THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, MAY 22, 2026

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Friday said that India reiterates commitment to biodiversity conservation and community-led action as the nation marked the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2026 with a national-level celebration and a special event on cheetah conservation at the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal.

The event, held under the theme “Acting Locally for Global Impact,” underscored India’s sustained focus on ecological restoration, participatory governance and long-term environmental resilience.

The celebration was jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh, the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA). It was presided over by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, in the presence of Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh and State Forest and Environment Minister Dileep Ahirwar, along with senior officials, scientists, forest officers, researchers, Biodiversity Management Committee members, civil society representatives and students.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav highlighted Madhya Pradesh’s status as the “Tiger State of India,” describing it as a leading centre for biodiversity conservation and wildlife protection. He emphasized the State’s rich ecological landscape comprising forests, wetlands and river ecosystems, which sustain both livelihoods and ecological security. He also underlined the reintroduction of cheetahs as a landmark achievement in India’s conservation journey, calling it a symbol of ecological restoration and biodiversity recovery. Dr. Yadav noted that Project Cheetah has strengthened scientific wildlife management, habitat conservation and community participation, while biodiversity governance in the State has been reinforced through Biodiversity Management Committees and People’s Biodiversity Registers.

In his address, Bhupender Yadav stressed that the theme “Acting Locally for Global Impact” reflects the critical role of communities and local institutions in achieving global environmental goals. He noted that meaningful ecological outcomes depend on grassroots participation and sustainable lifestyles. Highlighting India’s status as one of the world’s megadiverse countries, he referred to the nation’s wide range of ecosystems, from the Himalayas and forests to coastal and marine habitats, along with traditional conservation practices such as sacred groves and indigenous landraces that reflect deep cultural connections with nature.

The Minister further observed that conservation thinking has evolved from focusing on individual species to protecting entire ecosystems, emphasizing that biodiversity forms an interconnected web essential for ecological stability and climate resilience. He reiterated India’s commitment to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, noting that the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 has created a strong decentralized institutional structure through the NBA, State Biodiversity Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees. He also highlighted that recent amendments to the Act and related regulations have improved ease of doing business while ensuring benefit-sharing with local communities.

Yadav informed that nearly ₹145 crore has been disbursed under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism, benefiting around 11,000 Biodiversity Management Committees across the country. He urged Madhya Pradesh to further strengthen village-level BMCs to ensure that ABS benefits directly empower grassroots conservation efforts. He also described Project Cheetah, launched in 2022 as the world’s first intercontinental translocation of a large carnivore, as a milestone in ecological restoration and grassland ecosystem revival, noting encouraging progress in adaptation and breeding of cheetahs in India.

Union Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh emphasized that biodiversity conservation is closely linked to food security, water security, livelihoods, climate resilience and sustainable development. He highlighted the importance of India’s traditional ecological knowledge systems and the global Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) movement, stating that conservation forms the foundation of all environmental protection efforts.

The event also showcased the contributions of industries, academic institutions, conservation organizations and local communities in advancing biodiversity stewardship, sustainable sourcing and ecological restoration initiatives. On the occasion, several key publications and initiatives were released, including “India’s Biodiversity Report 2026: Insights from the 7th National Report to CBD,” “India’s Progress in Implementing ABS,” the ABS End-to-End Portal, and documentary films on biodiversity heritage sites and sacred groves. A series of exhibitions highlighted innovative community-led conservation practices and bio-based livelihood models, while 20 bikes and a rescue truck of the State Forest Department were also flagged off at IIFM, Bhopal, marking the culmination of the event.