Source: PIB
Subject: Environment
Context: The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has approved a series of policy measures to streamline the utilization of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds and revised guidelines for Designated Repositories under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
About NBA Revised Guidelines on Biological Diversity Act (BDA), 2002:
What it is?
- The revised guidelines represent a strategic overhaul of how the NBA manages financial returns (ABS funds) from the commercial use of India’s bio-resources and how it regulates the physical custody of biological specimens in designated repositories.
Aim:
- To create a transparent and equitable formula for distributing ABS funds between institutions, repositories, and local communities.
- To ensure that funds are channeled back into biodiversity conservation and the development of areas from which resources originate, as mandated by Section 27 of the Act.
Key Features of the Revised Framework:
- Standardized Fund Sharing Formula:
- Identifiable Source: When the origin is known, 25–40% of ABS funds go to the repository/institution for conservation and documentation, while the remaining 60–75% is distributed to local communities through State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs).
- Non-Identifiable Source: In cases with limited data, a standard 30% (to institutions) and 70% (to NBA/SBBs) formula is applied.
- Management of Widely Distributed Resources: For resources accessed through traders that are spread across the country, funds will now be utilized collectively for biodiversity management under Section 27 if specific origins cannot be ascertained.
- Digital Repositories: The guidelines promote the digitisation of voucher specimens. This allows for remote identification and verification without the risks associated with the physical transfer of sensitive biological materials.
- Provenance and Documentation: Designated repositories must now maintain robust records of provenance (the history of ownership and origin) and adhere to strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the custody of samples.
- Flexibility: The framework allows for the adjustment of sharing percentages based on the level of value addition (scientific research or processing) performed by an institution on the resource.
Significance:
- By providing a clear percentage for local communities, the NBA prevents institutions from monopolizing ABS funds, ensuring fair and equitable sharing.
- The focus on provenance and documentation reduces the risk of biopiracy and ensures that every biological resource used commercially is legally accounted for.
