India’s 7th National Report to the CBD

India‘s 7th National Report to the CBD

RITURAJ PHUKAN

India has submitted its Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), providing a comprehensive national assessment of progress in achieving global biodiversity targets established for 2030.The recent submission carries significant relevance, as it represents the first comprehensive progress assessment since the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) in 2022.

The KMGBF outlines 23 global biodiversity targets for achievement by 2030. Key objectives include the conservation of 30 percent of terrestrial and marine areas worldwide, the restoration of degraded ecosystems, the reduction of pollution, the management of invasive species, and the prevention of human-induced species extinction.All parties to the convention are required to submit periodic reports outlining what actions they have taken, what progress they have achieved and what challenges remain.

India is recognised as one of the world’s megadiverse nations, featuring ecosystems that span from the Himalayan mountains to coastal mangroves and tropical forests, which emphasises the significance of this report. The country’s biodiversity performance has a considerable impact on global outcomes. Data derived from the report will contribute to international assessments that evaluate progress towards global biodiversity commitments and identify potential gaps in monitoring systems and governance that may influence long-term conservation strategies.

The report constitutes India’s inaugural official submission under the CBD, an international treaty through which member nations pledge to conserve biological diversity and promote sustainable use of natural resources. It assesses India’s progress against 23 national biodiversity targets that are aligned with global objectives. Furthermore, it serves as a comprehensive evaluation of advancements since governments adopted the new global biodiversity roadmap earlier this decade.

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India has substantially completed the planning and policy alignment phase of its biodiversity objectives, the report has indicated. The world’s most populous country has revised its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to ensure comprehensive alignment with the KMGBF. The document systematically evaluates progress for each target, reviewing national initiatives and results in relation to all 23 biodiversity targets associated with the KMGBF.

According to the report, India is making steady progress under National Biodiversity Target 1 (NBT1), which promotes land and sea-use planning that includes biodiversity. The most recent assessment shows that forest and tree cover now totals 827,357 square kilometres, or 25.17% of India’s total area. From 2021 to 2023, forest and tree cover increased by 1,445.81 square kilometres.

The report also noted that comprehensive wetland inventories have been completed across the country, Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plans are being implemented in coastal states, and eco-sensitive zones have been designated around the majority of protected areas.

On the National Biodiversity Target 2 (NBT2), which prioritises ecosystem restoration, the report presents varying outcomes. India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 in alignment with the Bonn Challenge. The report indicates that 24.1 million hectares have either been restored or are currently under restoration. Further, the country’s forest carbon stock has grown to 7,285.5 million tonnes, which is an increase of roughly 81.5 million tonnes since the last assessment. Mangrove coverage has risen slightly, and bamboo areas have expanded by 1,540 square kilometres.

Although restoration work seems to be approaching national goals on paper, nearly one-third of India’s land is still degrading, as highlighted in the report. This implies that even as restoration projects proceed, fresh degradation may be happening at the same time. Furthermore, the report mentions that varying approaches to measuring degraded land complicate efforts to accurately assess how much progress has actually been made.

India continues to expand its protected area network in accordance with National Biodiversity Target 3 (NBT3), which promotes conservation efforts across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems and aligns with the global “30×30” objective of protecting 30 percent of the planet by 2030. Currently, just over five percent of India’s geographic territory is designated as formal protected areas. Additional forest classifications further enhance the country’s overall conservation coverage.

There has been an increase in marine protected areas, with the government additionally identifying Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECM) beyond the formal protected area framework. Nevertheless, the report does not provide a definitive indication regarding India’s ability to achieve 30 percent conservation coverage by 2030, implying that considerable expansion of protected or conserved regions may still be necessary.

The report’s review of National Biodiversity Target 4 (NBT4), which deals with species recovery, points out several notable conservation achievements. India’s tiger population has grown to 3,167, showing steady improvement. Asiatic lionsare increasing in number, and the population of one-horned rhinoceroses is either stable or increasing. It also pointed out that the conservation breeding programmes for vultures are ongoing. The report stated that a national assessment of snow leopard populations was undertaken for the first time.

Trees outside forests (TOF) now constitute a substantial portion of India’s overall tree cover, and agroforestry systems account for approximately 8.65 percent of the national geographical area. These developments indicate an increasing commitment to embedding biodiversity considerations within agricultural practices, as pointed out in the report.Thedigital clearance platform PARIVESH 2.0, which integrates several regulatory processes for streamlining environmental approvals has been highlighted in the report.

The report identifies multiple structural obstacles in biodiversity monitoring and governance. It notes that biodiversity data remains dispersed across various departments, with no standardized methodologies established for assessing many of the newer indicators. Furthermore, data collection occurs at differing intervals, which complicates consistent trend analysis. Although positive results have been observed for several flagship species, the report contains limited information on less prominent species and other taxa, thereby impeding comprehensive evaluation of their biodiversity trends.

The report was compiled by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), which oversaw the integration of contributions from 33 central ministries and government departments. Technical coordination was provided by the National Biodiversity Authority, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the Global Environment Facility’s GEF-8 Umbrella Programme. Additionally, the Wildlife Institute of India contributed to monitoring progress on specific biodiversity targets.

India’s Seventh National Report indicates notable progress in some areas, but many challenges persist in achieving all biodiversity goals by 2030. Out of 23 national targets, only NBT1 (biodiversity-friendly land and sea-use planning) and NBT2 (ecosystem restoration) are firmly on track. The report also highlights constraints in both funding and technical resources, along with increasing effects from climate change. Ecosystems across India are already being impacted by more frequent floods, droughts, and forest fires.

RITURAJ PHUKAN : Founder, Indigenous People’s Climate Justice Forum; Co-Founder, Smily Academy ;National Coordinator for Biodiversity, The Climate Reality Project India; Member, IUCN Wilderness Specialist Group; Commission Member – IUCN WCPA Climate Change, IUCN WCPA Connectivity Conservation, IUCN WCPA Indigenous People and Protected Areas Specialist Groups, IUCN WCPA South Asia Region and IUCN WCPA-SSC Invasive Alien Species Task Force; Member, International Antarctic Expedition 2013; Climate Force Arctic 2019 ; Ambassador, Marine Arctic Peace Sanctuary. Rituraj Phukan is the Climate Editor, Mahabahu and the  Convenor, Mahabahu Climate Forum.

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