KEEPING up the spirit of the Heart of Borneo Declaration, Brunei has been effectively managing its forest resources through commendable conservation efforts over the past years that have gained global recognition for the Sultanate.
Brunei Darussalam has also gained international acclaim for having bio-rich tropical rainforests, majority of which are still in pristine condition and protected by effective legislation, despite occupying just one per cent of the total forest in the island of Borneo.
Brunei Darussalam is among those countries with a leading forest area, according to Asia Development Bank (ADB).
According to ADB’s Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific 2016 (Key Indicators 2016) report published this week, Laos topped the list with a forest cover of 81.3 per cent followed by Bhutan (70 per cent), Brunei (70 per cent) and Papua New Guinea (70 per cent).
The report was prepared by the Development Economics and Indicators Division (ERDI) of the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department (ERCD) of the ADB.
Forest area is a crucial foundation for maintenance of biodiversity, management of sustainable water sources, and even in mitigation of harmful consequences of extreme weather conditions, the report said.
Estimates based on the latest data suggest that about 22.2 per cent of Asia and the Pacific’s total land area is covered by forest.
Forest cover in East Asia is estimated at 30.9 per cent and in Southeast Asia at 28.6 per cent. On the other hand, forest cover in Central and West Asia is estimated at 2.6 per cent.
According to the report, the economies with air pollution levels that are below the maximum air pollution level set by the World Health Organization (WHO) include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, the Federated States of Micronesia and New Zealand.
Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: A green gem in Heart of Borneo
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