"Every region must have data on its biodiversity to prevent stealing," Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said when commemorating the World Biodiversity Day at Cibodas Botanical Garden, Pangrango, Bogor, West Java, Monday.
Apart from preventing thefts, biodiversity preservation could give benefit sharing to respective region if it is used by second or third parties.
"Every derivative of biodiversity use will provide benefit to the concerned regions," he said.
The benefit sharing has been guaranteed following the signing of the Nagoya Protocol by Indonesia at the United Nations Headquarters, New York, US, on May 11, 2011.
Other countries signing the Nagoya Protocol at the UN last May were Guatemala, India, Japan, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland, and Tunisia.
After the signing, Indonesia is expected to ratify the Nagoya Protocol for its implementation in the country.
The Nagoya Protocol is an important instrument to optimize the genetic source use and stop biopiracy practices especially for a country like Indonesia, which is the world`s second largest biodiversity country.
The environmental affairs ministry is establishing biodiversity parks in East Java, West Java and North Sulawesi Provinces.
Later, similar biodiversity parks will also be built in other regions such as West Sumatra, Yogjakarta, Lampung, according to the ministers.
The establishment of biodiversity parks is aimed at preserving biodiversity in the regions which each of them has biodiversity with unique characteristic.
The United Nations proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.
The International Year of Forests and forest biodiversity is the theme for this year`s International Day of Biodiversity (IDB) which is observed on May 22 each year. (*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
