New Delhi: Area-based targets for biodiversity conservation are a one-size-fits-all approach that is not acceptable, India has said at the UN biodiversity talks in Canada’s Montreal. It has also said essential support to vulnerable sectors, such as agriculture, cannot be described as subsidies and targeted for elimination. The second part of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP 15) started on December 7, with 196 parties coming together in the hope of finalising negotiations for a new Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) — a new set of goals and targets that will guide global action on nature through 2030.
Also Read: ‘Our Future, Our Voice’: What India’s Youth Want From COP15
One of the contentious components of the GBF to be negotiated is the “30×30” conservation target. It calls for 30 per cent of the earth’s land and sea to be conserved through the establishment of protected areas and other area-based conservation measures.
Delivering the national statement at COP15 on Friday (December 16), Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said:
Our experience shows that area-based targets are a one-size-fits-all approach that is not acceptable.
The parties are also trying to achieve a consensus on eliminating subsidies that are harmful to the environment, such as subsidies for fossil fuel production, agriculture, forestry and fisheries, and using this money for biodiversity conservation.
India has said “essential support to vulnerable sectors cannot be called subsidies and targeted for elimination”, while they may be rationalised. Biodiversity must be promoted through positive investment, it has added.
Mr Yadav said,
Our agriculture, as for other developing countries, is the source of life, livelihoods and culture for hundreds of millions. Their food and nutrition security must be ensured, while supporting the modernisation of their activity.
Also stated that our agriculture, as for other developing countries, is the source of life, livelihoods and culture for hundreds of millions. Such essential support to vulnerable sections cannot be called subsidies. Biodiversity must be promoted through positive investment.
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) December 17, 2022
COP15, the most important gathering on biodiversity in a decade, aims at achieving a historic deal to halt and reverse biodiversity loss on par with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.
Mr Yadav arrived at Montreal on Friday and will lead the Indian delegation through the final phase of the negotiations next week.
Also Read: COP15: Over 3 Million Sign Petition For Protection Of 50 Per Cent Of World’s Biodiversity
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
