♦ Minister of State for Environment, Kirti Vardhan Singh launched India’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) at the 16th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP 16) in Colombia.

♦ The minister emphasized the need to provide means of implementation, including financial resources for implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. 

♦ India has updated its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan with its targets aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, he informed while delivering the National Statement at COP16 at Cali.

♦ Singh also announced that India’s Ramsar sites have expanded from 26 to 85 since 2014 and will soon reach 100, a testament to India’s focus on wetlands conservation. 

♦ The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), adopted in 1992, aims to conserve biodiversity, promote its sustainable use, and ensure equitable sharing of genetic resource benefits.

♦ To fulfill these goals, the CBD requires each member country to develop a National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), a tailored framework for protecting and managing biodiversity based on national priorities.