The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) submitted India’s First National Report (NR1) on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) on February 27, 2026. The report, covering the period from November 2017 to December 2025, details India’s progress in establishing a transparent framework for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). India has emerged as a global leader in this domain, accounting for over 60% of the global total of Internationally Recognised Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs). This expansion reflects growth in community-led biodiversity governance, supported by a three-tier institutional structure that has disbursed over ₹139.69 crore to local benefit claimers, including farmers and traditional knowledge holders.
Key Pillars of Nagoya Protocol Implementation (2017–2025)
Global Leadership in Transparency: India published 3,556 IRCCs on the ABS Clearing-House, demonstrating high compliance with international reporting standards.
Robust ABS Approvals: A total of 12,830 ABS approvals were issued, including 5,913 by the NBA for research and intellectual property, and 6,917 by State Boards for commercial utilisation.
Financial Mobilisation: Total funds generated through NBA approvals reached ₹216.31 crore, with an additional ₹51.96 crore generated through State-level approvals.
Direct Community Benefits: Over ₹139.69 crore has been disbursed to local communities and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) to support livelihoods and conservation.
Non-Monetary Benefits: 395 approvals included provisions for technology transfer, collaborative research, and capacity building.
Massive Capacity Building: Over 2.56 lakh individuals were trained through 3,724 workshops to strengthen the nationwide implementation of ABS norms.
What is the "Nagoya Protocol on ABS"? The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the CBD that provides a transparent legal framework for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources. India’s implementation is supported by the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and the recent ABS Regulations, 2025. The framework plays a role in ensuring that when companies or researchers use biological resources or traditional knowledge, a portion of the benefits—monetary or non-monetary—flows back to the indigenous and local communities who act as custodians of that biodiversity. This process reflects growth in ethical research practices and contributes to the sustainable management of India's biological heritage.
Policy Relevance: India’s Leadership in Genetic Resource Governance
Strengthening Grassroots Governance: The establishment of 2,76,653 BMCs across the country reflects growth in decentralized biodiversity management and local empowerment.
Monitoring Foreign Resources: Receiving 41 declarations for the use of foreign-sourced bioresources plays a role in ensuring India’s compliance with reciprocal international monitoring obligations.
Supporting Sustainable Livelihoods: The disbursement of funds to claimers is supported by the goal of linking conservation outcomes directly to the economic well-being of local communities.
Digital Transparency: Utilizing the ABS Clearing-House for over 60% of global certificates contributes toIndia’s reputation as a high-standard jurisdiction for international research collaborations.
Follow the Full Release Here: India Submits 1st National Report on Implementation of Nagoya Protocol
