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Indonesia's biodiversity under serious threat: LIPI
The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) urged the public and government Saturday to improve awareness about conserving Indonesia's precious biodiversity, which is under threat from population growth and deforestation
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he Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) urged the public and government Saturday to improve awareness about conserving Indonesia's precious biodiversity, which is under threat from population growth and deforestation.
The LIPI's Umar Anggara Jenie, said that Indonesia should do more to save its vast biodiversity, which plays a pivotal role in providing essential needs, such as food.
"We need to do more taxonomy *classifying organism* and conservation," Umar said at an event held in observance of the International Day for Biological Diversity at Cibinong Science Center in Bogor, West Java.
The theme of this year's observance was Biodiversity for Development and Poverty Alleviation. The event also featured an exhibition on biodiversity, conservation and a seminar.
According to the LIPI, Indonesia boats more than 38,000 species of plants, of which 55 percent are native. The richness has made Indonesia the world's fifth-most wealthy country in terms of biodiversity.
"We have identified around one million species of animals and plants in Indonesia with more yet to be identified," said the head of LIPI's Biology Research Center, Siti Nuramaliati Prijono.
The data can be accessed through the Indonesian Biodiversity Information System (IBIS) online at ibis. biologi.lipi.go.id. It contains information about species in Indonesia. "Biodiversity is a strategic asset that can boost our nation's self-reliance and competitiveness," Umar said.
"Unchecked, rapid development along with swelling population growth is threatening our precious diversity." The LIPI is advocating a more environmentally friendly approach to development.
As part of its conservation efforts, Indonesia has ratified the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and passed a law on its ratification in 1994.
"Among the conservation activities the government has implemented are the breeding of endangered animals in their natural habitat and outside, as well as setting a strict quota on the export of certain species," the director of biodiversity for the Environment Ministry, Hary Santoso, told The Jakarta Post.
Critics, however, said the government's claims that it was making efforts to preserve biodiversity were hollow as widespread deforestation still threatened wild habitats.
Bogor Agriculture Institute (IPB) entomologist Damayanti Buchori said damage of habitat and lack of political will from government and politicians had been the main threat to biodiversity.
"I feel very great concern with high deforestation for mining to plantations; what do we do to stop it if the country wants to conserve biodiversity," Damayanti, who was also lead scientist at the Nature Conservancy (TNC) said. (ipa)
