Preserving Paradise: The Heart of Borneo Initiative.pdf

More timber was traded from Borneo in the last two decades of the twentieth century than from the combined Amazon and Congo regions and this presentation characterizes the destruction of Borneo's rainforest as self-inflicted violence, encouraged by consumerism. From that optic, the presentation showcases the Heart of Borneo Initiative that was launched in 2007 as environmental peacebuilding in a grounded context from which much can—and should—be learned. The Heart of Borneo Initiative is a conscious effort to integrate social and environmental issues, cultivate cooperation rather than competition, and manage a resource or commons collaboratively.

1. Preserving Paradise:
The Heart of Borneo
Initiative
Olivier Serrat | 2024

2. Echoes of Eden—The Kinabatangan River
It is the year 2018. I am travelling from Sandakan, in the Malaysian state of Sabah, to the lower reaches of the Kinabatangan
River. From the mountains in TongodDistrict, the river snakes through 560 kilometers (350 miles) before surrendering to the
Sulu Sea.
To reach our lodge, we drive for two and a half hours across the monocrop plantations of oil palm that claim sovereignty over
one quarter of Sabah. The plantations encroach right up to the river, leaving a thin corridor of rainforest for local fauna and
flora. The river features riparian forests, nipahswamps, and oxbow lakes.
The riverbanks are a sanctuary for Borneo's wildlife: orangutans (that is, "persons of the forest"), pygmy elephants, bearded
pigs, proboscis monkeys, clouded leopards, silver langurs, long-tailed macaques, hornbills, tarsiers, Storm's storks … There
are bloodthirsty leeches too.
On a tall tree, a proboscis monkey with a uniquely enlarged nose holds off challengers: one of them falls to the river and
swims with webbed hands and feet toward the other bank, in seemingly chastised shame. The victorious alpha male honks,
shakes the tree, and celebrates one more day at the apex of his life.
Efforts to preserve the river's corridor of life are ongoing, with conservation initiatives working alongside local communities to
restore and reconnect fragmented habitats. In this corner of our globalizing world, thankfully protected from the
deforestation that has razed Borneo, every turn of the river tells a story of diversity and harmonious coexistence.

3. Echoes of Eden—The Kinabatangan River
Kinabatangan River Bearded Pig Clouded Leopard
Orangutan Hornbill Proboscis Monkey

4. Contents
Borneo: Paradise Under Siege
The Rationale for Peacebuilding
The Heart of Borneo Initiative:
Peacebuilding at the Local Level
Sustaining the Pulse of Borneo

5. Borneo: Paradise Under Siege
Location
•Borneo is the third-largest island after Greenland and New Guinea.
Biodiversity
•222 mammal species (44 endemic)
•420 bird species (37 endemic)
•100 amphibian species
•394 fish species (19 endemic)
•15,000 plant species (5,000 endemic)
Ecosystem Services
•Borneo’s forests provide essential services like carbon
sequestration, soil stabilization, and water regulation.
Territorial Division & Population
•Borneo is shared by Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
•About 73% of Borneo belongs to Indonesia, while Sabah and
Sarawak (East Malaysian states) make up about 26%.
•Borneo is home to around 23 million people, with the majority living
in coastal lowlands and cities. Indigenous communities rely on
Borneo’s forests for food, medicine, and cultural practices.
Historical Forest Loss
•In a veritable war on the environment, Borneo’s vast tropical
rainforest was severely impacted from the 1960s onward by
burning, logging, and land clearing.
•The timber trade escalated, surpassing even the combined Amazon
and Congo regions.
Drivers of Damage
•Industrial logging and palm oil plantations have been the major
drivers of environmental harm.
•Illegal logging and slash-and-burn practices are commonplace.
Wood Product Trade
•China, Japan, the United States, and Europe have been primary
importers of Borneo’s wood products.
Palm Oil Industry
•Indonesia and Malaysia dominate palm oil production (85% of
global supply in 2021).
•Palm oil is ubiquitous in household items, but sustainable
alternatives remain a challenge.

6. The Rationale for
Peacebuilding
Addressing Root Causes
•Peacebuilding identifies underlying deforestation causes.
•By addressing related issues, it reduces forest pressure and promotes
sustainable land use practices.
Building Trust
•Trust is crucial for cooperation and conflict resolution.
•Transparency and accountability prevent destructive activities.
Fostering Cooperation
•Peacebuilding encourages dialogue among stakeholders.
•Collective pressure advances sustainable practices and biodiversity
conservation.
Empowering Local Communities
•Involving local communities, including indigenous peoples, ensures their
voices are heard.
•Respecting rights leads to better forest management and conservation.
Promoting Sustainable Development
•Peacebuilding supports economic development without harming the
environment.
The United Nations Environment Programmeestimated that
Borneo’s forest cover has decreased to only half of its original
extent, down from 75% in the mid-1980s. This decline is largely
due to self-inflicted violence, driven by consumerism overseas.
The consequences of human–environment conflict extend
beyond Borneo, affecting carbon sequestration and
contributing to climate change. Reduced forest cover impacts
the planet’s overall stability.
Governments are responsible for domestic governance and
policy-making as well as foreign affairs. At long last, the
governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia
had to identify technical, restorative, and sustainable
trajectories for environmental peacebuilding to create a more
collaborative and stable environment in Borneo.

7. The Heart of Borneo Initiative: Peacebuilding at the
Local Level (1)
The Heart of Borneo Initiative
•Crises are opportunities for change. With help from the World Wide
Fund for Nature, Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia
launched the Heart of Borneo Initiative in 2007.
•The Heart of Borneo Initiativeaims to protect approximately
220,000 square kilometers (84,940 square miles) of forested region
in Borneo, representing nearly one-third of the entire island. The
key regions involved are Kalimantan (60%), Sabah and Sarawak
(38%), and Brunei Darussalam (2%)
•The Heart of Borneo Initiative aims to ensure effective
management of resources and conservation of a network of
protected areas, productive forests, and other sustainable land uses
through trinational, rolling, government-and donor-funded, five-
yearly national strategic plans of action and related interventions,
initially across five main programs.
Transboundary Collaboration
•Address management issues of natural resources and socio-
economic welfare in border areas.
•Collaboration involves shared ownership and interest in specific
outcomes.
Protected Area Management
•Enhance and promote effective management of protected areas
within the Heart of Borneo Initiative.
•Focus on areas situated along the common border to conserve
forest biodiversity and ecological linkages.
Sustainable Natural Resources Management
•Manage natural resources outside the protected areas network.
•Implement sustainable land use practices.
Ecotourism Development
•Recognize and protect the value of special natural and cultural sites
within the Heart of Borneo Initiative area.
Capacity Building
•Ensure effective implementation of the initiative across public,
private, and local community levels.

8. The Heart of Borneo Initiative: Peacebuilding at the
Local Level (2)
The Heart of Borneo Initiative
•A conscious collaborative effort inspired by engagement and
voluntarism that:
•Aims to manage resources sustainably and prove that over-
exploitation of natural resources is not inevitable;
•Promotes cooperation, respects local cultures, and supports
sustainable development; and
•Is indorsed by regional and international agreements.
•Partners include organizations like the Asian Development Bank,
the Global Environment Facility, and United Nations programs.

9. Sustaining the Pulse of Borneo
Necessarily, the Heart of Borneo Initiative is a long-term
endeavor that underscores the need for effective regulation,
ongoing vigilance, and commitment to sustainable
practices.
Notwithstanding, what progress was made within a few
years of launching the Heart of Borneo Initiative, for
example in conserving species, working with people,
expanding sustainable forests, transforming markets, and
innovative conservation financing, have underscored the
power of environmental peacebuilding, particularly
collaboration and cooperation, in preserving our planet's
precious ecosystems.
By valuing natural capital, engaging in partnerships, and
implementing strategic actions, the Heart of Borneo
Initiative strives to secure a better future for this vital
region.

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