Foreword

Myanmar has always benefitted from our ecosystems for our wellbeing, our livelihoods and our economy. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation (MONREC) strives for managing the natural resources including its forests and minerals as well as natural ecosystems for the benefit of both current and future generations. To ensure this future we must embrace Nature-based solutions (NBS). These solutions are actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore our natural and modified ecosystems. That is why it is my pleasure to welcome Myanmar’s first Red List of Ecosystems. Our red list will be a valuable tool to support our decisions and investments that simultaneously provide human well-being and biodiversity benefits.

Myanmar’s Red List of Ecosystems has recognized and evaluated 64 ecosystem types. We now understand that almost half of our ecosystems are not threatened, and their intactness is clearly an important asset for Myanmar’s future. Unfortunately, we also recognize that three of our ecosystems have changed so drastically that they could be very close to collapse; and can understand that eight of our ecosystems are Critically Endangered, nine are Endangered and twelve are Vulnerable so we need to ensure that these ecosystems are protected, restored and never lost. In understanding these ecosystems, we have a much finer view of the incredible diversity Myanmar supports and how we can work towards reaching our Forest Policy (1995), our 30-year National Forestry Master Plan targets and the fulfilment of international commitments including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Aichi Biodiversity Targets, etc. MONREC also has a responsibility to manage our freshwater and saline wetlands and the marine realm. In protecting all of our natural resources we recognize the Sustainable Development Goals specially to conserve and sustainably use our oceans and marine resources as well as protecting, restoring and sustainably using our terrestrial ecosystems.

In Myanmar’s Sustainable Development Plan (2018-2030), we clearly recognize the importance of natural resources and the environment for the posterity of the nation. Under this plan MONREC will ensure a clean environment together with healthy and functioning ecosystems as well as improving land governance and sustainable management of resource-based industries ensuring our natural resources dividend benefits all our people. Myanmar’s Red List of Ecosystems, our understanding of threats and this newly developed spatial information will strengthen the implementation of our plans and strategies and ensure a sustainable future for all of Myanmar.

H. E. U Ohn Winn
Union Minister
Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation