CBD (Convection on Biological Diversity)
- It came in 1992.
- It has three fundamental objectives.
- Conversation of biological diversity.
- Sustainable use of components of biodiversity.
- Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from utilization of genetic resources.
- It has two other important associated protocols
- Cartazene Protocol on biosafety
- It is for safe handelling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) that may adversely effect biodiversity.
- Nagoya Protocol
- Access and benefit sharing from genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge.
- Cartazene Protocol on biosafety
CITES
- It is convection on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora.
- Its objective is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animal and plants does not threaten their their survival.
- It has 3 appendixes
- Appendix 1
- Species threaten with extinction, commercial international trade is generally prohibited.
- Appendix 2
- Species not necessarily threaten but now may become so without trade regulation
- Appendix 3
- Species protected in at least one country which seeks cooperation from other countries
- Appendix 1
- CITES is not a ban on trade it is simply a regulation
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
- IUCN is different from CITES/CBD because it is not itself a treaty.
- It brings together governments, NGOs, scientist and other stakeholders and provides conservation knowledge, standards and policy guidance.
Classification of Species
It classifies species on the basis of conservation priorities
Extinct (EX)
Species is said to be extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that last individual has died. e.g. dodo bird
Extinct in Wild (EW)
It is extinct in wild and survive only under captivity through EX-situ conservation measures. e.g. Hawaii crow
Critically Endangered
Species are said to be critically endangered when it fulfils any one of the conditions
- Decline in population more than 90% in last 10 years.
- It population size consists of less than 50 mature individuals
- Quantitative analysis shows that probability of extinction is more than 50% with 10 years or 3 generations
e.g. Indian vulture, dharial (fish eating crocodile or long nose crocodile ) white-rumped vulture, slender bill vulture.
Endangered
Species is said to be endangered when it fulfils any one of the following conditions
- Decline in population more than 70% in last 10 years.
- Population size consists of less than 250 mature individuals.
- Quantitative analysis shows that probability of extinction in wild is 20% within 20 years.
e.g. Rhinoceros, Mountain Guarilia
Vulnerable (VU)
Species is said to be vulnerable when it fulfils
- more than 50% decline in population in last 10 years.
- Less than 1000 mature individual.
- Probability of extinction in wild is 10% within 100 years.
e.g. olive readily turtles, Asiatic wild ass, snow leopard.
Near Threatened (NT)
Species which does not fall in above three
Least Concern (LC)
Data Deficient (DD)
Not Evaluated (NE)
CITES is for international trade regulation.
CCMS (Convection of Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals)
It is also called BONN Convection. It focuses on species that cross international boundary during international migration.
It promotes
- protection of migratory species, protection of migratory species
- Protection and restoration of habitats
- International cooperation
e.g. from India, Siberian migratory birds, Bharatpur, UP, Bihar.
UNISCO World Heritage Convection, 1972
It protects cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value e.g.
- Kaziranga
- Manas
- Sundarbans
- Great Himalayans
- National Parks
IPBS
- It is international science on biodiversity and ecosystem services.
- It was established in 2012
- Its central role is to strengthen the science policy interface for biodiversity and interface services.
- It produces assessment for biodiversity
- ecosystem services
- drivers of biodiversity loss
- scenarios and future pathways
- policy options.
UNEP (United Nations Environment Program)
- It supports functions for several multilateral environmental agreements.
International Whaling Commission
- It deals with conservation of whale population
- Management of Whaling
- International Cooperation
TRAFFIC
- It works closely with organization such as IUCN and WWF (World Wide Forum).
- Its major role is monitoring wildlife trade to help government to combat
- illegal wildlife trade,
- unsustainable trade,
- trafficking of endangered species.
Biodiversity Acts
Convection on Biological Diversity, 1992
- It was adopted at the Rio Earth Summit, 1992 and entered into force in 1993.
- It is legally binding international treaty.
- It has three core objectives
- Conservation of biological diversity.
- Sustainable use of its components.
- Fair and Equitable share of benefits arising from genetic resources.
- It recognizes sovereign rights of nations over their biological resources.
- Requires countries to prepare national biodiversity strategies and action plans.
Indian Response
- India became a CBD party in 1994.
- Biological Diversity Act, 2002
- It is principle domestic legislation for implementing CBD.
- National Biodiversity Authority was established in 2003.
- State Biodiversity Boards and biodiversity management committees were established.
- People biodiversity registers document local biological resources and associated the traditional knowledge.
- India revise its biodiversity framework through a Biological Diversity Amendment Act, 2023.
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, 2000
- It deals with specifically biosafety in relation to Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
- It focuses preventing risks to biodiversity and human health arising from modern and biotechnology.
Indian Response
- India is a party to Cartagena protocol. Its main domestic framework are
- Environment Protection Act, 1986
- Rules 1989 governing manufacture, use, import, export of genetically engineered organisms.
NAGOYA Protocol
- To access and benefit sharing
- It is a protocol under CBS.
- It ensures access and benefit sharing which comes from utilization of genetic resources with providing countries and relevant communities.
- e.g. use of medicinal plants, traditional knowledge, genetic resources.
Indian Response
- Biological Diversity Act, 2002
- National Biodiversity Authority
- State Biodiversity Boards
- Biodiversity Management Committee
- People's Biodiversity Registers
- Access and benefit sharing regulations.
- Benefit sharing with local communities posing traditional knowledge.
AICHI Biodiversity Targets
- It was adopted in 2010 and implemented in 2011.
- There were 20 AICHI targets.
- It has 5 strategic goals.
- Address underline cause of biodiversity loss
- Reduce direct pressures
- Improved biodiversity status
- Enhance benefits from biodiversity
- Improve implementation
- Important target include
- Awareness of biodiversity
- Reduction of habitat loss
- Sustainable agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- Prevention of invasive species
- Protected area
- Genetic diversity
- Ecosystem restoration
India's Response
- India Developed 12 national biodiversity targets under its National Biodiversity Action Plan Framework. Important are
- Conservation of Biodiversity
- Reducing habitat degradation
- Management of invasive species
- Sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishers
- Protected areas
- Conservation of genetic diversity
- Ecosystem services
- Traditional knowledge
- Biodiversity Financing
- Access and benefit sharing, etc.
Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), 2022
- It was adopted at CBD COP15, Montreal in 2022.
- Its vision is "Living in harmony with nature" by 2050.
- Its mission is halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
- It has 4 goals for 2050.
- Protect and restore
- Ecosystem integrity, connectivity and resilience.
- Halt human induced extinction.
- Maintain genetic diversity.
- Prosper with nature
- Sustainable use of biodiversity
- Maintain and enhance nature's contribution to people
- Share benefits fairly
- Fair and equitable benefit sharing from
- genetic resources
- traditional knowledge
- digital sequence information
- Fair and equitable benefit sharing from
- Invest and collaborate
- Finance
- Technology transfer
- Capacity building
- Scientific Cooperation
- Protect and restore
- There are 23 targets for 2030. i.e. T1 to T23, out of which few important are
- T3
- 30 x 30, conserve 30% of terrestrial, inland, water, coastal and marine areas.
- T6
- Invasive alien species.
- T10
- Sustainable agriculture, aquaculture, forestry and fisheries.
- T12
- Urban green spaces.
- T13
- Access and benefit sharing
- T3
Indian Response
- India released it updated national biodiversity strategy and action plan in 2024.
- India amended its Biodiversity Act, 2002 in 2023.
- India is conserving its protected areas like national parks, wildlife sanctuaries.
- For species conservation its is running project tiger, project elephant, cheetah reintroduction.
- For ecosystem restoration Green India Mission, CAMPA based afforestation, Nagar Van Yojana, Aravalli Green Wall Initiative.
- Wetland Conservation
- Ramsar Sites and Amrit Dharohar
- Mangrove Conservation
- MISTHI
- Community Based Conservation
- Biodiversity Heritage Sites