Biodiversity Under Threat, What We Need To Do

Recent protests against the government’s decision to auction 400 acres of forested land in Hyderabad highlight the growing concern about balancing development with environmental preservation.

Significance of Biodiversity

• Ecological Benefits:  Biodiversity plays a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting both human well-being and environmental health. It provides nutrient recycling, water purification, waste decomposition, and sustains food webs that maintain life on Earth.
  • In addition to these ecological functions, biodiversity is vital for industries, agriculture, and the healthcare sector.
• Resilience to Environmental Shocks: Biodiversity helps ecosystems and communities become more resilient to environmental and climatic challenges, such as wildfires and floods. 
  • Genetic diversity within species enhances their ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, making biodiversity an essential part of climate resilience.
• Need for Biodiversity Conservation:: Biodiversity conservation is essential to ensure that human use of the biosphere provides maximum benefits to the present generation while preserving its potential to meet the needs of future generations.
• Conservation: It  involves the management of natural resources to maintain the health and resilience of ecosystems, which provide us with life-sustaining services.

Threats to Biodiversity

• Destruction: Habitat destruction and the expansion of agriculture contribute significantly to biodiversity loss.
• Expansion: Shifting cultivation, filling up wetlands, pollution, and the conversion of biodiversity-rich sites for human settlement also lead to environmental degradation.
• Natural and Man made causes: The introduction of alien species, poaching, smuggling, coastal area degradation, overexploitation of resources, and climate change further threaten biodiversity.

Biodiversity Parks

• About: Biodiversity parks are components of green infrastructure (GI) designed to conserve and restore biodiversity. These parks serve as nature reserves that protect local biological diversity and restore self-sustaining ecosystems with native flora and fauna.
• Role of Biodiversity Parks: They not only support biodiversity but also contribute to the overall health of urban ecosystems. Incorporating biodiversity into green infrastructure through these parks plays a crucial role in achieving biodiversity-specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• SDGs and Biodiversity: Biodiversity parks align with the following SDGs:
  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Maintains the genetic diversity of seeds, plants, and animals.
  • SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): Protects and restores water-related ecosystems.
  • SDG 14: Promotes the sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources.
  • SDG 15: Ensures the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, halts land degradation, and prevents biodiversity loss.

Ins-Situ Conservation

• About: In-situ conservation refers to the conservation of biodiversity within its natural habitat, allowing ecosystems and species to thrive in their original environments. This approach includes a variety of protected areas, such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, and sacred forests.
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 provides legal provisions for the establishment of protected areas in India.
  • It follows international standards set by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which defines national parks as areas of significant biological, natural, and geomorphological interest that are protected in perpetuity.
• National Parks: National parks are specifically designed to preserve natural ecosystems by limiting human exploitation and prohibiting activities like livestock grazing. 
  • Public access to national parks is regulated to support educational, cultural, and recreational purposes while focusing on conservation and scientific research.
• Wildlife Sanctuaries: Unlike national parks, wildlife sanctuaries primarily focus on protecting animal species. 
  • Certain operations, such as the harvesting of timber and the collection of minor forest produce, are generally allowed in wildlife sanctuaries, provided they do not negatively impact wildlife.
• Biosphere Reserves: The Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme of UNESCO introduced the concept of biosphere reserves in 1975, aimed at conserving ecosystems and genetic resources.
• Structure of Biosphere Reserves: Biosphere reserves consist of three main zones:
  • Core Zone: A protected area focused on conserving ecosystems and species.
  • Buffer Zone: A managed area for research, education, and sustainable development.
  • Transition Zone: An area promoting sustainable human activities in harmony with conservation efforts.
• Functions of Biosphere Reserves: Conserve biodiversity, promote sustainable development and support research, monitoring, and education for advancing global conservation efforts.
• Sacred Forests: In India, sacred forests and sacred lakes have been traditionally protected for religious or cultural reasons.
  • These areas, such as those found in Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Meghalaya, serve as important conservation sites for rare species.
  • These forests are dedicated to local deities (e.g., Ayyanar and Amman) and offer safe refuge to species that might otherwise be endangered or threatened.
• Sacred Lakes: Sacred lakes, such as Khecheopalri Lake in Sikkim, are important in protecting aquatic life and maintaining ecological balance.
• In-Situ Conservation Measures: In addition to national parks and biosphere reserves, India has established Conservation Reserves and Community Reserves through the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2002. 
  • These reserves are created with the involvement of local communities to enhance biodiversity conservation.

Ex Situ Conservation Methods

• Ex situ conservation: It  refers to the preservation of biodiversity components outside their natural habitats. It involves the collection and storage of genetic material or species for the purpose of conservation and research. 
• Gene Banks: Germplasm banks (e.g., seed banks and DNA banks) store genetic material outside of natural habitats to preserve species’ genetic diversity. 
  • The Indian Seed Vault in Ladakh is an example of a seed bank preserving plant diversity for future generations.
• Botanical Gardens: Places that grow and protect plant species.
• Zoos: Such as Nandankanan Zoo in Bhubaneswar, which helps in breeding and preserving animal species.
• Tissue Culture Labs: Used for cloning plants and preserving plant species.
• Cryopreservation Facilities: Preserve genetic material, like seeds or sperm, at extremely low temperatures.
• Captive Breeding Programmes: Aimed at breeding endangered species in controlled environments for future reintroduction into the wild.
• Miyawaki Method for Biodiversity: A notable example of ex situ conservation is the use of the Miyawaki method in Uttar Pradesh during the Maha Kumbh 2025 to plant native plants and saplings. 
  • This technique involves planting 3-5 plants per square meter, enhancing green infrastructure, and supporting biodiversity conservation.

Legal and Constitutional  Frameworks for Biodiversity Conservation

• Article 48-A (Directive Principles of State Policy): Directs the state to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife.
• Article 51-A(g) (Fundamental Duties): Imposes a duty on citizens to protect and improve the natural environment and show compassion for living creatures.
• Statutory Provisions: India has various statutes that govern biodiversity conservation and ecosystem protection:
  • The Fisheries Act, 1897: Regulates fisheries resources.
  • The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Provides legal protection for wildlife and ecosystems.
  • The Biological Diversity Act, 2002: Focuses on the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its resources, and fair sharing of benefits from the utilization of genetic resources.
• International Commitments: India is also a signatory to several global conventions that guide biodiversity conservation efforts:
  • Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Ratified in 1994, focusing on conservation, sustainable use, and equitable benefit-sharing.
  • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): Ratified in 1976 to regulate trade in endangered species.
  • Ramsar Convention: Focuses on the conservation of wetlands.
  • Bonn Convention: Addresses the conservation of migratory species.
• National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP): India’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) outlines strategic actions for biodiversity conservation:
  • NBSAP 1999: Initially formulated to implement CBD mandates.
  • NBSAP 2008: Updated to align with Aichi Biodiversity Targets (adopted at CBD COP 10 in 2010).
  • NBSAP 2024-2030: Launched at COP 16 in Cali, Colombia, to align with the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework (adopted at COP 15), setting 23 national biodiversity targets.
• Specific Conservation Efforts: India also focuses on species-specific conservation programmes, such as:
  • Project Tiger (1973): Focuses on the conservation of tiger populations.
  • Project Elephant (1992): Aims to protect elephant habitats and reduce human-elephant conflicts.
  • Snow Leopard Conservation Project (2009): Aims to protect the snow leopard and its habitat.
  • Vulture Conservation Program (2006): Focuses on conserving vulture populations.
  • One-Horned Rhino Conservation (2005): Protects the one-horned rhinoceros in Assam.

Conclusion

India has been making concerted efforts toward biodiversity conservation. By integrating species-specific efforts with global frameworks, India continues to align its strategies with international conservation goals, thereby contributing to the global biodiversity protection agenda.