OECMs - Reports and Guidance
Building Urban Ecological Networks for Conservation in the ASEAN Region
This discussion paper explores the concept and strategic planning of urban ecological networks for conservation in Southeast Asia. Given the region's rapid urbanisation and its overlap with biodiversity hotspots, urban areas are increasingly important yet threatened ecological spaces. The report proposes integrating urban protected areas (PAs), other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs), and urban green and blue spaces into cohesive ecological networks to reduce fragmentation and enhance biodiversity outcomes.
Anchored in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), particularly Targets 3 and 12, the report clarifies the distinctions and overlaps among PAs, OECMs, and green/blue spaces. It introduces new, context-specific definitions for these terms relevant to ASEAN cities and presents a conceptual framework and step-by-step approach to building urban ecological networks. These networks aim to improve ecological connectivity, enhance species movement, support human well-being, and contribute to climate resilience and public health.
The report draws from regional surveys and case studies, including examples from Japan, India, Thailand, Malaysia, China, and the Philippines, illustrating a range of urban nature areas and lessons learned—such as transforming degraded areas into functional habitats and managing urban biodiversity through public-private collaboration.
Policy alignment is emphasised with international conventions (CBD, CMS, UNFCCC), the SDGs, and ASEAN strategies. Key recommendations include contextualising urban conservation definitions, improving connectivity through corridors, engaging communities via citizen science, mobilising financing (e.g., PPPs), and establishing robust monitoring frameworks.
By promoting integrated planning and governance, this report positions urban ecological networks as essential tools for biodiversity conservation and sustainable urban development in the ASEAN region.
Guidance on other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs)
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, provides a framework for the effective implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) through four goals and 23 targets. Target 3 (known as the ‘30x30 target’) calls on Parties to conserve at least 30% of terrestrial, inland waters, and coastal and marine areas by 2030. These guidelines are designed to promote good practices relating to identifying, reporting, monitoring and strengthening OECMs. They are intended for use by a wide range of rightsholders and stakeholders to promote understanding of whether a site meets the CBD criteria for identifying an OECM, how to report OECM data at the national and global levels, and how to monitor and strengthen OECMs.
Report: Status of OECMs in Asia
This report's primary objective is to shed light on the status of OECMs in the Asian region, particularly among countries in the Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP). This was achieved through a questionnaire-based study focusing on strategies, legislation, and challenges related to OECMs, with the aim of offering recommendations for the way forward.
The survey garnered responses from 33 participants representing 17 countries across three broad regions in Asia.
Guidance to Advance Other Effective Area Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Asia
The “Guidance to Advance Other Effective Area Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) in Asia” builds on the recommendations from the Status of OECMs in Asia report (Sharma et al., 2023), that surveyed countries across Asia with a focus on national and sub-national strategies, legislation, and challenges. The report provided five key recommendations to guide countries across Asia to expand their efforts on OECMs. This technical briefing paper builds on these recommendations to help countries in Asia identify, report, monitor, and strengthen OECMs strategically.
To ensure that efforts on OECMs within countries are consistent and following strategic guidance, countries should aim to create a national strategy for OECMs. Ensuring the proper identification, reporting, monitoring, and strengthening of OECMs in Asia will require a five-pronged approach around (1) building capacity, (2) developing a national strategy through an inclusive and consultative process, (3) developing legal or other effective types of mechanisms, (4) seeking diverse and sustainable financing opportunities, and (5) prioritising the most ecologically valuable areas, such as KBAs, using spatial planning processes.
The content in this document is also based on guidance documents produced by the IUCN WCPA, which have been peer reviewed and published by the IUCN; they are available in several languages on the IUCN WCPA OECM Specialist Group’s website. You can also read the previous report on Asia OECM status here: (OECMs | IUCN).
Read the report HERE.
APAP Regional OECMs Consultation Workshop
