Asean biodiversity champion passes away

MANILA, Philippines - Rodrigo U. Fuentes, executive director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), passed away Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 after a courageous battle with cancer. 

“The environment sector mourns the loss of a staunch advocate. Most of all, we lost a good friend and a great leader. He will be forever loved by his dear family; his works, contributions, and legacy will forever be remembered,” the Centre stated in an announcement.

 The 54-year-old forester and biodiversity expert has been working in the field of environment and natural resources in the past 30 years notably as a consultant and technical advisor to various intergovernmental and multilateral organizations such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Asian Development Bank, United Nations agencies, and World Bank where his work brought him to such countries as China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Pakistan, Syria, Switzerland, and Thailand.

 A sustainable development and urban and regional planning expert, Fuentes also specializes in environmental program design and project development, policy and institutional assessment, environmental monitoring and assessment, and capacity development in environmental management and sustainable development. 

Prior to being appointed by the ASEAN governing board to head ACB, Fuentes was engaged by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the Philippines to undertake an independent and thorough assessment and review of the UNDP Country Program Action Plan (CPAP) on the Environment and Energy portfolios. 

He also served as advisor to the Secretariat of the UNCCD in Geneva, Switzerland, where he established the regional network and prepared the regional action plan for developing and pursuing subsequent work in implementing the commitment of Asian countries to the UNCCD. His expertise was also sought by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund’s Environmental Infrastructure Support Credit Program (EISCP). 

The UNDP in Bangkok, Thailand, through its Asia Capacity Development for the MDG, Capacity 2015 Program, (2004-2005) likewise sought his services in assessing the status of capacity development issues and needs in Asia particularly for implementing Millennium Development Goal No. 7 (Ensuring Environmental Sustainability). At the Environmental Section of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Bangkok, Thailand, he worked as in-house advisor for almost three years. 

Before getting into the regional and international arena, Fuentes was with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which he served for 14 years, first as service chief of the Foreign-Assisted and Special Projects Office and concurrent project manager of the Natural Resources Development and Management Project, and then as national director (1991-1994) of the Environmental Management Bureau.