household numbers used in the BCR were updated to 2002 for local consumption and for export and subsequent population levels. foreign exchange earnings. Ø The compensation schemes for lost land and property Key Issues: are not clearly defined according to different scales. Ø The majority of the rural population uses fuel wood as Intervention Options: the main source of energy. The high demand for fuel wood and charcoal in urban • Ensure that hydropower development takes social and areas has resulted in it becoming a tradable commodity. environmental concerns into consideration. 8 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Ø Uncontrolled exploitation has a negative impact on only limited access to safe water despite the abundance of young trees, regeneration areas and leads to surface water and groundwater resources which are the deforestation. main sources of the potential water supply for rural areas Ø The use of other sources of energy is too costly for the and small towns. majority of the local people. Hydropower will remain a major economic sector and Ø Not all of the wood potential is being efficiently utilised. will have further impacts on water resources as well as fisheries, cultivated land and forests. Current projections Intervention Options: predict an increased demand for water in the long term, • Ensure a sustainable fuel wood supply. and predictions are that competition for water is likely to • Improve forest management. become a problem in the near future if the management • Promote the use of other renewable energy. of water resources is not strongly implemented. • Promote reforestation as a source for fuel wood, as an The Lao PDR has a total irrigated area of over 515,000 alternative to natural forests. ha, including approximately 100,000 ha planted with rice • Consolidate the national policy on energy development. as well as those areas planted with other crops such as vegetables. If it is assumed that half of the annual vegetable • Develop regulations related to the management and production is produced under irrigation, and taking into enhancement of the complex utilisation and regeneration account all irrigated rice production, the gross value of process of fuel wood. output arising from the use of water supplies for irrigated • Promote the utilisation of energy efficient stoves. agriculture is in excess of Kip 830 billion a year. Urban water consumption in the Lao PDR is estimated to be 6 Water Resources (Art. 8l, 14) over 200 million m3 a year. Context: The loss of forested catchment areas and the lack of The Lao PDR possesses a great wealth in water headwater protection also affect economic production through the downstream damage costs arising from the resources, having per capita the largest renewable increased incidence of flooding and dry-season water freshwater supply in Asia. However, only 60% of the supplies. No detailed data are available on the relationship urban, and 58% of rural population, have direct between deforestation and the incidence of downstream access to adequate drinking water. An estimated 35% floods and low flows. It is however known that between of all the water in the Mekong River originates from 1995 and 1999 floods, some of which may have been watersheds within the Lao PDR. The water quality of the caused or exacerbated by deforestation in upper Mekong River is still high and it therefore has a catchments, destroyed more than 170,000 ha of agricultural correspondingly high oxygen content. About 80% of all land. At an average gross return to rice cultivation of 2.7 water flows in streams during the rainy season, which million kip/ha/year, flood-related costs to production may reduces to 20% during the dry season have been as high as Kip 463 billion for this period, ranging The Lao PDR’s renewable freshwater resources are between Kip 22 billion and Kip 182 billion a year. estimated at an annual supply of 270,000 million m3, or Natural wetlands retain wastewaters and physically, almost 50,000 m3 per capita at current population levels. chemically and biologically eliminate pollution from them. As well as being essential to human survival and providing While wetland plants trap sediments and remove nutrients essential flows to natural ecosystems freshwater resources and suspended solids, pollutants and pathogenic organisms have a wide range of economic uses and support a wide accumulate and decompose in the wetland’s bottom range of domestic and industrial activities. The total annual sediments, and effluents are diluted. These functions play water demand has been estimated at 228 m3/capita/year, an important role in assuring local water quality, and or 1.25 billion m3, of which agriculture is estimated to maintaining the quality of water entering other water bodies account for 82%, industry 10% and domestic use 8% of and rivers. total withdrawal. Key Issues: Water resources are used in agriculture, industry, communication, tourism, education, research and the daily Ø The management of the use of ground water is not livelihoods of people. They are a major source of protein fully regulated. and income for rural populations. Recent surveys revealed Ø The uncontrolled settlement along riverbanks, which that a sizable segment of the poor population has no or includes housing and factories. 9 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Ø An increase in water problems such as periodic industrialisation and urbanisation will become increasingly shortages, flooding, contamination and a reduction in important. This calls for the creation of adequate EIA water quality. systems, the establishment of adequate discharge standards, Ø River bank erosion occurs rapidly due to natural and the strengthening of systems for monitoring, evaluation processes and human activity. and environmental inspection. Ø The destruction of headwater forests has an impact on Key Issues: economic production. Ø Socio-economic growth and the high demand for Ø Some infrastructure development has an impact on water industrial products. resources. Ø The lack of a master plan for industrial development at Intervention Options: a national level. • Control the utilisation of chemical compounds in the Ø The majority of industrial plants and factories are located agricultural and industrial sectors and ensure their within urban areas. treatment before they enter rivers. Ø The lack of infrastructure in designated industrial zones. • Improve laws and regulations and strengthen the Ø There are no human resource standards for industrial implementation of water resources management. development. • Develop regulations for the management of bank Ø Certain industries such as paper mills and brick and salt erosion, drinking water and water consumption. manufacturers consume a lot of fuel wood as a source • Protect and maintain natural wetlands. of energy. • Assess the downstream impact of catchment Ø An inadequate approval procedure related to inter- deforestation. sector co-ordination. • Assess the impact of infrastructure development. Ø Inadequate public participation in industrial development. • Establish a fund for the protection of bank erosion. Ø The production and release of harmful wastes into the • Promote the management of water sources. water and air. 7 Industry, Technology and Services Ø The lack of technical equipment and standards for environmental monitoring of the industry. (Art. 8g, 8l, 14, 15, 16, 19) Ø Weak law enforcement and no specific laws relating to Industrial development environmental monitoring. Context: Ø Inadequate staff capabilities in the field of industrial management. The Lao PDR’s relatively undeveloped industrial sector, which currently accounts for about 15 percent of GDP, is Intervention Options: composed of cement factories, wood processing plants, • Promote sound environmental and industrial garment industries and hydroelectric power stations. The development for local consumption and export. structure of the industrial sector has changed significantly during the last decade from the complete domination of • Ensure the minimisation of impacts on biodiversity state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in the early 1990s to the during the process of industrial development. current emergence of the private sector comprising of • Establish sustainable industrial processes. small & medium scale enterprises (SMEs). These now play • Promote the use of clean environmentally friendly a key role, and more than 20% of all households have technology. their own business.. • Promote public participation in the industrial Due to the limited size of the industrial sector in the Lao development process. PDR, environmental damage from industries is currently • Enhance industrial zoning and improve the facilities in not as great a concern as issues relating to resource existing industrial development zones. management in the agriculture, forestry and water sectors. • Promote industrial development outside of major urban The ambient effects of industrial activities are still minor areas. and localised, but with the growing trend of industrial • Improve inter-sector co-ordination. expansion, environmental concerns in relation to 10 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan • Establish environmental standards for managing Intervention Options: industrial development. • Draft and enact legislation on access and benefit sharing • Establish funds for small and medium sized industries. for genetic resources originating in the Lao PDR. • Collaborate and exchange data and information with Access to Genetic Resources (Art. 15, 16) international partners in order to gain experience in this field. Context: • Translate and develop international regulations into the Genetic resources include microorganisms as well as living Lao context. organisms such as DNA, single celled organisms, bacteria, • Develop capacity in the field of modern plants, animals and human beings. Agenda 21 of the CBD biotechnological research. lays down the framework for the shared access of genetic resources and highlights the benefits to be gained by all • Promote and raise public awareness on the protection concerned. and use of genetic resources and traditional knowledge. Plants and animals have always been transported either from • Participate in the renegotiations of international country to country or from continent to continent to be agreements on benefit sharing between the owners and used outside their region of origin as cultivated plants, as processors of genetic resources. improvements for seed and domesticated animal-breeds, or as medicinal plants. The modern methods associated Biotechnology and Bio-safety (Art. 19) with biochemistry, molecular biology and above all gene technology, have brought a rapid growth in the demand Context: for genetic information for the various fields in which it is Biotechnology is the use of genetic resources in scientific applied. It is often the countries of the south, with their huge wealth of biodiversity, who supply genetic and industrial processes for the creation of particular information. The vast majority of plants, animals and products to solve socio-economic and environmental issues. micro-organisms still remain essentially unexplored as far The scope of biotechnology ranges from classical processes as their potential use is concerned. At the same time, their such as fermentation and the development of vaccines habitats are in danger and many species are threatened with through to modern biotechnology which includes the extinction. The traditional knowledge of indigenous genetic modification of organisms; specifically the peoples and of local communities related to the possible uses of the biological diversity that surrounds them is an introduction of micro organisms into plants, animals and important resource, particularly in the search for new human beings in order to produce particular characteristics. medicines. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety calls on contracting The Lao PDR has one of the richest biodiversity resources states to control the risks associated with the use and in the Asia-Pacific region. The local people have been distribution of modern biotechnology for the health of applying their own traditional knowledge in their daily lives, humans or animals and the original biodiversity. and this is a strong basis for sustainable socio-economic development and environmental protection. Key Issues: Key Issues: Ø A lack of regulations and measuring tools on the use of modern biotechnology according to established Ø The lack of regulations relating to the protection of standards. biodiversity and traditional knowledge. Ø A lack of data and knowledge of the importance of Ø Co-operation with international partners is still limited. the results of research in the field of biotechnology, as Ø Genetic resources as a national asset have been well as the associated risks. procured, developed and utilised and licences should Ø Public unawareness of the potential risks to the be issued to legitimise their use. sustainable use of biodiversity resources caused by Ø Insufficient understanding and unclear responsibilities GMOs. currently exist in relation to access to genetic resources Ø Insufficient scientific studies and limited use of and benefit sharing within the relevant agencies, as this biotechnology in the Lao PDR. is a new concept in the Lao PDR. Intervention Options: Ø The lack of information and knowledge concerning the use of genetic resource at an international level. • Develop regulations on the management, research and use of biotechnology, which may pose a risk to the health and safety of humans and animals as well as biodiversity. 11 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan • Conduct research into the use of biotechnology for tor to deliver meaningful benefits to biodiversity and pov- socio-economic development and protection of the erty alleviation objectives. Nine of the Lao PDR’s seven- environment. teen rural provinces are currently engaged in planning ac- • Develop regulations on the management of modern tivities to develop and promote eco-tourism. biotechnology that may impact on health and safety of The development and promotion of a thriving eco-tour- humans and animals as well as biodiversity. ism sector will be dedicated to poverty alleviation and the • Develop the research and use of biotechnology to conservation of the Lao PDR’s natural and cultural heri- contribute to: tage. Measures and mechanisms will be put in place to Þ . coordinate, and where necessary, regulate the development of the sector to ensure that the benefits are maximized Þ and the negative impacts minimized. The promotion of . the sector will take place within the boundaries of prag- Þ matic management, providing carefully targeted support . to commercially viable public and private business enter- • Promote and raise public awareness of the use of prises that are sensitive to environmental and cultural needs. modern biotechnology. Support will also be provided through the coordinated • Establish an information network related to the provision of infrastructure and capacity building initiatives knowledge and importance of biotechnology. conducive to the supply of quality eco-tourism products and services that meet tourist needs and expectations. Tourism (Eco-tourism) Key Issues: Context: Ø Roles and responsibilities of key agencies are not clearly The travel and tourism industry, frequently cited to be the defined. largest and fastest growing industry in the world, plays a Ø The Lao PDR is new to eco-tourism and the tourism major role in the economies of many countries around the industry. world. The Asian Development Bank recognizes the Ø Access to existing and potential sites is difficult and time Greater Mekong System to be the fastest growing tourism consuming due to poor infrastructure including roads, destination in the world. With less than fifteen years expe- accommodation facilities, restaurants and telephones. rience in the industry, tourist arrivals to the Lao PDR in- Ø The majority of service provision is aimed at individual creased from 14,400 in 1990 to 735,000 in 2002. Ap- low budget travellers (FITs) and is of low economic proximately 30% of arrivals are classified as “international value. tourists”, while the remainder are primarily “day-trippers” from neighboring countries. Income from all tourists Ø A lack of experienced guides. amounted to US$113 million in 2002, making the tourism Ø A lack of experience and capacity in both the public industry the Lao PDR’s largest source of foreign exchange and private sectors. earnings – and one of the government’s eight priority de- Ø Some of the rural communities and government staff velopment sectors. lack knowledge, information and access to the industry. Eco-tourism is often quoted to be the fastest growing sec- Ø Inadequate mobilisation of domestic and international tor of the international tourism industry. The Lao PDR is funds. characterized by the high quality and status of its diverse Ø Limited access to credit for investment. natural and cultural habitats – resources upon which the eco-tourism sector depends. While this brand of tourism Intervention Options: is very new to the Lao PDR, and there is a lack of detailed • Strengthen capacity across the concerned sectors. data, research suggests that over half of all arrivals are • Coordinate, guide and regulate the sector to achieve interested in the natural environment, while 67% are inter- target objectives. ested in cultural attractions. Estimates suggest that tourist • Support public and private sectors to promote interest in nature and culture currently translates into an sustainable growth. annual contribution of around US$53 million to the Lao economy. A UNDP award to the Lao PDR’s first eco- • Enhance eco-tourism development which is tourism project, in recognition of its contribution towards instrumental in poverty reduction for the local poverty alleviation, confirms the huge potential of the sec- community. • Strengthen institutional arrangements. 12 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan • Support environmental protection, nature conservation Ø Mining activities are not subjected to a thorough Cost- and cultural traditions. Benefit Analysis, which would cover alternative uses. • Provide socio-economic development for the host Ø Inadequate environmental monitoring of mining communities. operations. • Develop research and information. Ø The use of chemicals in mining activities causes soil and • Establish an eco-tourism development plan at all levels. water contamination. • Develop infrastructure for eco-tourism sites. Ø The exploitation and extraction process causes water, air and noise pollution. • Encourage the private sector to invest in the industry. Ø Some mining operations do not have an environmental • Link national eco-tourism into regional and international recovery plan when negative impacts have occurred in networks. an area during operations. • Improve and identify new eco-tourism sites for each Ø Inadequately trained staff have difficulties in assessing province. the quality of plans and proposed mitigation whether • Support training, capacity building and good practice. environmental, socio-economic or macro-economic. Ø Inadequate standards, measurement tools and funding 8 Mineral Resources (Art. 8l, 14) for managing mining development. Context: Intervention Options: he Lao PDR is rich in mineral resources, precious metals, • Promote economically sound and environmentally as well as rare earth and gemstones such as tin, coal, oil, friendly mining. iron, copper, gold, gypsum, zinc, chromium, lead and salt • Increase the role of the environment in the sector. which offer potential for socio-economic development. Their exploitation however, is just in its infancy and the full • Develop a strategy on mining. extent of the reserves and their quality need to be • Develop laws or regulations for managing and established. Up to now prospecting has just been conclusive controlling the utilisation of chemical compounds in for gold, tin and lignite. the mining sector. The current contribution of mining to the national • Develop and implement standard environmental and economy is therefore still negligible as the sector only EIA regulations for mining measurement tools. contributed 1% to GDP in 2000. The local • Promote the use of Cost-Benefit-Analysis as a selection environmental impacts from each mine are significant, instrument for investments. and this will certainly become a growing concern with • Minimise the impact on biodiversity. the expansion of mining operations in the country. • Train personnel in the management of mineral resources. There are also concerns that manual mining, which • Establish an environmental fund through the income does not follow standard techniques and regulations, or benefits of related projects. is having a negative impact on biodiversity. • Improve inter-sector co-operation. The value of mineral production has also increased steadily over the past five years. The GoL has encouraged the private 9 Urban environment sector to develop mineral resources and in order to avoid Context: negative impacts an environmental impact assessment system needs to be established for the mining sector. This system Urban areas are experiencing higher population growth rates than the national average. Urbanisation is being driven should clarify a regulatory body and subsequent tasks, and by a combination of tourism, industrialisation, and rural set out clear guidelines regarding environmental migration to urban areas. Currently the scale and extent of management for planning, design and operations. urban environmental problems are very limited as Key Issues: population densities are low and industrial activities are in their infancy. Over 60% of households in provincial capitals Ø Inadequate inter-sector co-ordination. have access to a reliable water supply, while 80-90% of the Ø Unregulated mining development leads to the population in Vientiane and the larger towns are connected. destruction of forest cover, habitat fragmentation and the loss of species and areas of natural beauty. 13 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Key Issues: 10 Public Participation Ø Urban infrastructure and services are basic and Context: rudimentary. Public participation is a process of clarification, Ø Low cooperation and co-ordination among relevant communication and the collection of the opinions of all sectors and the public. possible stakeholders, and the integration of such opinions Ø A percentage of the urban population does not behave into the decision making process for the feasibility of the in an orderly manner, and insufficient regulations also project. Public participation also means the meeting of lack strict enforcement. possibly affected parties and parties interested in the project Ø The urban population is increasing due to migration. during the review and approval process for environmental Ø Inadequate urban design, which lacks implementation, impact assessment/initial environment examination reports. resulting in unplanned development. Public participation considers the requirements for the Ø None of the urban centres (except Vientiane and management, conservation and sustainable use of secondary cities) are serviced by a standard sewerage biodiversity, especially for projects, which may impact on system. Human waste disposal is not managed properly. biodiversity resources. Ø Soluble and solid waste outputs are on the increase, as Implementation of public participation in accordance with is the demand for waste removal services. guiding principles and processes will ensure that all relevant Ø The drainage systems are undeveloped, as storm water stakeholders, particularly affected ethnic groups have a full drains are generally not inter-connected. understanding of the proposed project and actively Ø Several cities (except Vientiane prefecture and secondary participate in the discussions and mitigation on biodiversity towns) lack standard landfills. Existing landfills are largely in that particular area. uncontrolled with domestic, hazardous and toxic waste In absence of public participation processes proposed not being separated. projects will lack acceptance from the general public and Ø Encroachment of agricultural land for other purposes. stakeholders, and may cause considerable problems and Ø Unmonitored air and noise pollution from vehicles and delays with the completion of the project. factories due to the lack of monitoring equipment. Key Issues: Ø A lack of motivation among urban dwellers to Ø The majority of the Lao population is unclear of their participate in public affairs. role in the participation process during project Ø Untreated water is released into residential and public development, as well as their use of and obligation areas. towards the conservation and sustainable use of Intervention Options: biodiversity. • Create clean and orderly green cities. Ø There has been an increase in socio-economic development, but some development projects have not • Establish environmental standards for the control of consulted affected communities. air and noise pollution as well as for water quality. Ø Laws have come into effect without the issuing of • Improve the capacity of the cities’ administrative specific regulations and guidelines regarding public agencies in relation to urban management, infrastructure participation. development and urban services. Ø Public participation has increased the duration and costs • Improve water and waste treatment. of development projects. • Develop urbanisation plans at district, provincial and Ø Participation of minority groups, the mass media, mass regional levels which are closely related to environmental organisations, the private and public sectors, NGOs and and urban heritage protection. other interested groups has been inadequate. • Promote the participation of the public and private Ø In some cases, the compensation costs have not been sectors in urban environmental management. discussed comprehensively with affected people prior • Educate and enhance the public to recycle and reuse to the project’s commencement. urban waste, namely compost, bio-fertilizer and bio- Ø Government agencies have not yet widely disseminated gas. information concerning citizens’ rights as well as their role and obligation in terms of public participation during project development. 14 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan Intervention Options: Ø Insufficient numbers of professional staff are currently working in this field and there is therefore a lack of • Encourage, promote and support public participation capable staff, as well as a lack of equipment and at all levels. inadequate dissemination techniques. • Develop general and specific public involvement Ø The education level of the majority of rural people has regulations. remained low and many are illiterate. • Promote public participation during the design and Ø Limited budget allocations to finance public awareness planning stages of socio-economic development programmes and education development. projects. Ø The majority of people do not like to read. • Ensure that public participation becomes an integrated principle for all natural resource management activities Intervention Options: that focus on the sustainable use of biodiversity. • Enhance awareness and education regarding the • Integrate and promote traditional knowledge of the significance of biodiversity resource conservation and local and indigenous people in the conservation and its sustainable use. utilisation of biodiversity. • Increase public awareness and education by focusing on the government, as well as on the private and public 11 Public Awareness, Education, Training sectors. and Research (Art. 12, 13, 14) • Improve the communication process among all stakeholders. Public Awareness and Education • Disseminate the principles and targets of the CBD. Context: • Provide information on the status of biodiversity to Environmental education and awareness as well as the public. biodiversity education and awareness are of utmost • Create awareness among the younger generation both importance for the Lao PDR. The benefits of within and outside of the education system. environmental management as well as the management, • Increase the number of qualified staff working in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity need to field of education awareness, biodiversity conservation be explained to the public, to the government, to the private and management. sector, to mass organisations, to the mass media and to local people in particular. • Address gender issues in public awareness programmes. • Upgrade the provision of education for people living Environmental education as well as biodiversity in remote areas. conservation issues have been incorporated into the curricula of common schools and vocational colleges in • Ensure that budget allocations for this field are put in the Lao PDR. These curricula and teaching materials were place. developed by various organisations. Training and Research Attempts to raise environmental and biodiversity awareness have also been conducted in form of meetings, lectures Context: on policies, strategies, laws and regulations. Other forms Biodiversity training and research has been conducted by of dissemination include the publishing of information in different ministries and institutions in the Lao PDR, which the mass media namely in newspapers, magazines and have aimed at meeting their own specific needs. As for posters as well as through radio and television broadcasts. example, MAF’s Department of Forestry which conducts Key Issues: training courses on wildlife survey and PA management, while STEA conducts courses in environmental impact Ø Low incentives for staff working in remote areas. assessment, public participation and public awareness. Ø Inadequate materials and means of educating and raising awareness. The National University of Laos and other specialised research institutions related to various line ministries (e.g. Ø A lack of awareness and understanding of the LaRREC, NaFRI) basically conduct research activities in importance of biodiversity among local communities various thematic areas in order to principally provide and government staff. information for their own management. There are exceptions, such as the Faculty of Natural Science who 15 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan have improved their curriculum with biodiversity related • Set up an internal and external training and research topics in order to meet the growing demand. network. Specific biodiversity research in the Lao PDR remains limited and lacks a wider exchange of information 12 Legal and Institutional Frameworks betw . , (Art. 14) Context: . The GoL’s 5th Socio-economic Five Year Plan notes the importance of integrating environmentally sustainable development with socio-economic development, but has not included any specific measures to ensure implementation. STEA is in the process of finalising the . National Environment Strategy (NES) up to 2010 and 2020, which also sets out the plan for the period from 2000- Key Issues: 2005. Additionally it is revising and updating the National Ø Inadequate coordination among sectors to organise and Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) to cover the period conduct training. through to 2005. Ø A lack of qualified training specialists and researchers in As the country’s economy and the rural poor depend the field of biodiversity. primarily on natural resources, achieving the goal of poverty Ø A lack of training guidelines and education materials in eradication will require maintenance of the natural resource Lao. base. Ø Inadequate tools and materials for training and research. The Science Technology and Environment Agency was Ø Training needs assessments have only been conducted established in 1993. Its mandate covers the overall for specific sector or institutional needs. coordination and oversight of environmental affairs and Ø A lack of incentives for researchers. environmental management throughout the country. STEA Ø Limited research capacity and experience. has also established offices in some Ministries, provinces, special zones as well as the capital city in order to discharge Ø Limited budgets for training and research. the same responsibilities at a regional level. These Intervention Options: organisational and institutional settings have only recently been established and consequently lack experience and • Improve the technical capacity and experience of local qualified staff. There is a clear need for future support in experts in different fields of biodiversity and facilitate order to make this decentralised approach work. Since 1992, the concerned sectors to conduct research. a number of laws, regulations and state decrees related to • Improve the coordination of research and training the regulation of natural resource management and among the relevant sectors. economic development have been enacted. The • Develop biodiversity training and research at a local Environmental Protection Law (EPL) was promulgated and a university level. in 1999, which required all relevant government sectors to • Establish a curriculum on biodiversity at the National develop national and provincial environmental plans. University of Laos. Decrees have also covered an extensive range of • Improve scientific knowledge both in country and environmental issues including natural resource abroad. management, pollution control, disaster management and cultural preservation. The Decree on the implementation • Build the capacity and experience of staff through of EPL has been in effect since 2001. training and research both in the long and the short term. The National Environmental Action Plan, which was • Create thematic specialists on training and research. adopted in 1994, was the first comprehensive plan and up to now has been the guiding document for activities relat- • Provide adequate funding for training and research ing to the environment. The second comprehensive plan is activities both inside and outside of country. at a draft stage and is currently subject to revision. The • Develop a national training and research plan. Provincial Environmental Action Plans are also under • Organise meetings to assess any training that is preparation and will be integrated into the provincial Socio- conducted, for each designated time frame. economic Plan. 16 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan The Regulation on the Environmental Impact Assessment Ø The current lack of sector-integration in the issued in 2000, is a crucial instrument for the protection of implementation of biodiversity related policies has the environment during the planning and execution of de- resulted in an overlap in the implementation of velopment projects. Sector guidelines have been developed biodiversity programmes. for road and hydropower development projects and other Ø The level of awareness and understanding of Party instruments are also being prepared including public con- policies as well as government laws and regulations varies sultation guidelines, resettlement policies, an environmen- considerably among government staff. tal fund, and a trust bond system. Intervention Options: The National Environmental Education and Awareness Action Plan is also being prepared with the goal of involv- • Strengthen institutional co-operation and enhance inter- ing different social groups and stakeholders in environ- department co-ordination in the conservation and mental protection. sustainable use of biodiversity. • Develop and improve existing laws and regulations In addition to the above-mentioned legal framework, there related to biodiversity and ensure their strict are other laws, which have a bearing on environmental enforcement. management, namely the Water Resources, the Forestry, the Mining and the Land Law. • Clearly clarify the institution responsible for implementation and its corresponding mandate. The GoL has accededinternational conventions such as the • Implement tax policies relating to land, agriculture and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Framework forestry products. Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), and the Convention on Combating Desertification (CCD). It is • Resolve problems in mountainous areas, namely poverty, Party to three additional global agreements namely the shifting cultivation and the settlement of shifting World Heritage Convention (WHC), the Vienna Convention cultivators. for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (Vienna Convention) • Design a specific policy with privileges and apply and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the regulations to the rural credit system focusing on low Ozone Layer (Montreal Protocol). Furthermore it is Party interest rates and financial sources. to one regional accord, the Agreement on the Co-operation • Develop regulations relating to the establishment and for the Sustainable Development of the Mekong River management of village development funds. Basin (Mekong Agreement). The GoL additionally signed • Develop and promote privileges and incentives for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants Government staff working in priority upland areas. (POPs) on 5 March 2002 and the ratification process is • Develop policy and detailed regulations on the reported to be underway. In the same year the Ministry of distribution of benefits from people’s participation in Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) submitted a forest management. recommendation for accession to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna • Develop regulations relating to the processing of timber and Flora (CITES), to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which and NTFPs based on the agreement between the is currently under consideration. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts. The GoL is also considering to ratify the Cartagena • Develop specific regulations for resettlement. Protocol on Bio-safety, and the Rotterdam Convention on Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain • Develop and apply criteria and indicators for the Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade sustainable management of all forest types. (PIC). • Harmonise international conventions (MEAs) with existing laws and regulations. Key Issues: • Promote mandatory environmental impact assessments Ø The roles and responsibilities of each sector are currently of new development projects. inadequately defined. • Integrate biodiversity conservation and its sustainable Ø National legislation and MEAs are not harmonised. use into macro sector planning. Ø Inadequate laws and regulations related to biodiversity. • Increase dissemination of existing legislation to the Ø Existing laws and regulations are not strictly enforced. general public. Ø Each sector has different directions and policies. 17 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 13 International Cooperation and Col- 14 Quality of Life and Poverty Alleviation laboration (Art. 7 – 10) Context: Context: The Lao PDR is listed as one of the least developed t is estimated that about 83% of the Lao population or countries but it still harbours abundant biodiversity roughly 4.5 million people live in rural areas who depend resources. In order to ensure that this biodiversity is on agriculture, livestock, fishery and NTFP collection for effectively conserved and used in a sustainable manner their livelihoods. According to national statistics 85.5% of knowledge levels and capacity need to be increased and the population are dependent on agriculture and fisheries sufficient budgets need to be allocated. as the basis of their livelihoods, regardless of whether it is for market production, subsistence or a combination of Currently, the capacity and knowledge of Lao staff is both. Official statistics also show that the agricultural, inadequate to carry out their own technical research and to forestry and fishery sectors employ 97.5% of the national implement activities related to the management, labour force at a subsistence level. Therefore natural conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. There is resources are the nation’s and the population’s most valuable therefore a need to co-operate at international, regional asset as they provide the basis for livelihoods, economic and sub regional levels, which includes assistance in the form development and prosperity. of both technical and financial support. In the Lao PDR, as in other countries, links between External funds currently account for the main contribution ethnicity, the living area and the ways natural resources are to the state budget allocated for biodiversity activities. Sixty- utilized, can be identified. Populations and population two donors continue to support different programmes segments interact differently with their respective physical and projects focusing on the conservation and sustainable environment. The environment shapes the production and use of biodiversity, and between 1993 and 2003 these farming system, and human intervention and the utilization contributions amounted to US$ 150 million. of biodiversity shapes the environment. Thus, different Key Issues: ethnic groups living at different locations developed different Ø Projects are too short and there is the need for continuity. land-use practices and patterns together with specific survival / livelihood strategies. Ø Complicated approval procedures have been put in place which has resulted in projects being delayed. Environmental issues are part of a wider set of factors Ø The Lao PDR needs to increase its actions in order to that contribute towards the perpetuation of poverty. There fulfil its obligations as a signatory party to international are many real opportunities for reducing poverty whilst at conventions and agreements. the same time protecting and improving the environment. Upland people – and in particular ethnic groups – are facing Ø The public investment programme has only allocated accelerated inequity in relation to the lowland population budgets at a macro-level. by having increasingly lower incomes in relative terms. Intervention Options: Higher birth rates among ethnic minority people, in combination with a lower proportion of family members • Promote country needs driven sub-regional, regional that contribute to cash incomes, reduce the per capita and international cooperation. incomes even further in relation to lowland people. • Increase regional and international cooperation through bi-lateral and multi-lateral agreements with mutual Highland agriculture characteristically comprises of shifting benefits. cultivation in which farmers distribute crops over many pieces of land, using each plot for one or two years before • Promote long-term cooperation including the sharing moving on and returning after a period of five to six years. of information and the exchange of experiences. During the fallow period the land and forest are left to • Increase special co-operation with friendly and rest and regenerate. The ability to regenerate is dependent strategically important countries. upon the species present, as some of them are able to • Ease access of researchers and research institutions to regenerate, where as others are not. This age-old method donor funding in accordance with the country’s laws which has been practised by the various ethnic groups was and regulations. a natural way to preserve the forest and keep an ecological • Improve the government staff ’s working knowledge balance. However, in many cases the necessary fallow of foreign languages at central, provincial, district periods are shortening, thus not permitting the land to and local levels. recover. In the Lao PDR, with a traditional fallow cycle of 18 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 15 to 25 years, the sustainability of this technique is in Ø Access to safe water is still limited. jeopardy when the density of the population exceeds 20 Ø Difficulties in providing public services such as persons per square km. education, health, clean water and markets to scattered Slow processes in forestland allocation may have been populations living in rural and poor areas. responsible for pushing ethnic minority people into a deeper Ø Unequal development between rural and urban areas. dependency on the most degraded sloping lands. Land Ø A lack of arable agricultural land in most of the poverty- tenure of minority communities must be secured, and this stricken areas. requires an increased focus on the legislation of community- Ø Deeply rooted life styles and customs among the poor based resource management systems as well as the are occasionally a barrier to innovation and change. enforcement and monitoring capacity of forest and water laws. The potential opportunities of developing village- Ø The impact of the war including unexploded ordinance based cash flows from sustained yield forest management still creates difficulties for agricultural development. systems need further attention. In the upland areas Ø A low quality of food and medicine. environmental degradation is clearly evident. Unless Ø Ineffective use of working hours. measures are taken to stabilize the situation, livelihoods will Ø Inadequate local participation in the planning process become increasingly affected as the majority of households and implementation of development activities. consist of subsistence farmers, who rely on natural Ø A lack of technical knowledge and funds for agricultural resources for food production, as well as farm and live on production. land that is becoming less and less productive. Lowland resettlement as a potential solution needs to be carefully Ø The limited size of the National Poverty Alleviation considered, because almost all of the farmers in these areas Programme budget. are upland farmers, and therefore unfamiliar with lowland Ø Poverty continues to be the single most important farming techniques. problem facing the Lao people. This was confirmed by the Poverty Alleviation Programme Intervention Options: (PAP), which stated that members of the various ethnic • Ensure equitable benefit sharing from the development minority groups make up the vast majority of the 35% of and conservation of biodiversity. the population living below the poverty line. The PAP concludes further that poverty prevails among ethnic • Ensure the maintenance of diverse biodiversity as one groups in upland areas due to disruptions in the fragile key to poverty alleviation. ecosystems, whereas poverty among the lowland • Protect the current natural asset base of the poor. population is mainly caused either by natural disasters or • Improve and enhance technolog y and direct by the lack of access to paddy fields. environmental activities so that they contribute towards poverty alleviation. Traditional values, ancestral customs and production systems are deeply rooted and rural populations (as • Develop and promote income-generating activities for the poorer population. elsewhere) tend to be risk-adverse. Changes in the traditional production system – even when they may • Enhance socio-economic development plans and contribute towards an improvement of living policies that emphasise the sustainable use of natural resources. conditions – are often considered as risks, and therefore need a rather strong trigger such as disasters • Ensure that the conservation of biodiversity results in the improvement of people’s quality of life and alleviates or very convincing economic incentives for people poverty. to adopt them. Supporting changes with written • Reduce the incidence of poverty to 50% of present information is hampered by the often-low literacy levels by 2005 and completely by 2020. rates among certain ethnic groups populating the upland areas, thus making it difficult for people to • Strengthen and facilitate the participation of the poor in the decision making process. improve their living conditions. • Protect the access the poor already have to critical Key Issues: resources. Ø The population’s livelihoods and economic development • Expand the natural asset base of the poor through the relies on natural resources. transfer of ownership of natural assets to the poor. Ø Poverty is still widespread among rural populations. 19 Lao PDR National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan • Tackle environmental problems and hazards that impact The economic assessment as part of the BCR has most upon the health and livelihoods of the poor. highlighted the high and wide-ranging costs and funding • Promote the development of environmentally friendly requirements for biodiversity conservation in the Lao PDR. private sector products and services. Raising funds to cover these costs is a major priority, as few financial resources for biodiversity conservation are • Provide access to alternative sources of energy for available. It is also clear that the current costs of biodiversity people living in remote areas. conservation accrue mainly to the government (direct costs) • Encourage government agencies to shift to a more and local communities (opportunity costs). participatory style of management involving local people in resource conservation as well as production. A financing strategy will form a key element of the NBSAP, including the provision of new and additional funding for • Promote the production of goods, and use market biodiversity conservation from both domestic and foreign based instruments and services where possible. sources as stated in Article 20 of the CBD, and the • Build staff capacity to ensure more effective strengthening of financial institutions as mentioned in Article environmental management. 21. • Update economic policies in order to protect the Key Issues: environment and to assist in alleviating poverty. • Encourage public participation in, and action on Ø The budget for biodiversity conservation is mainly based environmental issues. on international donors. • Improve public access to environmental information. Ø The GoL’s capacity and experience in access to • Increase the understanding of the strong link between international funding sources is still limited. poverty and environmental management. Intervention Options: • Ensure that gender issues are addressed in poverty • Ensure that sufficient funding is made available for the alleviation programmes. implementation of the NBSAP. • Clearly assess NBSAP-related costs, including both direct 15 Development of Funding Sources and indirect costs, and ensure that adequate funding sources are made available to cover these costs. Context: • Ensure that funds are targeted to the groups, sectors The benefits and costs of biodiversity conservation are and activities that bear the direct and indirect costs of distributed unequally between different groups. This acts biodiversity conservation. as a major economic disincentive to biodiversity • Design NBSAP activities to minimise costs, and so that conservation; it also means that the groups who are they are financially efficient in their operations. responsible for conservation are often unwilling - or economically unable - to cover these costs. Unless the • Obtain increased state budget allocations for biodiversity NBSAP is equitable in its impacts and effects, and especially conservation activities. targets the poorest and most vulnerable groups, it is unlikely • Raise additional state revenues that can be reinvested in to be either acceptable or practicable. The NBSAP’s key conservation activities. aim should be to redress current imbalances in the • Ensure increased foreign aid flows to biodiversity distribution of biodiversity benefits and costs in the interests conservation activities. of conservation and economic equity. • Develop prices and markets for biodiversity goods and Financial resources for biodiversity conservation are scarce, services. and effective implementation of the NBSAP will incur • Use innovative international funding mechanisms as a additional and wide-ranging costs to many different groups. means to increase financial flows to biodiversity. Adequate and sustainable sources of finance must be generated as part of the NBSAP, and targeted to the groups who bear the major direct and indirect costs associated with biodiversity conservation. Key beneficiaries of conservation finance include both the central and provincial government. 20