Southeast Asian civil society organizations have called on parties at the ongoing United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, to recognize the serious threats posed by the continued expansion of fossil fuels, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) and oil exploration, to global biodiversity.
The region, home to the Coral Triangle, one of the world’s richest areas of marine biodiversity, is facing severe pressure from fossil fuel activities that threaten both ecosystems and local livelihoods.
Among the critical areas under threat are the Verde Island Passage in the Philippines and the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.
Gerry Arances, Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) in the Philippines, warned of the alarming trajectory of LNG and fossil fuel operations within the Coral Triangle.
“Contrary to claims that LNG is a clean energy alternative, it is a fossil fuel whose entire life cycle from extraction to transport and burning contributes significantly to environmental and climate degradation. Increased shipping activities also risk disrupting marine biodiversity and coastal communities,” Arances said.
Arances, who also co-convenes the Southeast Asia Working Group on Just Energy Transition, stressed that addressing the expansion of fossil fuels in the Coral Triangle aligns with COP16’s biodiversity protection and restoration agenda, which is crucial for meaningful climate action.
The Coral Triangle, which includes parts of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste, is increasingly threatened by fossil fuel projects.
By the end of 2023, Southeast Asia was developing 139 gigawatts (GW) of new gas power over a quarter of all planned gas capacity in Asia. These activities endanger marine life and the livelihoods of millions dependent on healthy oceans for fishing and tourism.
Muhammad Reza, National Coordinator of The People’s Coalition for the Right to Water (KRuHA) in Indonesia, expressed grave concern over the situation.
“The rapid expansion of fossil fuels threatens not only climate stability and the integrity of vital ecosystems but also the well-being of indigenous and local communities,” he said.
KRuHA is a coalition of Indonesian organizations working to ensure water rights, and Reza emphasized the perilous state of the Coral Triangle’s seascapes and marine life.
Meanwhile in Malaysia, environmental watchdog RimbaWatch raised concerns about the government’s prioritization of fossil fuel development despite its environmental risks.
“Instead of focusing efforts on renewable energy, Malaysia is expanding fossil gas developments in the biodiverse waters off Borneo’s coast,” said Adam Farhan, Director of RimbaWatch.
He noted that Malaysia’s state-owned oil company recently signed an exploration contract in an area overlapping Tun Mustapha Marine Park, a region home to critical reefs, mangroves, and endangered marine species.
Farhan added that this move contradicts established climate science and poses severe risks to biodiversity and livelihoods in the Coral Triangle.
The civil society groups are urging Southeast Asian countries to push for stronger commitments to reduce fossil fuel expansion, increase investment in renewable energy, and involve local communities in decision-making.
They are also calling for enhanced international collaboration to protect the region’s biodiversity.
“In Southeast Asia, vital biodiversity areas face serious threats from oil and gas expansion. Unless we drastically reduce emissions, we risk the catastrophic bleaching of all the world’s reefs by the end of the century,” Reza warned.
As COP16 continues, these groups hope to influence the global biodiversity agenda to prioritize the protection and restoration of ecosystems under threat from fossil fuel activities.
By Dare Akogun
