In News:

India has submitted its 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, assessing the country’s progress toward biodiversity conservation and sustainable use targets by 2030. The report evaluates India’s performance against 23 National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) that are aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The assessment indicates that only two of the 23 targets are currently on track, although improvements have been observed in policy frameworks, forest cover, and ecosystem restoration initiatives.

Key Findings of the 7th National Report

The report highlights both achievements and gaps in India’s biodiversity governance.

Progress Areas

• Strengthening of policy and institutional frameworks for biodiversity conservation.
• Improvements in forest cover and ecosystem restoration programmes.
• Greater integration of biodiversity concerns into national development policies.

Areas of Concern

• Only two National Biodiversity Targets are clearly on track.
• Several targets related to species conservation, ecosystem protection, and sustainable use of resources require accelerated action.
• Implementation gaps remain due to limited resources, data gaps, and increasing anthropogenic pressures.

The findings underline the need for stronger implementation measures to achieve biodiversity goals by 2030.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The Convention on Biological Diversity is one of the most important international agreements addressing biodiversity conservation.

Origin and Evolution

• Opened for signature at the Rio Earth Summit.
• Entered into force on 29 December 1993.
• The first Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in 1994 in the Bahamas.

Membership and Secretariat

• Ratified by 196 countries, making it one of the most widely adopted international treaties.
• The United States remains the only UN member state that has not ratified the convention.
• Secretariat located in Montreal.

Three Core Objectives

1. Conservation of biological diversity
2. Sustainable use of biodiversity components
3. Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources

The governing body of the CBD is the Conference of the Parties (COP), which meets every two years.

Related Protocols under the CBD

Two important supplementary agreements strengthen the implementation of the convention:

• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety – focuses on biosafety in biotechnology.
• Nagoya Protocol – governs equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.

Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted during COP15 of the CBD in 2022 in Montreal. It is considered a landmark global agreement to address the biodiversity crisis.

Key Features

• 23 global targets to be achieved by 2030.
• Four long-term goals for 2050 aimed at safeguarding biodiversity for present and future generations.
• Focus areas include ecosystem restoration, protection of biodiversity-rich areas, reduction of pollution, and sustainable use of biological resources.
• The framework is not legally binding, but it guides national biodiversity strategies and reporting.