Current Science

Rita Roy Choudhury ¹, Biba Jasmine ¹, Pradnya Mihir Mathur ¹, Swapna D. Patil ¹

Affiliations
1 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Federation House, 1 Tansen Marg, New Delhi 110 001, IN

Abstract

Access to freshwater is one of the biggest crises that India faces, considering the pace at which it is developing and urbanizing. The growing population, increasing urbanization, changing lifestyles, rapid economic growth and unsustainable utilization of natural resources have brought freshwater scarcity to the forefront of issues requiring resolution as well as policy-making. It has nudged both users of water as well as the service providers of water-related solutions to rethink strategies for water sustainability and wastewater management. Therefore, the need is to bring all stakeholders to a single platform and take steps towards integrated water management.

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Biba Jasmine ¹

Affiliations
1 Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Federation House, 1 Tansen Marg, New Delhi-110 001, IN

Abstract

Sustainability in other words means 'accountability' towards environment and humanity at large. To address the pressing global challenges over the next 15 years, the world officially began implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development based on the 17 transformative Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Government of India adopted and signed the SDGs as a road map for people and the planet to build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals and in ensuring social, economic and environmental progress worldwide. The Goals not only seek to address social issues like poverty eradication and malnutrition, but also to incorporate and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development - economic, social and environmental - towards an inclusive global vision.

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Malvika Onial ¹, Biba Jasmine ², Yashaswi Singh ³, Anant Pande ¹, Chinnasamy Ramesh ¹, Kuppusamy Sivakumar ¹, Vinod. B. Mathur ¹

Affiliations
1 Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun - 248 001, IN
2 University of Maryland, College Park, MD, US
3 Forest Research Institute, Dehradun - 248 006, IN

Abstract

The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan is the primary tool for implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the country level. A National Biodiversity Action Plan (NBAP) was prepared for India in 2008, through an inter-ministerial consultative process. Five years later, it was considered necessary to align the existing NBAP in accordance with the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets (ABTs). This was achieved by formulating India’s National Biodiversity Targets (NBTs) and developing a monitoring framework using indicators, and through an evaluation of funding support for biodiversity conservation in India. The draft document was prepared and reviewed through a series of national stakeholder consultations and technical review meetings, based on which the ‘National Biodiversity Action Plan: Addendum 2014 to NBAP 2008’ was finalized. As part of its commitments to the CBD to accomplish the global ABTs, India must ensure effective implementation of the NBAP and meet the NBTs. This requires cooperation amongst all stakeholders including the relevant federal ministries and state level agencies along with a rigorous and time-bound application of the monitoring framework.

Keywords

Aichi Biodiversity Targets, Biodiversity Conservation, Convention on Biological Diversity, National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, National Biodiversity Targets.

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