Key Details
India’s biodiversity governance architecture increasingly relies on local institutions, community knowledge systems, and benefit-sharing mechanisms to support conservation outcomes.
Indicator | What It Means |
|---|---|
2,76,653 Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) | Biodiversity governance has been institutionalised across local bodies, taking conservation decision-making closer to communities. |
2,72,648 People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) | Local species, ecosystems, and traditional knowledge are being systematically documented at an unprecedented scale. |
₹145 crore distributed through ABS | Communities are beginning to receive direct financial benefits from the commercial use of biological resources and traditional knowledge. |
12,830 ABS approvals since 2017 | The benefit-sharing framework is moving from a legal provision to an operational system. |
Around 11,000 BMCs have received benefits | Financial incentives for conservation are reaching local institutions rather than remaining concentrated at higher levels. |
22 national biodiversity repositories | Scientific infrastructure is being strengthened to support species documentation, research, and biodiversity monitoring. |
8.27 lakh sq km forest and tree cover (25.17%) | Forest and tree cover now accounts for roughly one-quarter of India’s geographical area. |
1,134 protected areas | Conservation efforts increasingly combine protected landscapes with community-led biodiversity management outside protected zones. |
3,682 tigers | Flagship species recovery continues to serve as a visible indicator of habitat conservation outcomes. |
Summary
India’s Three-Tier Biodiversity Governance System
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) have released an updated review of India’s biodiversity governance framework under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, as amended in 2023.
The review highlights the country’s institutional approach to biodiversity management through a three-tier structure comprising the National Biodiversity Authority, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils (UTBCs), and local-level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).
At the grassroots level, 2,76,653 BMCs have been established across rural and urban local bodies. These institutions have prepared 2,72,648 People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs), documenting local species, ecosystems, traditional knowledge, landraces, and community conservation practices. The government is now undertaking large-scale digitisation of these records through electronic PBRs.
Linking Conservation with Community Benefits
A major focus of the framework is the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism, which ensures that commercial users of biological resources share benefits with the communities that conserve them.
Through the ABS e-filing portal, 12,830 utilisation approvals have been issued since 2017. As of May 2026, nearly ₹145 crore has been distributed to beneficiaries, supporting around 11,000 Biodiversity Management Committeesand local communities.
The review positions ABS as a key instrument for preventing biopiracy while creating economic incentives for biodiversity conservation.
Expanding Scientific and Conservation Infrastructure
The report also highlights India’s scientific biodiversity infrastructure. Under Section 39 of the Biological Diversity Act, 22 institutions have been designated as national repositories for biological specimens and newly discovered taxa.
The framework is supported by organisations including the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), and Forest Survey of India (FSI).
The review records that India’s forest and tree cover has reached 8.27 lakh sq km, accounting for 25.17 percent of the country’s geographical area. The protected area network now includes 1,134 protected areas, while tiger numbers have increased to 3,682, reflecting gains from long-term habitat protection efforts.
Aligning Domestic Action with Global Biodiversity Commitments
The report notes that India has submitted its First National Report on the Nagoya Protocol and its Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Current biodiversity planning is aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024–2030), and the National Red List Roadmap (2025–2030).
What is Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS)?
Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a legal framework that governs how biological resources and associated traditional knowledge may be used by researchers and commercial entities. Under the system, communities that conserve these resources receive a share of the economic benefits generated from their use. The mechanism is a core component of the Nagoya Protocol and India’s Biological Diversity Act.
Policy Relevance
India’s biodiversity framework demonstrates how conservation policy is increasingly moving beyond protected areas toward community-based governance, benefit-sharing, and data-driven ecological planning.
Creates local incentives for conservation: The ABS mechanism has transferred nearly ₹145 crore to local beneficiaries, linking biodiversity protection with economic returns.
Builds a national biodiversity knowledge network: More than 2.72 lakh People’s Biodiversity Registersdocument species, ecosystems, and traditional knowledge while strengthening safeguards against biopiracy.
Integrates biodiversity into development planning: The expansion of BMCs and implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024–2030) provide local governments with institutional tools to incorporate ecological considerations into planning decisions.
Strengthens evidence-based conservation management: The National Red List Roadmap (2025–2030) and repository network improve species monitoring, conservation prioritisation, and ecological risk assessment.
Supports India’s global biodiversity commitments: Progress under the Biological Diversity Act, Nagoya Protocol, and Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework strengthens alignment between domestic conservation efforts and international biodiversity targets.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: As biodiversity governance becomes increasingly decentralised, what additional fiscal and institutional incentives could help Biodiversity Management Committees move beyond documentation and become active local conservation and restoration agencies?
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