Integrating biodiversity conservation into national planning

The first legislation pertaining to conservation dates back to 1894, prohibiting the killing of certain species of birds. Since then national parks, wildlife reserves and sanctuaries have been established in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, and a legislative framework relevant to biodiversity, but sectoral in nature, has been developed. Despite this, conservation efforts require strengthening as several important habitats are inadequately protected and conservation is given low priority in existing land-use policies resulting in competition for land utilisation. Having ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity and developed a National Policy on Biological Diversity, and noting that biodiversity ensures that goods and services continue to be produced by nature for our well-being, it is imperative that biodiversity conservation be strengthened further through integration into the national planning process. This planning process encom passes national plans (Five Year Plans) and master plans developed by the Federal government but mainly implemented by State and local governments. As biodiversity is cross-sectoral in nature, it is imperative that all agencies that develop and implement national plans do so with giving serious consideration to biological diversity. There is a need to create greater awareness in the minds of planners of the importance of biological diversity, and to assess the monetary values of biodiversity to assist in the planning process. The national planning process should also address issues such as capacity building at the national and local levels, infrastructure development, and obtaining adequate funding to strengthen biodiversity conservation actions. For this international support is required. The national planning process should include rural communities, NGOs and the private sector as partners in efforts to strengthen biodiversity conservation. In the final analysis, while pol icy strategises the way in which biodiversity considerations are included in planning for development, it is an adequate legislative framework that is backed by the necessary political commitment towards enforcement that would ensure that policy is effective in its implementation.