Part 1 - English version (PDF) - Convention on Biological Diversity

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JAIRAM RAMESH
FOREWORD
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MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
NEW DELHI - 110 003
I am pleased to present India’s Fourth National Report to the <strong>Convention</strong> on Biological Diversity. To
say that India is immensely rich in biodiversity would be to state the obvious. With only 2.5% of the world’s
land area, India accounts for 7.8% of the recorded species of the world including 45,500 recorded species of
plants and 91,000 recorded species of animals. India is also rich in traditional and indigenous knowledge, both
coded and informal. It possesses an exemplary diversity of ecological habitats like forests, grassland, wetlands,
coastal and marine ecosystems, and desert ecosystems. It is not surprising therefore, that India is considered
one of the world’s 17 “megadiverse” countries in terms of biodiversity.
India takes its commitment to preserving biodiversity very seriously. This is not only because of India’s
international obligations as a signatory to the <strong>Convention</strong> on Biological Diversity. It is also because India
believes that protecting our biodiversity is a critical national priority as it is linked to local livelihoods of
millions of people in the country. Sustainable use of our biodiversity therefore has both ecological and economic
value. It is with this objective that India set up a National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) in 2003 with an
explicit mandate of conservation of biological resources and associated knowledge as well as facilitating access
to them in a sustainable manner.
This Report focuses on the threats to biodiversity, the status of implementation of the National Biodiversity
Action Plan and the progress achieved towards meeting the 2010 biodiversity target. It has been prepared in
terms of the mandatory requirements under Article 26 of the <strong>Convention</strong> to which India is a <strong>Part</strong>y.
Considering the inherently multidisciplinary nature of biodiversity, it is imperative that any national
document on the subject is prepared by involving the various stakeholders, experts and concerned organization
and Ministries/Departments. I am happy to note that this Report has been prepared based on such a through
consultative process.
I congratulate all those who were involved in this assignment. I especially wish to put on record the
overall guidance and support provided by Shri Bir Singh Parsheera, Special Secretary, and the diligent efforts
put in by Shri A.K. Goyal, Joint Secretary and Dr. Sujata Arora, Additional Director in this endeavour. I am
confident that sharing of experiences with other <strong>Part</strong>ies through the National Reports would immensely help
in addressing the challenges we face today in perpetuating evolutionary process and maintaining our world’s
biodiversity.
Dated: June 8, 2009
Place: New Delhi
(Jairam Ramesh)