International Biodiversity Day 2025: Resorting to Nature!
Total Views |
-Yogesh Vinayak Gokhale
The theme of International Biodiversity Day 2025 is Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development. Only five years are left to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By 2030 the work programmes of two Rio Conventions – Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) would culminate into SDGs. The Aichi Biodiversity Targets (National Biodiversity Targets – NBT of India) and targets of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) are synchronized with SDGs. The severity of climate change impacts is compelling day by day for diverse measures and has become the biggest exposition of natural disasters across the world.
There are 17 SDGs where Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Climate Action (SDG 13), Life Below Water (SDG 14) and Life on Land (SDG 15) are directly addressing natural ecosystems. But the interesting part is that the rest of the 13 SDGs would only be achieved by borrowing the natural resources catered by four nature-based SDGs. Extreme poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2) would only be achieved by using largely traditional knowledge of aquatic and terrestrial genetic resources to produce food and overharvesting of the same would have negative consequences. Developing innovation, industrialisation and infrastructure (SDG 9) and creating opportunities for decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), production of clean energy (SDG 7) would only be possible by accessing natural resources like land, minerals, timber, fibres, fresh water, and oceans. And then it becomes a moral responsibility of humankind to have equitable access and opportunities (SDG 5, 10), maintain well-being (SDG 3) and provide quality education (SDG 4). Sustainable cities (SDG 11) can only be evolved with responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). The recent India-Pakistan conflict shows the paramount importance of peace, justice and institution (SDG 16) at national and international levels. The interconnectedness of all SDGs also calls for better partnerships (SDG 17) to overall achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Developing countries, Small Island countries, and Least Developed Countries are facing serious challenges over basic amenities like food, health, and shelter. The well-being of these countries is also threatened by natural calamities like drought, floods, and food shortages resulting from the impacts of climate change. The limitations in addressing the basic developmental needs of countries other than the developed countries are mainly due to a lack of financial, and technical resources.
The global community has been addressing the limited financial needs of needy countries through mechanisms like the Global Environment Facility (GEF) since 1992. Many developed nations have used the bilateral co-operation mechanisms to fund the developmental needs of the needy countries. But the root of various problems remains in the lifestyle and requirements of the developed world in terms of extravagant use of natural resources, minerals, etc. being sourced from developing countries.
There has been a dearth of financial resources for the developing world to achieve SDGs. Interestingly, the financial support for developing countries is negotiated tooth and nail at every UN forum including UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD by the developed world. Various funds launched by UNFCCC like Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Loss and Damage Fund are way behind in terms of the commitment and realisation of money. But this is the only example of financial flow from developed world to the developing countries for environmental purpose. But there have hardly been efforts from the developed world to compromise on the carbon and energy intensive life styles of the developed world.
Similarly, in case of biodiversity, there has been a recent agreement on mobilisation of financial resources for the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources (DSI) in the name of Cali Fund. DSI of genetic resources has been proving important in drug discoveries, neutraceutical as well as food ingredient and the same is commercialised on large scale. There has been pledging of over an additional $163 million to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Québec announced at COP16 in October 2024.
Even though SDGs are organically linked to each other, the funding programmes follow a ‘piece meal’ approach where funding is provided for defined targets. Over a period role of nature based solutions has become very crucial due to the ability of ecological resilience of nature in supersede the climatic and other anthropogenic shocks as compared to costly technologies. Also many developed countries do not anymore have pristine natural areas remaining like in Europe. So then it becomes the burden of tropical and megadiverse countries to follow nature based solutions and not to have opportunity to divert forest areas for commercial non-forest purposes which would have potential to generate large benefits.
In spite of various drivers of degradation impacting the natural resources and biodiversity in India, we have been able to maintain about 4%-5% area under national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. India has successfully implemented Project Tiger programmes to revive the tiger population and become the world leader. The Cheeta re-introduction has also been successful till now and hopefully it would allow Cheeta to thrive once again on the Indian soil.
It should be noted that over 40 crore forest dwelling population of India continue to sustain the livelihood primarily from biodiversity. The ecosystems have limited capacities to sustain and would also need time for restoration. Hence, India needs a balanced approach where gradual reduction in dependence on the natural resources takes place along with sustainable management of the biological resources being used by the local people. The home grown pharma and herbal industry needs to play major role in developing models of sustainable harvesting of biodiversity and evolve ‘Good Practice’ supply chains. With freedom from Access and Benefit Sharing, the domestic pharma and herbal drug industries need to take on the mantle of biodiversity conservation along with the government programmes focussing on wildlife conservation. The international funds have proved their limits of approach and procedures to fulfil the local needs for biodiversity conservation. India is not eligible to apply for UN funds due to ‘economy in transition’ tag. Hence, biodiversity conservation becomes the common responsibility of the government and the industry dependent on it in India.
Investing in natural ecosystems has always proved profitable due to not only cost efficacy but also due to multidimensional impacts on ecosystems, livelihood and society. The resilient ecosystem sustains the biodiversity resources and the population dependent on those resources. The Mission LiFE launched by the Government of India builds upon the traditional ethos of Indian culture to thrive in harmony with nature. CBD, one of the UN Convention has also recognized that Harmony with Nature is essential for Sustainable Development. But to develop harmony adequate investments are required which would sustain the resources, and nurture the economy and it is the responsibility of all those who are exploiting it.
By Yogesh Vinayak Gokhale, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Policy Research and International Studies, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara – 390002
The theme of International Biodiversity Day 2025 is Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development. Only five years are left to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By 2030 the work programmes of two Rio Conventions – Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) would culminate into SDGs. The Aichi Biodiversity Targets (National Biodiversity Targets – NBT of India) and targets of Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) are synchronized with SDGs. The severity of climate change impacts is compelling day by day for diverse measures and has become the biggest exposition of natural disasters across the world.
There are 17 SDGs where Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Climate Action (SDG 13), Life Below Water (SDG 14) and Life on Land (SDG 15) are directly addressing natural ecosystems. But the interesting part is that the rest of the 13 SDGs would only be achieved by borrowing the natural resources catered by four nature-based SDGs. Extreme poverty (SDG 1) and hunger (SDG 2) would only be achieved by using largely traditional knowledge of aquatic and terrestrial genetic resources to produce food and overharvesting of the same would have negative consequences. Developing innovation, industrialisation and infrastructure (SDG 9) and creating opportunities for decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), production of clean energy (SDG 7) would only be possible by accessing natural resources like land, minerals, timber, fibres, fresh water, and oceans. And then it becomes a moral responsibility of humankind to have equitable access and opportunities (SDG 5, 10), maintain well-being (SDG 3) and provide quality education (SDG 4). Sustainable cities (SDG 11) can only be evolved with responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). The recent India-Pakistan conflict shows the paramount importance of peace, justice and institution (SDG 16) at national and international levels. The interconnectedness of all SDGs also calls for better partnerships (SDG 17) to overall achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Developing countries, Small Island countries, and Least Developed Countries are facing serious challenges over basic amenities like food, health, and shelter. The well-being of these countries is also threatened by natural calamities like drought, floods, and food shortages resulting from the impacts of climate change. The limitations in addressing the basic developmental needs of countries other than the developed countries are mainly due to a lack of financial, and technical resources.
The global community has been addressing the limited financial needs of needy countries through mechanisms like the Global Environment Facility (GEF) since 1992. Many developed nations have used the bilateral co-operation mechanisms to fund the developmental needs of the needy countries. But the root of various problems remains in the lifestyle and requirements of the developed world in terms of extravagant use of natural resources, minerals, etc. being sourced from developing countries.
There has been a dearth of financial resources for the developing world to achieve SDGs. Interestingly, the financial support for developing countries is negotiated tooth and nail at every UN forum including UNFCCC, CBD, UNCCD by the developed world. Various funds launched by UNFCCC like Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, Loss and Damage Fund are way behind in terms of the commitment and realisation of money. But this is the only example of financial flow from developed world to the developing countries for environmental purpose. But there have hardly been efforts from the developed world to compromise on the carbon and energy intensive life styles of the developed world.
Similarly, in case of biodiversity, there has been a recent agreement on mobilisation of financial resources for the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources (DSI) in the name of Cali Fund. DSI of genetic resources has been proving important in drug discoveries, neutraceutical as well as food ingredient and the same is commercialised on large scale. There has been pledging of over an additional $163 million to the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF) from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Québec announced at COP16 in October 2024.
Even though SDGs are organically linked to each other, the funding programmes follow a ‘piece meal’ approach where funding is provided for defined targets. Over a period role of nature based solutions has become very crucial due to the ability of ecological resilience of nature in supersede the climatic and other anthropogenic shocks as compared to costly technologies. Also many developed countries do not anymore have pristine natural areas remaining like in Europe. So then it becomes the burden of tropical and megadiverse countries to follow nature based solutions and not to have opportunity to divert forest areas for commercial non-forest purposes which would have potential to generate large benefits.
In spite of various drivers of degradation impacting the natural resources and biodiversity in India, we have been able to maintain about 4%-5% area under national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. India has successfully implemented Project Tiger programmes to revive the tiger population and become the world leader. The Cheeta re-introduction has also been successful till now and hopefully it would allow Cheeta to thrive once again on the Indian soil.
It should be noted that over 40 crore forest dwelling population of India continue to sustain the livelihood primarily from biodiversity. The ecosystems have limited capacities to sustain and would also need time for restoration. Hence, India needs a balanced approach where gradual reduction in dependence on the natural resources takes place along with sustainable management of the biological resources being used by the local people. The home grown pharma and herbal industry needs to play major role in developing models of sustainable harvesting of biodiversity and evolve ‘Good Practice’ supply chains. With freedom from Access and Benefit Sharing, the domestic pharma and herbal drug industries need to take on the mantle of biodiversity conservation along with the government programmes focussing on wildlife conservation. The international funds have proved their limits of approach and procedures to fulfil the local needs for biodiversity conservation. India is not eligible to apply for UN funds due to ‘economy in transition’ tag. Hence, biodiversity conservation becomes the common responsibility of the government and the industry dependent on it in India.
Investing in natural ecosystems has always proved profitable due to not only cost efficacy but also due to multidimensional impacts on ecosystems, livelihood and society. The resilient ecosystem sustains the biodiversity resources and the population dependent on those resources. The Mission LiFE launched by the Government of India builds upon the traditional ethos of Indian culture to thrive in harmony with nature. CBD, one of the UN Convention has also recognized that Harmony with Nature is essential for Sustainable Development. But to develop harmony adequate investments are required which would sustain the resources, and nurture the economy and it is the responsibility of all those who are exploiting it.
By Yogesh Vinayak Gokhale, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Policy Research and International Studies, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara – 390002
