NParks' regional links

Within Southeast Asia, Singapore plays a part in protecting the region's rich biodiversity by participating in ASEAN partnerships.

ASEAN Working Group on Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (AWGNCB)

The AWGNCB meets annually to discuss collaborative activities that protect and manage the region’s biodiversity. NParks represents Singapore in these discussions, contributing to regional strategies and initiatives.

One of the flagship programmes of this working group is the ASEAN Heritage Parks (AHP) Programme, which protects key ecosystems that are representative of Southeast Asia's rich natural heritage.

The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve are part of the AHP network, which includes close to 60 parks across ASEAN countries.

For more information, visit the AWGNCB's website.

ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)

Established in 2005, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) promotes cooperation among ASEAN nations for biodiversity conservation.

For example, Singapore shared its expertise in urban biodiversity by hosting a two-part ASEAN workshop on therapeutic horticulture in 2021 and 2022, as well as collaborated on the development of the ASEAN Work Programme on Urban Green Infrastructure under the CBD’s Bio-Bridge Initiative in 2019.

Singapore and the ACB also collaborated in 2024 with partners from ICLEI-Cities Biodiversity Centre and WWF-Singapore to host global webinars on the Singapore Index on Cities’ Biodiversity which attracted participants from over 30 countries globally.

The ACB is governed by a Governing Board consisting of ASEAN Senior Officials on the Environment (ASOEN), with the AWGNCB providing technical guidance.

The ACB is headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines. For more details, visit ACB's official website.