Source: DTE
Subject: Environment
Context: India has officially submitted its 7th National Report (NR7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), marking the first comprehensive assessment since the 2022 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
About India has submitted its 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity:
What it is?
- The NR7 is a mandatory periodic submission by member nations of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It serves as a national report card to track progress toward the 23 global biodiversity targets set for 2030. In India, this report was coordinated by the MoEFCC and the National Biodiversity Authority, utilizing 142 national indicators to assess ecosystem health, species recovery, and policy alignment.
Key Achievements:
According to the report, India has shown robust progress in planning and specific ecological recoveries:
- Policy Alignment: India has successfully updated its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to fully align with global 2030 goals.
- Land-Use Planning (NBT1): This target is officially on track, with forest and tree cover reaching 25.17% of India’s total geographical area.
- Ecosystem Restoration (NBT2): Also on track, India has restored or put under restoration 24.1 million hectares of land, nearing its 26-million-hectare Bonn Challenge pledge.
- Flagship Species Recovery: The tiger population has reached 3,167, alongside increases in Asiatic lions and stable one-horned rhino populations.
- Carbon Sequestration: Forest carbon stock increased by 81.5 million tonnes, showcasing the role of biodiversity in climate mitigation.
- Wetland Management: National-level inventories of wetlands are complete, providing a baseline for the conservation of Ramsar sites and local water bodies.
- Digital Governance: The launch of PARIVESH 2.0 has streamlined environmental clearances, integrating biodiversity data into infrastructure planning.
Challenges Associated:
- Persistent Land Degradation: Despite restoration efforts, 29.77% of India’s land remains degraded.
Example: Large tracts in states like Rajasthan and Gujarat continue to face desertification despite active afforestation programs.
- Data Gaps for Non-Flagship Species: There is a severe lack of quantitative data on lesser-known taxa (insects, fungi, small mammals).
Example: While we have precise counts for Tigers, we lack standardized trend data for the Great Indian Bustard or endemic amphibians in the Western Ghats.
- Conservation Coverage Gaps: Formal Protected Areas cover only about 5% of India, far from the 30×30 global target.
Example: Expanding marine protected areas in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands faces hurdles due to developmental and security interests.
- Invasive Species and Pollution: Monitoring protocols for invasive species and agricultural runoff are not yet standardized.
Example: The spread of Lantana camara in forests like Bandipur continues to displace native forage, yet a national-scale eradication map is missing.
- Climate Change Pressures: Increasing frequency of extreme weather events is undoing conservation gains.
Example: Recent forest fires in Odisha and Uttarakhand have destroyed restored habitats, complicating long-term biodiversity stability.
Way Ahead:
- Mainstreaming Biodiversity: Integrate biodiversity targets into the budgets of non-environmental ministries like Agriculture and Urban Development.
- Strengthening OECMs: Accelerate the identification of Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (like community forests) to meet the 30% coverage goal.
- Standardizing Data: Develop a unified national digital database for real-time monitoring of all 142 biodiversity indicators.
- Incentivizing Agroforestry: Expand the Trees Outside Forests (TOF) initiative to enhance connectivity between fragmented wildlife habitats.
- Community-Led Conservation: Empower Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the village level to document and protect local traditional knowledge.
Conclusion:
India’s 7th National Report highlights a strong foundation in policy and success in protecting charismatic megafauna like the tiger. However, the transition from planning to outcome remains slow for over 90% of the national targets. To meet the 2030 deadline, India must bridge the gap between forest restoration and preventing new land degradation while broadening its focus to include all levels of biological diversity.
