Introduction

Biological diversity （contracted as biodiversity） is “the variability among living organisms from all sources including，inter alia，terrestrial，marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part；this includes diversity within species，between species，and of ecosystems” （CBD，2010）. Its objectives include the conservation of biodiversity，the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources，including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies，taking into account all rghts over those resources and to technologies，and by appropriate funding. Biodiversity is very important because it provides various goods and services for human societies.

The Secretariat of the Convention on Biodiversity reported that biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystems are associated with unsustainable human development activities，and these include among others，intensive agriculture，forest exploitation，industrial production and other socio-economic needs which transform habitats extensively. The following facts and statistics show the outcomes of these activities：

●Tropical forest is shrinking at about 5% percent per decade，adding 3 billion tons of CO2 to the atmosphere each year and contributing to major loss of biodiversity；forests have completely disappeared in 25 countries （FAO 2001）；

●Half of the world’s wetlands have been lost in the past century；

●Yearly losses of forest ecosystem services range between US$ 2 to 5 trillion；

●80% of grasslands are suffering from soil degradation；

●Current atmospheric emissions of CO2 are nearly four times the total emissions in 1950；

●About 20–120 million people live in areas affected by desertification；

●Inland water species have declined by 50%；

●Marine and terrestrial species have declined by approximately 30%；Some 20% of the world’s coral reefs have been destroyed by fishing，pollution，disease and coral bleaching；

●23% of mammals and 25% of conifers are currently threatened with extinction；

●Status of bird species has deteriorated over the last two decades with 12% now threatened with extinction；

●Some countries have lost up to 80% of their mangroves due to aquaculture，overexploitation and natural disasters （Millennium Ecosystem Assessment，2005）；

●32% of amphibians are categorized as threatened with extinction；

●70% of the world’s population relies on medicinal plants；

●The ecological footprint of humanity exceeds the biological capacity of the Earth by a wider margin than at the time the 2010 target was agreed （SCBD：GBO3）.

The ASEAN Member States （AMS），recognizing the importance of protecting biodiversity and ecosystems，have adopted，among others，the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and the Aichi Targets “Living in Harmony with Nature”，CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas （PoWPA） and the Forest Biodiversity Programme of Work. Concerted efforts，programs and initiatives are being undertaken to ensure biodiversity and ecological conservation. ASEAN’s commitment for biodiversity and ecological conservation is clearly stated in the ASEAN Vision 2020 which aims to achieve “a clean and green ASEAN with fully established mechanisms for sustainable development and ensure that protection for the region’s environment and natural resources are sustained，as well as the high quality of life of its people”.

As on China side，the government attaches great attention to the biodiversity and ecology conservation. In 2010，China established the National Committee for Biodiversity. China also established state coordination mechanism，promulgated about 20 relevant laws and regulations such as the Law on Environmental Protection，the Law on Protection of Wild Animals，the Law on Marine Environmental Protection，etc. China developed the Biodiversity Protection Strategy and Action Plan （2011-2030），in which biodiversity has been brought up to the national strategic level. In the National 12th Five-Year Plan for Environmental Protection，ecological conservation and regulation has been underlined as one of the four prominent environmental issues which need to be effectively addressed，supported by a series of ecological conservation projects which will be implemented during 12th Five-Year.

China and ASEAN countries are close neighbors connected by mountains and rivers，and share important natural geographical and ecological links in East Asia. Facing the continuous loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem，ASEAN Member States and China put biodiversity and ecological conservation high on their cooperation agenda. Biodiversity conservation becomes one of the priority areas of ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation. ASEAN and China are committed to promote biodiversity and ecological conservation through cooperation，sharing experiences and jointly coping with biodiversity challenges.

The leaders of ASEAN and China have attached great importance to strengthening cooperation in the field of biodiversity conservation. In October 2009，ASEAN and China adopted the “ASEAN-China Environmental Protection Cooperation Strategy 2009-2015”，in which biodiversity conservation has been made one of the priority areas of environmental cooperation between the two sides. The “ASEAN-China Leaders’ Joint Statement on Sustainable Development” adopted at the 13th ASEAN-China Summit on 29 October 2010 in Ha Noi，Vietnam，called upon the two sides to actively implement the “ASEAN-China Environmental Protection Cooperation Strategy 2009-2015”，in particular，cooperate in such fields as biodiversity and ecological conservation through engagement with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity （ACB）. At the 22nd ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Environment in September 2011 in Brunei Darussalam，ASEAN Member States officially endorsed the “ASEAN-China Environmental Cooperation Action Plan 2011-2013”，in which it is reaffirmed to strengthen cooperation in the areas such as the promotion of biodiversity conservation.

This report aims to share good practices of biodiversity conservation in ASEAN Member States （AMS） and China，including their domestic efforts and cross border cooperation activities on biodiversity conservation. Chapter 1 generally introduces the situation of biodiversity conservation in ASEAN，including natural conditions of AMS，national policies，strategies and action plans of AMS on biodiversity conservation，ASEAN’s cooperation initiatives on biodiversity and ecological conservation，their participation in relevant international conventions and cooperation；Chapter 2 introduces the economic，social and natural conditions，national policies，strategies and action plans，opportunities and challenges of biodiversity conservation in China；Chapter 3 presents good practices of biodiversity conservation in the ASEAN and China，includes 6 case studies on biodiversity conservation activities at local，national and regional levels in AMS，3 case studies in Guangxi and Yunnan provinces of China which bordering some Southeast Asian countries，and 1 case of cross-border biodiversity conservation；and finally Chapter 4 draws some conclusions and provides suggestions for enhancing biodiversity conservation and cooperation.