The National Biodiversity Action Plan and National Biodiversity Targets – Demystifying the Laws - Part II
It is not an easy task to achieve the targets and the
challenges are huge in this regard. It is necessary to accept the fact that
participation of the people is key along with active cooperative of various
government departments. However biodiversity governance calls for the
cooperation of all as the future of our generations is in stake currently.
The plan was designed to mainstream into relevant sectors
and cross-sectoral themes. It was such an interesting exercise as 23 government
ministries of the government of India were contacted. Departments ads varied
from department of space, power, commerce, coal, Panchayati raj and many more
involved in the formation of the NBAP.
There are 11 themes and 175 action points in the NBAP. The
key strand that serves as a continuum to help solve issues such as man animal
conflict which cannot be solved in isolation but only through the cooperation
of various departments. NBAP addresses these issues. The action points of the
NBAP has touched all elements of man’s interaction with nature.
NBAP takes into
consideration the impacts of unhindered development and integrates biodiversity
concerns into developmental and economic concerns. The key themes are as
follows – Biodiversity awareness, biodiversity valuation and poverty
alleviation, safeguarding natural habitats, managing invasive species,
sustainable landscapes, protected area, maintaining genetic diversity,
ecosystem services, ABS, inclusive governance, protecting TK, Financial human
and technical resources (You can put them as a single slide)
The NBAP can prove to be effective if the dissemination of
knowledge starts with the school level participants and involves all groups who
has a stake in biodiversity. Various departments have had an indirect fixing of
responsibility on their acts so that they can contribute to biodiversity.
NBAP talks about integrating various departments. Example
jackfruit. so National institute of Food technology can be brought into the
picture and value added. NBT is related to practical targets.
The NBT needs to match with the Aichi biodiversity targets.
As a megadiverse country, India’s economy and the livelihoods of millions of
people, many of them poor, depend on preventing biodiversity loss and
environmental degradation.
Therefore, if many ministries are a part of achieving the
target, they will have to follow the deadlines. No other plan seeks to unite so
many departments and ministries under a single window and that is the beauty of
the plan.
NBAP seeks to list the value of ecosystem services.
It is India’s commitment to adhere to the National
biodiversity targets. NBT works on the eradication of invasive species. The key
is that NBAP serves as a policy driver to set the country on the right track to
meet its environmental and biodiversity objectives. The NBAP addresses the need
to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services through biodiversity
integration in decision making as well as within policies, plans and programmes
of those sectors that act as drivers of biodiversity change.
The deadline is 2020. Will we able to achieve the targets.
We are data deficient in most sectors. Technology has to step up for us to
understand data regarding achieving these goals. There is a huge gap between
targets (ambitious targets) and achieving those targets. In reality, we don’t
know what is the kind of varieties that exist. And when these varieties are
developed as products, we do not know how to control the trade. Implementing
agencies do not have the wherewithal to nab. The only thing that stops people
from stealing resources is the law. So, investing in awareness is the key and
the in-betweens between laws and implementation is the key.
