Why in the News?
India has celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity 2025 in Udaipur.
About International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB):
- Annual Observance: The IDB is celebrated every year on May 22 to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity conservation.
- Significance: The date marks the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992.
- 2025 Theme: ‘Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development’.
- Key Highlights: India showcased its global leadership through:
- The revised National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP 2024–2030);
- 89 Ramsar sites covering 1.35 million hectares;
- 49 Biodiversity Heritage Sites under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Back2Basics: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
- Adoption: The CBD was adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and came into force on December 29, 1993.
- Membership: Its secretariat is located in Montreal, Canada, and the convention has been ratified by 196 countries. The USA has signed but NOT ratified it.
- India and CBD:
- India became a party to the CBD on February 18, 1994, and is recognised as a leader among developing countries in biodiversity conservation and policy implementation
- India hosted the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP-11) to the CBD in Hyderabad in 2012, showcasing its commitment and capacity in biodiversity governance
- Core Objectives:
- Conservation of biodiversity
- Sustainable use of its components
- Fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources
- Functioning: The CBD is governed by the Conference of the Parties (COP), which meets every 2 years.
- Latest Development (COP16, 2024): Held in Cali, Colombia, COP16 introduced a benefit-sharing mechanism for Digital Sequence Information (DSI) to ensure rewards for local communities.
- Related Protocols:
- Cartagena Protocol (2000): Regulates cross-border movement of living modified organisms (LMOs); effective from 2003.
- Nagoya Protocol (2010): Ensures fair access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources.
India’s Biodiversity Profile:
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| [UPSC 2023] Consider the following statements:
1. In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. 2. The Biodiversity Management Committees have important functions in determining access and benefit sharing, including the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within its jurisdiction. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Options: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2* (d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
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