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1. A guide to the Biological Diversity Act, 2002
2. Understanding the Biological Diversity Act 2002 - a dossier Compiled by Kanchi Kohli
   
3. A Simple guide to Intellectual Property Rights, Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge , Tejaswini Apte

This is a Concise Version of the Final Technical Report of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan process for India, as submitted by its technical coordinator. It also contains, in a CD, the full report, along with all other key documents of the process prepared at local, state, ecoregional, and thematic levels.

The continuing destruction of biological diversity and natural resources in India, and its impact on several hundred million people, require an urgent and bold response. An attempt to provide a direction to such a response is presented in this, the final report of the technical coordinator of the NBSAP process for India. The process began in late 1999, when the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) of the Government of India, obtained funding from Global Environmental Facility (GEF), through UNDP. It then constituted a 15 member Technical and Policy Core Group (TPCG) to carry out the technical execution of the project coordinated by Kalpavriksh, a 25-year-old NGO based in Delhi and Pune. This process was formally launched in January 2000.The administrative aspect of the project was handed to Biotech Consortium India Ltd. (BCIL), New Delhi. A NBSAP Steering Committee (consisting of representatives from eight central government ministries, one representative from the Planning Commission, and four non-governmental experts) was also set up to guide the process.

This process has looked at biodiversity in all its forms: natural and agricultural ecosystems, species of wild plants and animals, microorganisms, crops and livestock, and the genetic diversity within these. Aspects of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources, and issues of economic and social equity, have also been covered. Two bottom lines have underlined the process and this report: the ecological security of the country and of specific regions within it, and the livelihood security of communities dependent on biodiversity.

The NBSAP process has involved the preparation of 71 Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (BSAPs) at local, state, ecoregional, and thematic levels, as also 32 sub-thematic review papers. The preparation of these was highly participatory in nature,reaching out to village-level organisations and movements, NGOs, academicians and scientists, government officers from various line agencies, the private sector, the armed forces, politicians, artists, mediapersons, and others. Over 50,000 people have been involved in various capacities, through workshops, public hearings, festivals, rallies, and other such activities. The entire process has also been documented in visual and written form, to enable effective learning. This final report is based on many of the existing national level documents, BSAPs and sub-thematic review papers submitted as part of the NBSAP process, and also the experience of the MoEF and TPCG members in various aspects of biodiversity conservation.

The full report is in two volumes.

Volume I contains eight chapters and three annexures covering the following aspects:: Profile of biodiversity in India, including historical evolution, current status, and socio-cultural, economic, and other aspects(ii) Proximate and root causes of biodiversity loss in India; (iii) Ongoing initiatives and gaps in conservation, sustainable use, and equity(iv) Strategies and actions to strengthen ongoing initiatives and plug the key gaps, including national planning and natural resource governance structures; (v) A mechanism to implement the NBSAP(vi) Lists of participating people and organisations, and of contributors to this document.

Volume II contains: Annexures with detailed information relevant to the NAPSummaries of the local, state, ecoregional, and thematic BSAPs, and of the sub-thematic review papers; A set of charts showing the points of commonality between the strategies of the NAP and those recommended in the local, state, and ecoregional BSAPs.

This report has gone through an intensive assessment by several hundred people, including NBSAP participants, other institutions, experts, government officials, NGOs, and activists. The draft was also reviewed by a core group of experts set up by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and by other ministries. The report, and the various other documents contained in the enclosed CD, provide an enormous wealth of information and analyses relevant to conservation, livelihoods, and development in India.

The CD included in this publication contains the most comprehensive compilation of information on biodiversity ever put together for this country. It includes 28 state or union territory level action plans, 16 local action plans, 12 thematic action plans, 10 ecoregional action plans, 35 subthematic papers, over 20 methodological and conceptual notes, a detailed Process Document, and images of the NBSAP process.

Contributory amount: Rs. 150; US$ 15

Reprint (2006) has been sponsored by International Institue for Environment and Development

The Convention on Biological Diversity was signed by over 170 countries and came into force in early 1994 having three major thrusts: conservation of the earth’s variety of plants, animals and micro-organisms, the sustainable utilisation of biological resources and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from such utilisation.

This first detailed analysis of the Convention, offers an analysis of how the Convention relates to India and by extension to other Third World countries and what its implications are for development and conservation policy. Specific issues like wildlife - human conflict and its possible resolution, reorienting agriculture towards indigenous crop and livestock diversity, threats posed by the emerging patenting of life forms etc., with a story of a Himalayan village which has already achieved what the Convention aims at are dealt with in separate essays.

pp.93, Rs. 50, USD 3,

Currently out of print, photocopied version can be made available