India launched its updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) at the recently concluded COP16 (16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), focusing on the restoration of endangered biodiverse ecosystems.
The CBD, part of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), came into being in 1993 with three major objectives—conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of the components of biological diversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources. The latest report submitted by India to the CBD was accessed by THE WEEK.
Titled “India’s Updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024-2030): In alignment with Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – A Road Map for Conservation of India’s Biodiversity”, the strategic document outlines an exhaustive list of items the country’s administration has in mind for till 2030.
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One of the major focal areas was the biodiversity-inclusive planning for land and sea use. Through this, the aim is to implement effective management processes in the way the country uses land and sea, such that the loss of highly biodiverse areas is “close to zero” by 2030. The report also stressed that this included ecosystems of high ecological integrity, and the plan will respect the rights of local communities.
For this, the plan outlines using high-resolution geospatial data to earmark rich, biodiverse areas and endangered ecosystems. Then, forest working plans are to be prepared for each, all streamlined and adhering to a national working plan. For India’s rich river basins, the focus would be on an “integrated coastal management” that addresses issues at the connections between coastal areas, wetlands, and river systems through relevant policies and regulations.
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The report also stressed the restoration of endangered ecosystems. “Ensure that by 2030, at least the prioritised 30 per cent areas of degraded terrestrial, inland water, and marine and coastal ecosystems are under effective restoration, in order to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, ecological integrity and connectivity,” read the action plan.
India’s diverse topography and climatic conditions make it an ideal home to more than 55,000 plant taxa and over a lakh species of animals, making the country a notable global biodiversity power.