(MY) funding at Danum Valley

[Guest guest]

UK keen on funding at Danum Valley - New Straits Times*02 Aug 2006*

Jaswinder Kaur <jaswin

 

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*KOTA KINABALU: Working with global partners to help conserve nature and

address wider issues such as climate change.

*

This is what the United Kingdom is doing, said its Biodiversity Minister at

the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Barry Gardiner *

(picture)*.

 

For this reason, the UK has remained interested in funding initiatives in

different parts of the world, including the Danum Valley in Sabah's east

coast.

 

" We have to work globally and with our partners around the world. Climate

change and loss of species are not issues that can be solved by one country

alone, " Gardiner said.

 

Gardiner spent one night at Danum Valley as part of his trip to Malaysia,

China and Thailand. UK's Royal Society has supported research at the Danum

Valley Field Centre since the early 1990s under its Southeast Asian

Rainforest Research Programme.

 

Danum Valley also receives funding from the Darwin Initiative.

 

He said the Danum Valley was important for its biodiversity.

 

" It gives us the opportunity to work with our Malaysian partners and to

share expertise to carry out programmes on issues such as ecosystems and

climate change, which impact one another, " he told the New Straits Times at

the end of his visit on Sunday.

 

Gardiner was also asked for his views on Sabah's emphasis on oil palm

production and how this would translate into a concern for wildlife

conservation.

 

Gardiner said from his meetings with government representatives and the

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), it was clear that the authorities

were aware that an increase in crop production must be balanced with care

for the environment.

 

" Clearly, the public are concerned that there is a potential threat here and

that is why it is good that the Government here has set its limits, and that

the industry is organising itself to take the environmental concern

seriously. We welcome that they are doing that. "

 

" The UK will see how we can help you get the message of good practice across

so that it is more widely publicised in contrast to some bad publicity.

 

" If there are proper mitigation practices in place, such as those taken by

RSPO, we would be pleased to help them in making these widely known in the

UK. "

 

Last year, environmental groups in the UK called on its citizens to stop

consuming palm oil products as land conversion would destroy wildlife

habitats.

 

To another question, Gardiner said British people supported conservation

work their Government was doing in countries like Malaysia.

 

" People understand that if we care about our environment, there is no point

in thinking we can simply act in the UK, it is not enough to make a

difference. "