India has tremendous biodiversity, genetic as well as of species and ecosystems. It contains over 7 per cent of the world’s biodiversity on 2.5 per cent of the Earth’s surface. This diversity can be attributed to the variety of landforms and climates resulting in habitats ranging from tropical to temperate, and from alpine to desert.
Recent Developments Sixth National Report (NR6) to CBD
Twelve National Biodiversity Targets-
3rd National Wildlife Action Plan 2017-31
Directives to NBA
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India is one of 18 mega bio-diverse countries in the world. With only 2.4 percent of the earth’s land area, it accounts for 7-8 percent of the world’s recorded species. Home to 96,000 species of animals, 47,000 species of plants and nearly half the world’s aquatic plants. India’s management of its natural resources is crucial to protecting global biodiversity.
Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity have been an integral part of Indian ethos. The varied eco-climatic conditions coupled with unique geological and cultural features have contributed to an astounding diversity of habitats, which harbor and sustain immense biological diversity at all levels.
Biodiversity is therefore considered at 3 major levels:
Quick Facts on Biodiversity
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Reasons of Biodiversity Loss
The main cause of the loss of biodiversity can be attributed to the influence of human beings on the world’s ecosystem, In fact human beings have deeply altered the environment, and have modified the territory, exploiting the species directly, for example by fishing and hunting, changing the biogeochemical cycles and transferring species from one area to another of the planet.
Significance of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Biodiversity is also considered by many to have intrinsic value-that is, each species has a value and a right to exist, whether or not it is known to have value to humans. Some of the following causes are:
The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005 was the first global effort to examine links between human wellbeing and biodiversity. The assessment found benefits to societies from biodiversity in material welfare, security of communities, resilience of local economies, relations among groups in communities, and human health.
Strategies for Conservation of Biodiversity
In-situ biodiversity conservation
In-situ conservation means the conservation of species within their natural habitats, this way of conserving biodiversity is the most appropriate method for biodiversity conservation. In this strategy you have to find out the area with high biodiversity means the area in which number of plants and animals are present
Ex-Situ conservation methods
Ex-situ conservation involves the conservation of biological diversity outside of their natural habitats through different techniques like Z00, captive breeding, botanical garden, and gene bank. This involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated or species, and draws on a diverse body of techniques and facilities.
Biosphere Reserve
Indian Biosphere Reserves in UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Reserve Programme (MAB)-
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National Parks
Wildlife Sanctuary
Government Policies and Initiatives
National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP)
Biological Diversity Act, 2002
Important Indian Acts passed related to Environment and Biodiversity:
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National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
Environmental Information System (ENVIS)