Threat to biodiversity looms amid discovery of plant & faunal species

Bengaluru: In the past decade, India has discovered 8,213 new plant species and 8,188 faunal species, many endemic to its unique biogeographic zones.

However, the country also faces a growing threat to biodiversity, with numerous species at risk due to habitat loss and climate change.

The union government shared these findings in its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for 2024-2030. By the end of 2023, India had recorded 55,726 plant species and 1,04,561 faunal species, contributing 9.24% of the world’s plant diversity and 6.47% of global fauna.

This biodiversity, the government noted, "supports essential ecosystem services vital for human livelihood and ecological health". However, as of 2022, 1,663 plant species and 675 faunal species were classified as threatened.

The government pointed to challenges hindering taxonomic research, including limited primary data, outdated databases, a shortage of taxonomic experts, and insufficient funding for specimen digitisation.

Conservation gaps

Despite strides in conservation, such as establishing protected areas and promoting crop diversification, several gaps remain. The government cited inadequate protection for grasslands, inland wetlands, coastal and marine ecosystems, limited understanding of human impacts on biodiversity, and a lack of investment in ecosystem management. Ineffective community engagement further complicates conservation efforts.

At the recent Convention on Biological Diversity meeting, India committed to 23 targets under the Kunming-Montreal Framework, focusing on biodiversity protection, sustainable use, and tools for mainstreaming conservation efforts. Of these, eight targets aim to reduce biodiversity threats, five focus on sustainable use and benefit sharing, and 10 support actions to mainstream biodiversity.

"The updated NBSAP aims to support both national and global conservation agendas. It seeks to address key challenges such as water crisis, food insecurity, unsustainable livelihoods, human-wildlife conflicts, pollution, emerging diseases, disaster risks, and the vulnerabilities of communities and ecosystems," the government stated.