MoEFCC and NBA launch five-year project to strengthen Grassroots Biodiversity Governance in Tamil Nadu and Meghalaya

📌 Summary:

• MoEFCC and National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) launched a 5-year project titled "Strengthening Institutional Capacities for Securing Biodiversity Conservation Commitments" (2025-2030)

• Joint initiative with Global Environment Facility (GEF) and UNDP; total grant of USD 4.88 million

• Two ecologically significant project landscapes: (1) Sathyamangalam landscape (Tamil Nadu) — confluence of Western & Eastern Ghats; encompasses Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve; (2) Garo Hills (Meghalaya) — Nokrek Biosphere Reserve, Balpakram National Park, Siju Wildlife Sanctuary

• Three key objectives: (1) Mainstreaming biodiversity in Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) through Panchayati Raj Institutions and Biodiversity Management Committees; (2) Innovative financing via Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), CSR co-financing, green micro-enterprises; (3) Knowledge management — capturing innovations for nationwide replication, advancing roles of women, SCs and tribals

• Governance: bottom-up approach with PRIs playing key managerial role; builds landscape-level multi-stakeholder platforms

• Advances: NBSAP 2024-2030, Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework 30x30 target, India's NDCs under Paris Agreement, TN Vision 2030, Meghalaya Vision 2030

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 – Environment & Biodiversity: NBA, biodiversity governance, local community conservation, ABS, Kunming-Montreal Framework; GS2 – Governance: Panchayati Raj in conservation

📝 Prelims Facts:

• NBA: National Biodiversity Authority — statutory body under Biological Diversity Act 2002

• Kunming-Montreal GBF 30x30 target: protect 30% of land and ocean by 2030

• ABS: Access and Benefit Sharing — mechanism to share benefits of biodiversity with local communities

• Nokrek Biosphere Reserve: Meghalaya (Garo Hills)

🔑 Key Term: Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs): Local bodies constituted under Biological Diversity Act at Panchayat level to promote conservation and sustainable use of biological resources; they prepare People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs)