India’s First National Report on the Nagoya Protocol: Advancing Biodiversity Governance and Benefit Sharing
Context
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) released key observations from India’s inaugural National Report on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), highlighting the country’s progress in biodiversity governance and equitable benefit distribution.
India Publishes First National Assessment on Nagoya Protocol Implementation
Understanding the Nagoya Protocol
Global Framework for Biodiversity Equity
The Nagoya Protocol is a legally binding international agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). It aims to ensure that benefits arising from the use of genetic resources are shared fairly and equitably with the countries and communities providing those resources.
Objective of the Protocol
The treaty seeks to balance scientific innovation and commercial utilization with biodiversity conservation, community rights, and sustainable development.
Major Components of the ABS Framework
Advance Authorization Requirement
Before accessing biological or genetic resources, users must obtain approval from the designated national authority through the mechanism of Prior Informed Consent (PIC).
Contractual Benefit Arrangements
Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT) establish legally recognized conditions regarding resource access, utilization, and benefit-sharing obligations between providers and users.
Equitable Distribution of Gains
Financial and non-financial benefits generated from biological resources—including royalties, technology transfer, research collaboration, and capacity building—must be shared with local stakeholders.
Global Compliance Monitoring System
The ABS Clearing-House functions as an international information platform that records permits, tracks compliance, and facilitates transparency in resource utilization.
Recognition of Indigenous Knowledge
The Protocol safeguards traditional ecological knowledge, customary practices, and community intellectual contributions associated with biological resources.
Highlights from India’s First National Report
Extensive Approval Network
Between November 2017 and December 2025, India approved 12,830 applications under the ABS regime. The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) granted 5,913 approvals, while State Biodiversity Boards and UT Biodiversity Councils issued 6,917 permissions.
Global Leadership in Compliance Certification
India contributed 3,556 Internationally Recognized Certificates of Compliance (IRCCs) to the global database, accounting for more than 60% of all certificates issued worldwide.
Significant Benefit-Sharing Collections
The ABS mechanism enabled the collection of ₹216.31 crore. Out of this amount, ₹139.69 crore was distributed among local communities, benefit claimers, and biodiversity conservers.
Decentralized Biodiversity Governance Structure
India’s institutional framework consists of the NBA at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards across states, and more than 2.76 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) functioning at the local level.
Large-Scale Capacity Development
A total of 3,724 training programmes and awareness workshops were organized, benefiting over 2.56 lakh stakeholders including community representatives, researchers, and local officials.
Illustrative Success Stories
Medicinal Plant-Based Dengue Research Initiative
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries accessed Cocculus hirsutus from Madhya Pradesh for dengue-related research after paying an access fee of ₹4.5 lakh. Nearly 95% of the amount was transferred to the state’s forest produce federation for conservation and community development activities.
Agricultural Residue-Based Biofuel Project
Indian Oil Corporation obtained access to agricultural biomass in Uttar Pradesh for bioethanol research by contributing ₹18.6 lakh under the ABS mechanism, of which ₹17.67 lakh was transferred to the State Biodiversity Board.
Persistent Implementation Bottlenecks
Difficulty in Resource Origin Verification
Biological materials often move through multiple intermediaries, making it challenging to identify the original custodians or source communities.
Example: Medicinal plants sold in wholesale markets frequently lose traceability to the villages where they were conserved.
Administrative and Procedural Complexities
Variations between domestic ABS documentation and international reporting requirements create delays in certification and compliance processes.
Example: Authorities often manually process extensive legal agreements to generate compliance records.
Limited Grassroots Awareness
Technical and legal terminology associated with ABS mechanisms remains difficult for many local communities to comprehend.
Example: The absence of vernacular-language documentation restricts effective participation in negotiations.
Fragmented Information Management
The absence of a unified national database limits access to historical agreements and benefit-sharing records.
Example: Policymakers and researchers face difficulties in monitoring long-term ABS outcomes.
Policy Priorities Going Forward
Integrated Digital Management System
Develop a comprehensive online portal covering application processing, approvals, monitoring, and certificate issuance.
Scientific Resource Valuation Framework
Introduce standardized methodologies to determine the economic value of biological resources and ensure fair compensation.
Local Language Outreach Strategy
Provide ABS guidelines, templates, and operational manuals in regional languages to strengthen community engagement.
Enhanced Supply Chain Traceability
Require traders and intermediaries to maintain digital transaction records for biological resources.
Regulatory Clarity on Digital Genetic Data
Establish a dedicated framework for Digital Sequence Information (DSI) to ensure benefit-sharing from the use of digitized genetic resources.
Conclusion
India’s first National Report on the Nagoya Protocol demonstrates the country’s emergence as a global frontrunner in biodiversity governance. Through a robust institutional framework, extensive compliance mechanisms, and direct benefit transfers to local communities, India has showcased how biodiversity conservation can be effectively linked with economic development, scientific research, and community empowerment.
Source : Down To Earth