Context:
India has submitted its First National Report (NR1) on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Key Highlights:
- Report Overview
- Covers period Nov 2017 – Dec 2025.
- Prepared by MoEFCC in collaboration with National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
- Institutional Progress
- 2,76,653 Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) established.
- Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
- Total 12,830 approvals issued:
- 5,913 by NBA
- 6,917 by State Boards/UT bodies
- Financial Outcomes
- ₹216.31 crore mobilised.
- ₹139.69 crore distributed to local communities and knowledge holders.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Nagoya Protocol:
- Supplementary agreement to Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
- Adopted in 2010 (Nagoya, Japan).
- Enforced in 2014.
- Core Principles:
- Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
- Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT)
- Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)
- National Biodiversity Authority (NBA):
- Statutory body under Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
- Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs):
- Local-level institutions for biodiversity conservation.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Strengthening Biodiversity Governance:
- Large-scale establishment of BMCs enhances decentralized conservation.
- Community Participation:
- Benefit-sharing ensures incentives for local and indigenous communities.
- Economic Value of Biodiversity:
- ABS mechanism monetizes genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
- Implementation Challenges:
- Need for awareness, capacity building, and transparency.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of benefits remains critical.
- Global Leadership:
- India’s progress strengthens its position in global biodiversity governance.
- Way Forward:
- Enhance capacity of local bodies and BMCs.
- Improve monitoring and compliance mechanisms.
- Promote bio-economy and sustainable utilization.
- Ensure fair benefit-sharing and protection of traditional knowledge.
UPSC Relevance:
• GS Paper 3 – Environment (biodiversity conservation, ABS)
• GS Paper 2 – Governance (institutional mechanisms)