The National Biodiversity Action Plan and National Biodiversity Targets – Demystifying the Laws

The National Biodiversity Action Plan is one of a series of steps taken by the Government of India to provide an umbrella of innovations to provide support for biodiversity conservation. The biodiversity Act itself was pioneering in nature and was brought to light to help sustain the environment and protect nature.

The problem with any development activity is that we need to be on the same page with respect to a common thread in all our perceptions. That is the challenge. And in the case of biodiversity, it is all about common sense and application of that common sense into normal development activity. The best example was the proliferation of western medicines that put the ancient Indian systems in to the backburner. However, now after more than 2 centuries of changing perceptions, more and more people are flocking back to the old knowledge and ancient systems of medicines are again gaining ground. That is largely happened because all threads of perception converged and ensured a public face for ancient medicines. Example on Yoga, example of projecting the soft power by demonstrating proper marketing and ownership of the issue.

India, after signing the CBD is legally bound to follow it and the NBAP was a result of Article 6 of the Convention of Biological Diversity. In 2008, India prepared the NBAP after a huge inter-ministerial conference to along with the lines of the CBD. However, that was not enough. So, in 2014, 12 National Biodiversity targets were developed in consultation with concerned ministries/departments using the strategic plan and its 20 Aichi targets as the framework, and has included these in NBAP Addendum 2014 to NBAP 2008. The guidance has come from CBD which is based in Montreal. Finally, India prepared 12 National biodiversity plans as the UN decade for Biodiversity from 2011-2020.

As a result, the Aichi biodiversity Targets were adopted. India took and improvised its 2008 biodiversity action plan and took guidance from the Aichi targets. India’s NBAP was aligned to the global strategic plan 2011-2020. The combined document forms the blueprint for biodiversity conservation.