Cover Reza Cockrell, co-founder and director, The Habitat Penang Hill
Reza Cockrell, co-founder and director, The Habitat Penang Hill
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On the International Day of Biodiversity, read about the scientists who are working to promote harmonious coexistence with nature
The International Day of Biodiversity asks the world to re-examine its relationship to the natural world. Marked yearly on May 22, the global event calls on governments, businesses, communities and individuals to be part of the Biodiversity Plan, an ambitious framework that sees “a world living in harmony with nature” by 2050. Adopted at the UN Biodiversity Conference, it seeks to halt and reverse biodiversity loss through conservation and sustainability efforts.
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While countries and institutions play a key role in implementing the Biodiversity Plan, its success will take a whole-of-society approach. In the region, the conservation leaders of Asia’s Most Influential are doing their part to heal nature by conducting and supporting research that leads to the protection of ecosystems, as well as the understanding of marine plastic pollution, one of the biggest environmental crises in Southeast Asia.
For individuals, there is plenty to do, too: consume meat and fish moderately to reduce pressure on natural resources; repair and reuse clothes to lessen waste; or choose nearby vacation destinations to lower carbon footprint. The fish in the seas, the trees in the forests and all the microorganisms in between—everything is connected and the loss of biodiversity affects all.
Lindsay Porter, founder, Seamar (Hong Kong)
Above Lindsay Porter, founder, Seamar
Lindsay Porter, founder, Seamar
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For her services to marine life conservation, Dr Lindsay Porter was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 2023. The founder of Seamar described receiving the award from Princess Anne as thrilling, “particularly as I volunteer with Riding for the Disabled Association, of which she is an active supporter and the UK patron”. For decades, the Hong Kong-based marine biologist has been working to protect Asia’s vulnerable cetaceans, including the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise and Hong Kong’s famous pink dolphin. Today, Seamar continues to build academic research, provide advice on how to minimise threats to marine mammals and inform wider conservation efforts in the region.
“If we cannot keep our marine environment healthy, then we as a human race are lost: every second breath we take comes from oxygen generated from our oceans,” she said to Tatler in 2023. “And as we are learning more about the role that marine mammals play, and nutrient cycling, and how that supports fish populations—which more than two-thirds of the world rely on for their primary protein—[we are seeing that] marine mammals are important because they help us maintain the health of our marine system. And of course, they are just intrinsically wonderful.”
Read Lindsay Porter’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Reza Cockrell, co-founder and director, The Habitat Penang Hill (Malaysia)
Above Reza Cockrell, co-founder and director, The Habitat Penang Hill
Reza Cockrell, co-founder and director, The Habitat Penang Hill
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In an interview with Tatler in 2021, environmentalist Reza Cockrell detailed Penang Hill’s journey toward becoming a Unesco Bioreserve. The Habitat Penang Hill, the environmental discovery centre he co-founded, organised a two-week survey of the area’s biodiversity that recorded “more than 2,500 species of flora and fauna including species believed to be new to science” and confirmed the richness in biodiversity of Penang Island. That same year, The Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve joined a global network that now includes 738 biosphere reserves in 134 countries.
Today, Cockrell continues his work of safeguarding 12,481 hectares of marine and terrestrial ecosystems through the centre, as well as its conservation arm, The Habitat Foundation. With a vision of establishing Penang Hill as a global centre for tropical research, conservation and environmental education, the foundation supports studies of its ecosystems through yearly grants. The programme has produced knowledge on the diversity of dragonflies and damselflies, the impact of microplastics on rivers and the services provided by bats in ricefields.
Read Reza Cockrell’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Dr Suchana Apple Chavanich, marine biologist (Thailand)
Above Dr Suchana Apple Chavanich, marine biologist
Dr Suchana Apple Chavanich, marine biologist
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An associate professor with the Department of Marine Science at Chulalongkorn University, Dr Suchana Apple Chavanich focuses her study on nearshore species, marine biodiversity and the conservation of marine ecosystems. The prolific researcher has co-authored numerous studies in the region, including papers on sea slug biodiversity, sea cucumber population and coral reef propagation.
Dr Suchana has contributed to the greater understanding of plastic pollution in Southeast Asia, as well, having been part of an international network of experts who studied the impact and risks of marine plastic pollution on the region’s ecosystems. Apart from illustrating the negative effects of plastic pollution on animals, habitats, food and livelihood, the study stressed the need for more research to guide policy development and regional response.
The marine biologist, who is part of the International Oceanographic Commission of Unesco, further contributes to the conservation of coral reefs by engaging with local communities in Thailand, advocating for the protection of coral reef health, while emphasising eco-friendly and sustainable solutions that contribute to the economy.
Read Dr Suchana Apple Chavanich’s full profile on Asia’s Most Influential
Tatler Asia’s Most Influential is the definitive list of people shaping our world today. Asia’s Most Influential brings together the region's most innovative changemakers, industry titans and thought leaders who are driving positive impact in Asia and beyond. View the full list here.
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