Why in the News?
India has submitted its First National Report (NR1) on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on 27 February 2026, fulfilling obligations under Article 29.
Key Highlights of the Report
1. Reporting Period
- Covers 1 November 2017 to 31 December 2025
- Earlier Interim Report submitted in 2017
2. Legal & Institutional Framework
- Based on: Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Biological Diversity Rules, 2024 and ABS Regulations, 2025.
- Three-tier structure:
- National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
- State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) / UT Biodiversity Councils
- Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)
- 2,76,653 BMCs established → strong grassroots participation
3. Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Performance
- Total approvals (2017–2025): 12,830
- NBA: 5,913 approvals (research, IPR, commercial use, etc.)
- SBBs/UTBCs: 6,917 approvals (commercial utilization)
4. Global Leadership in Compliance
- 3,556 IRCCs (Internationally Recognised Certificates of Compliance) published
- Accounts for over 60% of global total
- Shows leadership in transparency under Nagoya Protocol
5. Financial Benefits Generated
- ₹216.31 crore mobilised through NBA approvals
- ₹139.69 crore disbursed to: Local communities, Farmers, and Traditional knowledge holders
- ₹51.96 crore generated via SBBs/UTBCs
6. Non-Monetary Benefits
- 395 approvals included: Capacity building, Technology transfer, Training and Collaborative research.
7. Monitoring of Foreign Biological Resources
- 41 declarations received for use of foreign bioresources
- Ensures compliance with international ABS norms
8. Capacity Building & Awareness
- 2,56,393 individuals trained
- Through: 3,724 workshops and 600+ capacity-building initiatives
9. Strategic Contribution
- Supports Target 13 of India’s NBSAP (National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan)
- Strengthens: Biodiversity conservation, Livelihood security, and Community participation
| [2025] Consider the following statements: 1. In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees are key to the realisation 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? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
