India Reaffirms Commitment to Biodiversity Conservation and Effective Implementation of Global Biodiversity Framework at CBD COP-17 at Yerevan, Armenia

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, today delivered India’s National Statement at the High-Level Segment of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-17) in Yerevan, Armenia. The Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to conserving biodiversity and strengthening collective efforts to live in harmony with nature. He appreciated the Government of Armenia for hosting the seventeenth meeting of the CBD.

Shri Yadav emphasized that implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework must be aligned with national priorities, circumstances and legislation, and supported by adequate and predictable finance, capacity-building and technology transfer from developed countries. India also supports benefit-sharing from digital sequence information on genetic resources through the multilateral mechanism, including the Cali Fund. The Minister advocated a science-based, risk-proportionate and precautionary approach to synthetic biology and biosafety. India’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan translates the Global Biodiversity Framework into 23 National Biodiversity Targets and 142 indicators, he informed.

Highlighting India’s progress in biodiversity conservation, Shri Yadav stated that the country has 1,134 Protected Areas, 103 Ramsar sites, 57 Biodiversity Heritage Sites and 18 Biosphere Reserves, including 13 under UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Network. He highlighted that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the International Big Cat Alliance is advancing international cooperation for conservation of the world’s seven big-cat species and their habitats. The Mission LiFE and Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam further underlines environmental stewardship and make biodiversity conservation a collective societal endeavour, he added.

The Minister informed that India is also advancing biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration through initiatives including the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes (MISHTI) for mangrove restoration, Amrit Dharohar for wetland conservation, and the Soil Health Card Scheme for sustainable soil management and maintaining soil fertility. Shri Yadav highlighted that India has aligned its legislation with the Convention and established village-level committees for decentralised access and benefit sharing, enabling local participation and benefits from sustainable biological resource use.

Reaffirming India’s commitment to multilateral cooperation, Shri Yadav said that India would continue to work with all Parties to advance the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in the true spirit of “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.

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