Ayurveda to cheetah, mangroves to tiger

“Whatever we take from you, O Earth, may we quickly regenerate again; may we not damage thy vital habitat and heart” -Atharvaveda (12.1.35) India’s cultural, economic, and territorial heritage is firmly intertwined with nature. It is one of the world’s most diverse countries with varied ecosystems including a vast coastline of 7,517 km, the majestic Himalayan mountains, tropical and temperate forests, grasslands, and wetlands, and vast tracts of agrarian land. These varied ecosystems are home to around 8% of the world’s recorded species including several globally threatened species such as tigers, the Great Indian Bustard, and a variety of rare, endangered fauna. India is also leading the intercontinental translocation of keystone species such as the cheetah. Further, India’s culture, traditions, knowledge, and heritage closely draw from natureand promote sustainable lifestyles. For instance, the more than 3000-year-old Ayurveda systems of health and medicine are still being practiced today. Farmers and livestock keepers have improved and nurtured diverse varieties of crops and domesticated animals over generations. And many local communities independently conserve natural ecosystems. Damage to global biodiversityNature’s benefits are multifold including security, health, and well-being. For example, natural ecosystems create economic value in the form of ecosystem services such as water, food and raw material provision, carbon sequestration, air filtration, water regulation etc. They can also act as buffers against natural disasters and pandemics. It is estimated that ecosystem services alone are worth more than $150 trillion annually -- about twice the world’s GDP. For India, biodiversity is crucial not just because of the ecosystem services it provides but also because it directly supports the livelihood of large swathes of people, contributing to sustainable development and poverty alleviation. About 33% of India’s GDP is highly dependent on nature and its ecosystem services with agriculture, construction, and food and beverage sectors amongst those with the highest dependency. In fact, sectors such as agriculture and forestry, accounting for more than 20% of GDP, provide employment to a majority of the rural population. However, we are witnessing a decline in biodiversity both in India and globally. As per Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), over 66% of marine ecosystems and 75% of terrestrial ecosystems have been severely altered by human activity, and 85% of wetlands have been lost. Further, between 1970 and 2018, the global population sizes of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish decreased by an average of 69%. Estimates indicate that the total annual ecosystem service value has declined by at least $5 trillion since the late 1990s. This means that each year the world economy forfeits ecosystem services worth about 6% of global GDP.Sustaining critical ecosystem servicesOver the past decades, India has consistently been at the forefront of taking action on biodiversity conservation, with significant progress made towards its National Biodiversity Action Plan. For instance, over the past decade, India’s wildlife population, forest, and tree cover have risen steadily. Further, India has already achieved close to 27% of the area under conservation with its protective area network that includes reserved forests, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, mangroves, Ramsar sites, and eco-sensitive zones.Biodiversity loss and climate change are intricately connected and mutually reinforcing. India has contributed to less than 2% of the historical greenhouse gas emissions globally and has a low per capita emission rate, even though the region accounts for 17% of the global population. Also, unlike its developed peers, even with a growing population, India is on a sustainable pathway for development and economic growth. It is projected that by 2050, in India, water demand will increase by 40%, energy demand will grow by 50%, and food consumption will rise by 32%. It is imperative that global climate and biodiversity action is based on equity by factoring in the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. Rich countries must keep funding promisesWith this in mind, India welcomes the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity framework adopted by nearly 200 countries at the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. We believe the framework is a step in the right direction with its quantifiable and measurable targets and focus on integrated ecosystem-based approaches for conservation and climate change mitigation measures. We also believe that its effective implementation will require focused and timely delivery by developed nations on the resource mobilisation commitments towards developing countries. Today globally we are using the equivalent of 1.6 Earths to maintain our current way of life and ecosystems cannot keep up with our demands. The call for a sustainable lifestyle has been encapsulated in Mission LIFE -- a mass movement towards an environmentally conscious lifestyle launched by our PM Modi in October 2022.Under India’s G20 presidency, we are embracing the true spirit of biodiversity enrichment as is reflected in our logo which calls for One Earth, One Family, One Future.