Biological Diversity Act 2002

The Concept of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is one of the most relevant and widely discussed topics nowadays. Biodiversity refers to the variety of living organisms, plants, and creatures on earth and their diverse nature and role in maintaining the ecological balance. Biodiversity is the foundation of a healthy and balanced ecosystem and its effective functioning. The diversity of life on earth is essential for the existence and well-being of numerous species, including human beings. Biodiversity is crucial due to interdependencies between living organisms and their environment. In a diverse ecosystem, we have access to fresh air, water, food, fertile soil, fuel, and medicine from various vital sources for life on earth.

Introduction: The Biological Diversity Act

The extensive uses of land and water resources to meet the demands of human development are destroying the natural habitats of millions of species and creatures, driving them close to extinction. The Biological Diversity act was formulated following the provisions stipulated by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity introduced in 1992.

• This act aims to protect and preserve areas of biodiversity, including flora and fauna.
• The act emphasizes sustainably using natural resources and ensures equitable sharing of benefits achieved through it.
• It makes recommendations for developing national plans and programs to protect biodiversity, flora and fauna, and endangered species.
• It provides control over the use of biological resources and does not exhaust them.

Biological Diversity Act 2002:

Having a megadiverse country, India contributes to about 7-8% of the world’s natural species. The Indian subcontinent has some unique geographical features that facilitate the growth of different biodiversity spots allowing the development of plants, animals, and organisms in the natural environment. So, there is a need for some conscious steps toward protecting and conserving biological diversity, intending to ensure a sustainable and equitable sharing of resources for usage. The Biological Diversity Act of 2002 was implemented to preserve biological diversity in India. It focuses on providing a mechanism to use the biological resources judiciously and equitably share the benefits.

Some of the Main Objectives of the Biological Diversity Act 2002:

The aim of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 is to achieve some objectives regarding the protection of biodiversity in India, which are mentioned as follows:

1. Fulfill the mandate of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity 1992.
2. Restriction and regulation on access to biological resources.
3. Protection of knowledge and information about preservation and utilization of biological diversity for human benefits.
4. Sustainability and growth of biological diversity and address general issues of biodiversity management.
5. Identification, protection, and rehabilitation of the endangered species.
6. Sharing biodiversity benefits local communities to conserve knowledge and resources.
   

Biodiversity Act 2002 Initiatives In Protecting Flora And Fauna

The diverse climatic conditions and landscape of India allow the growth of multiple types of flora and fauna. Each of them has some special role to play in the development of a healthy ecosystem and the well-being of various species. The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 states about the administrative structure to come into force at the central, state, and local levels that regulate the use of biological resources and preserve the flora and fauna.

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is the apex body for formulating and controlling the regulations as per provisions stipulated by the act.
• The State Biodiversity Board (SBB) is the administrative body at the state level responsible for regulating and protecting the biodiversity in respective states.
• The Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) is the committee operating at the local level to ensure the protection and benefit-sharing of these resources. The act empowers the above authorities at the respective level to protect the natural environment of biodiversity-rich areas and restrict access to unauthorized personnel or organizations.

Guidelines with Respect To Flora And Fauna Protection:

1. The act has established proper guidelines for the preservation of flora and fauna to protect them from extinction.
2. The act assigns responsibilities to the central government who in coordination with the state authorities must monitor the regular status of the endangered species. 
3. Accordingly, they provide instructions to prohibit the collection of such species for any commercial purpose and also take necessary measures for the preservation of such species.
4. The preservation of knowledge and practices adopted by local people regarding the preservation and utilization of biological resources is also of great importance as recommended by the act. 
5. The act has proposed strict guidelines in case of any claim made by a person or organization for patent, research, study, or knowledge sharing about biodiversity in India. Such cases are handled by the central authority and permissions are granted only after examining the details thoroughly so that the protection of biodiversity is ensured.

Conclusion:

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 includes all necessary guidelines and action steps for the protection and preservation of flora and fauna. These are natural sources of food, medicine, fuel, and air that are essential for lives to survive on earth. Another objective of the Biological Diversity Act is to put control over the indiscriminate destruction of land and forests for human development. The purpose of this act is to protect the natural habitats of various species to help them sustain their growth and deliver benefits to mankind. The act also empowers authorities to take necessary steps so that the overexploitation and piracy of indigenous biological resources are curtailed.