India’s 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

India has submitted its 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), assessing the country’s progress towards the 2030 global biodiversity targets under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) adopted in 2022.

Key Findings of the Report

• Limited Progress Toward 2030 Targets: Out of 23 national biodiversity targets, only two targets — biodiversity-inclusive land and sea-use planning (NBT1) and ecosystem restoration (NBT2) — are clearly on track for 2030.
• Growth in Forest and Tree Cover: India’s forest and tree cover has reached 827,357 sq km (25.17% of geographical area), with an increase of 1,445.81 sq km between 2021–2023.
• Ecosystem Restoration Efforts: India has pledged to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 under the Bonn Challenge, with 24.1 million hectares already restored or under restoration.
• Conservation Success of Flagship Species: The report highlights recovery of key species such as:
  • Bengal Tiger – Population at 3,167
  • Asiatic Lion – Increasing population
  • Indian Rhinoceros – Stable or rising population
    It also includes the first national assessment of the Snow Leopard population.
• Agriculture and Biodiversity Integration: Trees Outside Forests (TOF) contribute significantly to national tree cover, while agroforestry now occupies about 8.65% of India’s geographical area.

Conservation and Ecosystem Status

• Protected Area Coverage: Currently, just over 5% of India’s geographical area is designated as formal protected areas (national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, etc.).
  • Efforts are ongoing to identify Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) outside protected areas.
• Mangroves and Carbon Stock: Mangrove cover has increased modestly and forest carbon stock has risen to about 7,285.5 million tonnes, indicating ecosystem recovery and climate benefits.
• Land Degradation Concerns: Around 29.77% of India’s geographical area (about 97 million hectares) continues to face land degradation, highlighting the scale of ecological pressure.

Key Challenges that need to be Tackled

• Limited Data on Non-Flagship Species: While conservation data exists for flagship species, information on lesser-known species and other taxa remains limited.
• Fragmented Biodiversity Monitoring: Biodiversity data is spread across multiple ministries and agencies, with varying methodologies and monitoring intervals.
• Environmental Pressures: Ecosystems face growing threats from climate change, floods, droughts, forest fires, and habitat fragmentation.
• Policy–Implementation Gap: Although policy alignment with global biodiversity goals is strong, actual implementation and measurable outcomes remain uneven.

Way Forward

• Expand Conservation Coverage: Increase protected areas and Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to meet the 30×30 conservation target.
• Strengthen Biodiversity Monitoring: Develop standardised indicators and unified data systems for biodiversity assessment.
• Focus on Ecosystem Restoration: Accelerate restoration of degraded lands and ecosystems to meet national commitments.
• Broaden Species Conservation: Expand conservation efforts beyond flagship species to include lesser-known taxa and ecosystem biodiversity.

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