Sambhav-2025

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.