Science Panel for Borneo

The Science Panel for Borneo (SPB), inspired by the success of the SDSN’s Science Panel for the Amazon (SPA) and Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB), researches and informs pathways to address the five challenges of species overexploitation, pollution, land and sea use change, climate change, and invasive species and diseases in Borneo.

Investing in measures to protect the biodiversity of Southeast Asia's seas and forests can generate significant annual benefits, far exceeding the amount invested. These include job creation, increased incomes, and a healthier, more sustainable environment. The SPB aims to provide recommendations for developing a sensible and equitable bioeconomy, green economy, and financial trajectories to enhance the socio-economic status of marginalized and poor communities, while safeguarding Southeast Asia’s rainforest as a valuable carbon sink and biodiversity nerve center. Furthermore, the SPB lays the groundwork towards Southeast Asian biodiversity protection as a whole.

The SPB established a coalition of Borneo experts to form its core research group. The coalition consists of 15 institutions, including the SDSN, six Indonesian universities (Universitas Tanjungpura, Universitas Palangka Raya, Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, Universitas Mulawarman, Institut Pertanian Bogor, and Universitas Indonesia), the Central Bank of Indonesia, Sunway University, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, University College Sabah Foundation, Sabah Forestry Department, WWF Sabah, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, and the Sarawak Forestry Department. The SPB also engages with several Malaysian federal government agencies, Indonesian government agencies, and the ASEAN Secretariat.