s:1248:"TI Facing the challenge of biodiversity conservation and climate change in Southeast Asia AU Lasco, R.D. AU Uebelhör, K. AU Follisco Jr, F. AB One of the biggest meetings in Southeast Asia for managers, scientists and policymakers in biodiversity - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Conference on Biodiversity - was held in Singapore from 21 to 23 October 2009. The main sponsors of the event were the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity and the National Parks Board of Singapore. The Southeast Asian region has one of the richest biodiversity resources in the world. Although it occupies just 3 per cent of the world's total surface, 20 per cent of the all know species live in its mountains, jungles, rivers, lakes and seas. For example, its tropical forests harbor 10 per cent of the world's floral diversity (Gitay et al., 2002). Three of the world's 17 megadiverse countries are in the region, namely Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Southeast Asia also has seven of the world's 25 recognised biodiversity hotspots - areas that are known to be biologically rich areas but are under great threat of destruction. Biodiversity resources provide crucial goods and services for the people of the region and the world. ";