 I wrote about the current state of biodiversity and ecosystems in the ASEAN region. This region is incredibly diverse in terms of plant and animal species in our forests, in our lakes and rivers, and even in our farmland and cities. And this biodiversity is important not only because it's special to our region but also because it is essential to the well-being of the people of ASEAN. Our biodiversity and ecosystems provide food, jobs, income, and many other environmental and social services to our people. Much of the biodiversity and ecosystems in the region are under threat. Our forests are being converted into commercial plantations, especially oil palm, and are also being threatened by urban expansion. It's been projected that almost half of all plant and animal species in ASEAN forests could disappear by the end of the century because of this. Dams in the Macomb region in particular are threatening hundreds of species of fish that millions of people rely on for food and their livelihoods. In the agricultural sector we're losing a lot of crop and livestock genetic diversity and this is making us much more vulnerable to climate change now and in the future. Past and current economic growth in our region has not taken into account the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. Therefore in the future regional and national development goals should better integrate biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. The region should also come together to establish minimum standards for environmental impact assessments and other safeguards, especially in the case of transboundary investments.