Summary Report
APBON 11th Web Seminar

1. Date: 4th March 2022
Time: 15:00-17:00 in Japanese Standard Time
(13:00-15:00 in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam), (11:45-13:45 in Nepal)(14:00-16:00 in Malaysia, Philippines, China)
2. Location, Participants
・Webex Meeting Room・37 participants (33 participants and 4 from secretariat) from 10 Nationalities
・MC: Dr. Sunita Chaudhary (ICIMOD)
3. Program:Presentation1:
Dr. Madhu Rao (Chair, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas)“Understanding the role and potential of Other Effective Area-based Conservation
Measures (OECMs) in Asia Pacific region”
Summary of presentation
Firstly Dr. Rao shared the background and basic concerns on the seminar theme withfocusing on the draft target 3, achievement of 30% conservation area by 2030 which
described in IPBES report, and pointed out that there were 17% in terrestrial and only
10% in a marine area achieved until 2020. Since large areas of wildlife habitat lay outside
formal PA systems, she emphasized that not only PA conservation but the conservationfor other areas such as OECMs were important, and the political will, financing, andpolicy framework were essential to achieve 30% by 2030 in both PA and OECMs. Dr. Rao
also introduced some basic concepts and a brief overview of some technical backgroundsof OECMs and described the difference between PA and OECMs based on IUCN report
and CBD definition. After identifying the OECMs likely and unlikely features in theterrestrial and marine areas, Dr. Rao also introduced the steps how to recognize an area
as OECMs. Dr. Rao briefly mentioned that such area-based conservation was a key toolfor delivering sustainable development in the current situation.

Presentation2:
Dr. Ruchi Pant (Chief, Climate Change, Resilience, Biodiversity and Chemicals
Management, UNDP India)“Expanding the Conservation Estate: The Indian OECMs Experience”
Summary of presentation
At first, Dr. Pant introduced the timeline of OECMs and the progress in India, She
introduced the 14-category classification system being used in India to identify and map
OECMs, sharing details of the definition and specific guidelines of each category. She
then shared a number of potential OECMs identified in India under various categories,
including unique agricultural systems, industrial estates, biodiversity parks, etc. Thesewere followed by the major challenges being faced in India related to OECMs, includinglack of awareness, complicated and long screening and validation procedures. She
introduced some measures to move the way forward including the continuation of a PanIndia process of OECM identification and dossier preparation, in-country orientation
meetings, mobilizing financial resources to support OECMs, and reaching out to morepotential OECMs through the India Biodiversity Awards. She concluded her
presentation by sharing that OECMs were not an alternative to PAs but acomplementary measure to support the PA network in increasing the conservation
spaces globally. OECMs help in the conservation of biological resources in the corridor
area, improve the connectivity between biodiversity-rich areas and provide better
ecological representation. Overall, OECMs help in fulfilling the criteria of the ecosystemand diverse governance models.
Presentation3:
Dr. Taku Kadoya (National Institute for Environmental Studies)“Potential of city green space as OECMs”
Summary of presentation
The aim of this presentation is to provide case by case bases assessment to identify acandidate for OECMs. From this practical point, Dr. Kadoya firstly introduced four steps
criteria suggested by IUCN-WCPA to identify a city green space as a candidate forOECMs and explained the details of collaborative research by NIES and NACS-J which
was conducted since 2018. In this research, firstly they defined conservation priority
areas based on the distribution of threatened plants and conservation costs, andprioritize areas using SecSel, the software originally developed by NIES. Based on theresult that represents spatial overlaps between existing PAs and city green spaces, theyfound the green space areas were not covered by PAs ensuring the areas had essential
characteristics as defined for OECMs.
They further conducted questionary surveys to confirm the long-term outcome and in-situ area-based conservation in those city-green spaces. As a result of the survey
collected from 577 offices of the green space, Dr. Kadoya reported that at least 53 site
satisfies the criteria to be identified as OECMs and showed that the occurrence ofconservation-concern species in the space was significantly related to forest proportion
around the space, existence of conservation activity and conservation areas within thespace. He also pointed out that the less forest around green space increased theimportance of conservation areas in green space, and green space in intensively
urbanized areas might need more focused management to maintain conservation values.
Presentation4:
Dr. Nakul Chettri (ICIMOD)“Potentials and opportunities of OECM in the Hindu Kush Himalaya”
Summary of presentation
This presentation aims to provide a brief introduction of the existing protected areas andpotential OECMs in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. International Centre for Integrated
Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an Inter-Governmental regional centre is working
with eight member countries that aim to seek sustainable mountain development for
mountains and people. Dr. Chettri introduced the region being rich in biodiversity andcontiguous ecosystems a total of 35% of the world population benefited indirectly fromthe ecosystem services. He further added that through the region is covered with morethan 50% protected areas around 50% of threatened species population are decreasingstages. Dr. Chettri also explained that the protected area coverage in some countries was
too small in order to comply Aichi target 11 (17%) and Post 2020 GBF target (30%) in thecountries except for Bhutan and Nepal. He concluded by highlighting the challenges ofsustaining the protected area effectiveness as well as need for proper definition andguidelines to explore the potentials for OECMs. He also emphasized the need forlandscape approach and connectivity corridoes between the small and scatteredprotected areas, community conserved areas such as scared groves and world heritage
sites. Since many potential OECMs are indigenous lands managed and owned byindigenous people, further initiatives of cooperation are needed to achieve the targets.

Presentation5:
Ms. Chistina Lázaro (UNEP-WCMC)“Reporting data on OECMs”
Summary of presentation
Ms. Lázaro made a presentation on how to report the OECMs data using the official
indicators on progress works for international targets such as sustainable development
goals 14 and 15. The world database of OECM has currently 671 OECMs from 8countries and territories and it is updated monthly. Coverage statistics show 16.8 % PA
and OECMs in terrestrial and 8.01% in Marine area. Ms. Lázaro emphasized theimportance of data reporting of OECMs because OECMs cannot be factored into decisionmaking in multiple sectors and future target 3 cannot be accurately tracked until
OECMs are identified and mapped.
Ms. Lázaro also introduced the official procedure of how to report OECMs data, whichshould be reported to the WD-OECM in a specific format with GIS and tabular data,
after identification of OECMs consented by the government authority.
Q&A Session
Moderator: Dr. Yongyut Trisuart and Ms. Runi Anak Pungga
Q: How we can monitor the area is effectively managed or not?
A: (Dr. Rao) Management Effectiveness Tracking Tools (METT) for the basic level andthe headline indicator on target 3 are useful to understand the level of effectiveness.
Q: It would be great if you could kindly share your thoughts on the role of / expectation
to the biodiversity observation network in this region.
A: (Dr. Rao) The BON in this region I think could play an important role in makingavailable key guidance on monitoring tools and methodologies that are available tomonitor biodiversity outcomes in both PAs and OECMs. There are many methods andapproaches- but it would be good to have a platform that makes these approaches easily
accessible to CBD Parties. The other useful resource is case studies- they are very
important to help understand how to implement monitoring methodologies andapproaches. Hope this is useful.
Q: Whether the stakeholders or owners of these areas are willing that their areas beregistered as OECMs?
A: (Dr. Pant) There is a requirement of consent by managing authority. Owners’ consent
is not necessary but managing authority is required. We usually get consent frommanaging authorities to submit potential OECMs in India.
Q: How about the cost of OECMs to be applied to the types of areas?
A: (Dr. Pant) The cost of conservation of OECMs depends on the various parameters suchas location, size, and threads.
A: (Dr. Kadoya) I think OECMs areas are usually managed for other purposes, whichmeans that OECMs have already had a function of conservation. From this viewpoint,
we don’t need a further cost for conservation.
Q: How does a link to the supporting information work after submitting the dataset, isthere any filtering process? I am interested in how this data is examined.
A: (Ms. Lazaro) This data submitted is open to the public, so anyone can access that data.
Q: Any requirement of scales for OECMs
A: (Ms. Lázaro) No requirement of scale. Only consent of government authority isrequired.
A: (Dr. Pant) In the case of Apatani Unique Agricultural Site, we submitted it aspotential OECM after getting the consent of the local community through thegovernment.
Q: How do we promote corridors and connectivity in the Himalayas?
A: (Dr. Chettri) The corridor concept is critical in the Himalayas region. Because PA is
comparatively small and scattered in fragmented. In the context of climate change,connectivity is important, corridor could be one option to identify the OECMs.
Q: How frequently the data of the same OECM will be updated?
A: (Ms. Lázaro) We usually update information if there is any change such as boundaries,
you could update your information anytime. But updates might need the consent ofgovernment authority No update requirement from UNEP-WCMC.

Photo Session