GREEN FEATURES : BIODIVERSITY

Introduction:

India has submitted the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth National Reports in 1998, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2014 respectively.The sixth national report is due to be submitted by 31 December, 2018.

CoP 13 of the CBD, guidelines including reporting templates, for the sixth national report to be submitted by Parties was adopted. The format of the sixth national report requires reporting on review of progress towards the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including relevant national targets, based on information concerning the implementation of national biodiversity strategies and action plans and other actions taken to implement the CBD. India’s National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) 2014 includes 12 National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs). The sixth national report is to be prepared through involvement of all relevant stakeholders who plays a key role in ensuring the achievement of 12 NBTs. Such stakeholders include representatives of government ministries/state governments/representatives of indigenous peoples and local community organizations, research and academic bodies, the private sector, bodies representing the agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, mining, energy, transport, manufacturing or other sectors, environmental management bodies, non-government organisations, women’s organization and agencies addressing sustainable development and poverty eradication.

In this regard the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change along with the National Biodiversity Authority seeks inputs from various stakeholders for their contribution towards achieving India’s 12 National Biodiversity Targets which will contribute to the development of India’s Sixth National Report to the CBD .

Background:
India is a party to the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). CBD enjoins upon Parties to present national reports to the Conference of Parties (CoP) on a regular basis. The objective of the national reporting is to provide information on measures taken for the implementation of the CBD by Parties and the effectiveness of these measures.
Preparation of National Reports at regular intervals helps a Party monitor and review the status of implementation of the Convention while identifying gaps in its capacity, constraints and impediments.The national reports are publically available and assist relevant stakeholders to formulate focused strategies and programmes to assist Parties, with implementation.
This also assists individual Parties or groups of Parties to identify common issues to be addressed, thus facilitating the development of cost-effective and mutually-supportive initiatives for implementation.