Next conservation challenge lies beyond protected areas, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• India's conservation strategy needs to evolve beyond isolated Protected Areas (PAs) to a more connected and inclusive vision.
• The concept of Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs), recognized under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), offers a new framework for conservation.
• India aims to establish a National Conservation Estate, an ecological network integrating PAs, OECMs, and other biodiversity-rich landscapes.
• Maintaining ecological connectivity is crucial, especially with rapid infrastructure expansion, to prevent habitat fragmentation.
• Projects like the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor demonstrate that economic development can incorporate wildlife mitigation measures.

Detailed Insights:

• India has a robust network of over 1000 Protected Areas, including National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries, established primarily under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• These Protected Areas cover approximately 5.32% of the country's total geographical area, playing a vital role in species conservation and ecosystem services.
• OECMs were formally adopted in 2018 by the Conference of the Parties to the CBD to recognize areas that effectively conserve biodiversity outside traditional PAs.
• Such measures can include community-managed forests, sacred groves, and unique agricultural systems that contribute significantly to conservation.
• The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted in 2022, emphasizes OECMs as critical for achieving the "30x30 target" of conserving 30% of global land and water by 2030.
• The proposed National Conservation Estate seeks to create a seamless ecological network, ensuring wildlife movement and genetic exchange across diverse landscapes.
• Ecological corridors are essential for preventing the isolation of animal populations and maintaining genetic diversity, crucial for long-term species survival.
• The Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor has incorporated wildlife underpasses and elevated corridors, demonstrating successful integration of conservation with infrastructure development.
• This integrated approach requires wider partnerships involving government, communities, corporations, and civil society to steward biodiversity effectively.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Protected Areas (PAs): Geographically defined regions dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources, established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs): Geographically defined areas outside Protected Areas that achieve long-term in-situ biodiversity conservation, regardless of their primary management objective.
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): An international treaty adopted in 1992, aiming for the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits.
• National Conservation Estate: A proposed comprehensive ecological network in India, encompassing Protected Areas, OECMs, and other biodiversity-rich landscapes to safeguard natural heritage.