A "PEOPLE’S PLAN" FOR CONSERVING THE BIODIVERSITY OF ARUNACHAL PRADESH LAUNCHED TODAY
Shri Pema Khandu, Honourable Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, said, " I am happy to see such a detailed plan with three clear goals, 15 targets and 140 action points. We commit to implementing this Plan and also ensure that regular monitoring of its implementation is undertaken."
Several dignitaries from the Government of Arunachal Pradesh including Shri Wangki Lowang, Honourable Minister, Environment and Forests; Shri Wanglin Lowangdong, Advisor to Minister, Environment and Forests; Shri Manish Kumar Gupta, Chief Secretary; Shri P. Subramanyam, PCCF & HoFF, Environment, Forests and Climate Change; and Ms Koj Rinya, Member Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh Biodiversity Board were present at the launch.
Mr Ravi Singh, Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India, present at the launch, said, "The Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan will be a springboard for future conservation actions for the state. It provides targets and actions to conserve biodiversity while addressing challenges. The new Action Plan is also a good repository of information on Arunachal Pradesh's biodiversity, including agrobiodiversity, highlighting some key ecologically rich sites ".
Ms Koj Rinya, Member Secretary, Arunachal Pradesh Biodiversity Board, stressed the need for a new State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) to enhance recognition of "Nature Free Services". She said that the state is privileged to strengthen the strong cultural and traditional practices linked to preserving and protecting nature by the local communities of Arunachal Pradesh.
She also added that The "Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan: People's Plan" is also the first SBSAP that has included district-level action plans for each district, highlighting key sites and species to be conserved and specific actions that need to be implemented. It also aligns with the State Action Plan on Climate Change and the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Pan (NBSAP) and will contribute to India's National Biodiversity Targets.
Ms Vishaish Uppal, Director, Governance, Law & Policy, WWF-India, said, "India has updated it's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) to align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). The NBSAP and revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) provide clear direction for conserving biodiversity and mainstreaming it across sectors. Hence, a state as rich in biodiversity as Arunachal Pradesh needed to develop its new State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (SBSAP) to prioritise conservation and address the challenges of conserving nature. The Plan provides a clear roadmap to ensure that people's needs are integrated along with nature protection while taking care of traditional customs and practices of local communities".
A key feature of this Plan is that it has been developed in an inclusive and participatory manner by holding consultations across all state districts. The Plan has been developed with insights from community members, Zilla Parishad members, village elders, and other stakeholders. Thus, it enables ownership by the people of the state and promotes community-led conservation.
With clear action points, the Plan will help promote community-led conservation and support empowerment and capacity enhancement of the 1806 Biodiversity Management Committees in the state. It has also suggested innovative funding mechanisms– like conservation themed license plates, local nature funds, payment for ecosystem services, wildlife conservation bonds, and conservation easements to augment the mobilisation of resources for conservation.
The "Arunachal Pradesh State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan: People's Plan" will be a guiding framework for policymakers, conservationists, researchers and local institutions to collaboratively conserve biodiversity and address conservation challenges through the active participation of local communities.
For more information, please contact Priya Gupta at pgupta@wwfindia.net
NOTES
Arunachal Pradesh is a custodian of India's mega biodiversity and is recognised as one of the 200 globally important ecoregions and 36 biodiversity hotspots. It is also the only state which has three goat antelopes, namely, goral, serow and takin; all four large cats, namely tiger, common leopard, snow leopard and clouded leopard, as well as five species of hornbills besides 727 bird species, 111 reptiles and 272 species of fishes. The state is ethnically and linguistically diverse and home to 26 major tribes and 110 sub-tribes and minor tribes.
In 2023-24, the state's GSDP (at constant prices) grew at 9.5%, compared to 7% in 2022-23. In comparison, national GDP is estimated to grow at 8.2% in 2023-24. The state has improved its infrastructure and has focused on enhancing its horticulture and agriculture sector. The state is also facing challenges like soil erosion, floods, landslides, the spread of invasives, degradation of forests, and forest fires making people and the ecosystem more vulnerable.
The immense biodiversity of Arunachal Pradesh needs to be conserved while the state is fast-tracking its development.
