Sambhav-2025

Day 87: Discuss the role of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in shaping India's biodiversity conservation policies. (150 words)

12 Mar 2025 | GS Paper 3 | Bio-diversity & Environment

Approach / Explaination / Answer

Approach

  • Briefly introduce the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and its objectives.
  • Highlight the role of CBD in shaping India's biodiversity conservation policies.
  • Conclude suitably.

Introduction

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, aims to conserve biodiversity, ensure sustainable use, and promote fair benefit-sharing. India, a megadiverse country with 7-8% of the world's biodiversity, became a CBD signatory in 1994, significantly influencing its environmental policies.

Body

Role of CBD in India's Biodiversity Conservation Policies:

  • Legislative Framework
    • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 was enacted in response to CBD guidelines. It led to the establishment of:
      • National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) in 2003.
      • State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) (Over 2.7 lakh BMCs formed as of 2023).
    • Strengthened the Forest Rights Act, 2006, ensuring community participation in biodiversity conservation.
  • Policy Measures
    • National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP), 2008, revised in 2014, aligns with CBD’s Aichi Targets (2010-2020) to protect ecosystems.
    • Integration of biodiversity conservation into National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) and National Adaptation Fund on Climate Change (NAFCC).
  • Conservation Strategies
    • India's protected area network increased from 4.2% in 1992 to 5.3% of the total geographical area in 2023.
    • Initiatives like Project Tiger (1973) and Project Elephant (1992) were strengthened under CBD principles.
    • Establishment of Eco-sensitive Zones around 1014 protected areas to curb habitat destruction.
  • Sustainable Use & Benefit Sharing
    • People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) document lakhs of species to preserve indigenous knowledge.
    • Implementation of the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Mechanism, leading to revenue generation from biodiversity-based industries.

Conclusion

India, under CBD’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), aims to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. CBD has played a crucial role in embedding biodiversity conservation in India's legal, policy, and conservation frameworks, ensuring ecological sustainability.