UPSC GS Paper III: Environment - Biodiversity, Convention on Biological Diversity, Hot Spots

Must?Know

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – adopted at Earth Summit (UNCED), Rio de Janeiro, 1992; entered into force 1993; has three objectives: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of components, fair and equitable benefit-sharing from genetic resources.
• India ratified CBD in 1994; became a party without reservations; implementation guided by Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• CBD is a legally binding international treaty; currently has 196 parties (as of 2023); United States has signed but not ratified.
• Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (2000) – supplementary agreement to CBD; regulates transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs); India ratified in 2003.
• Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) (2010) – adopted under CBD; entered into force 2014; India ratified in 2012; establishes legal framework for fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
• CBD’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 – included 20 Aichi Targets; none fully achieved globally by 2020.
• Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework – adopted at COP15 (Montreal, 2022); includes target to protect 30% of land and oceans by 2030 (“30x30”).
• Conference of Parties (COP) – governing body of CBD; meets every two to three years; COP15 (2022) adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• India hosted COP11 of CBD in Hyderabad, 2012; first in Asia; outcome included doubling of financial resources for biodiversity from developed to developing countries.
• National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) – established in 2003 under Biological Diversity Act, 2002; headquartered in Chennai; regulates access to biological resources and associated knowledge.
• State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) – one in each state; advise state governments on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
• Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) – established in every local body (Panchayat/Municipality); prepare People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs); key for local-level documentation.
• Biological Diversity Act, 2002 – enacted to comply with CBD and Nagoya Protocol; restricts foreign nationals and organizations from accessing Indian biological resources without NBA approval.
• Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism – under Nagoya Protocol; ensures local communities (e.g., tribals) receive benefits from commercial use of traditional knowledge (e.g., use of neem or turmeric).
• India’s first People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) – prepared by Gudalur Panchayat, Tamil Nadu, with support from NGO Keystone Foundation.
• Biodiversity Hotspots – defined by Norman Myers (1988); regions with high species endemism and significant habitat loss; currently 36 globally.
• Criteria for hotspot designation: ?1,500 endemic vascular plant species; ?70% original habitat lost.
• Western Ghats and Sri Lanka – one of 36 global biodiversity hotspots; stretches across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu; contains 5,000+ flowering plant species, 1,700+ endemic.
• Indo-Burma hotspot – includes eastern Himalayas, Northeast India (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, etc.), Andaman and Nicobar Islands; high freshwater fish endemism.
• Himalaya hotspot – covers Sikkim, northern West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir; high altitudinal variation supports diverse flora and fauna.
• Eastern Himalayas – part of both Himalaya and Indo-Burma hotspots; recognized as a priority landscape under CAMPA and Project Elephant.
• Western Ghats – UNESCO World Heritage Site (2012); includes 39 serial sites across six states; recognized for evolutionary significance and endemism.
• Endemic species in Western Ghats – Nilgiri tahr, lion-tailed macaque, purple frog (Nasikabatrachus sahyadrensis).
• India hosts four biodiversity hotspots: Himalaya, Western Ghats, Indo-Burma, Sundaland (Nicobar Islands only).
• Nicobar Islands fall under Sundaland hotspot; distinct from Andamans (Indo-Burma); high marine biodiversity and endemism (e.g., Nicobar megapode).

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – requires integration of international agreements, domestic legislation, and geographical distribution; UPSC frequently combines CBD with environmental governance and federalism.

Common UPSC Traps

Trap: CBD and UNFCCC were both signed in 1992 but are the same treaty – Fact: CBD and UNFCCC are separate treaties adopted at UNCED 1992; CBD focuses on biodiversity, UNFCCC on climate change.
Trap: Nagoya Protocol is under Ramsar Convention – Fact: Nagoya Protocol is under CBD; Ramsar deals with wetlands.
Trap: All of India’s Northeast is part of the Eastern Himalayas hotspot – Fact: Northeast India is primarily in Indo-Burma hotspot; only northern parts (e.g., Sikkim) fall under Himalaya hotspot.
Trap: NBA gives approval for all research on biodiversity – Fact: NBA approval not needed for Indian citizens conducting research for academic or educational purposes (Section 7, Biological Diversity Act, 2002).
Trap: Biodiversity Hotspots are declared by IUCN – Fact: Concept developed by Norman Myers; currently identified and updated by Conservation International.

Practice MCQs

Question: Which of the following statements about the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is correct?
A) It was adopted at the Stockholm Conference in 1972.
B) The Nagoya Protocol on ABS is a supplementary agreement to the CBD.
C) The United States is a full party to the CBD.
D) The CBD’s Strategic Plan for 2011–2020 was fully achieved by 2020.
Answer: B
Explanation: The Nagoya Protocol (2010) is a supplementary agreement to the CBD, focusing on access and benefit-sharing.
Why others fail: A is wrong because CBD was adopted in 1992 (Rio), not 1972 (Stockholm).

Question: Consider the following:

1. National Biodiversity Authority

2. State Biodiversity Boards

3. Biodiversity Management Committees
Which of the above are established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002?
A) 1 and 2 only
B) 2 and 3 only
C) 1 and 3 only
D) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D
Explanation: All three bodies are established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 (Section 8, 9, 12).
Why others fail: Option A is tempting if one forgets BMCs are statutory under Section 12.

Question: Which of the following regions in India falls under the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot?
A) Western Ghats
B) Eastern Himalayas
C) Andaman Islands
D) Nicobar Islands
Answer: D
Explanation: Nicobar Islands are part of the Sundaland hotspot; Andamans are in Indo-Burma.
Why others fail: C is tempting due to proximity, but Andamans are biogeographically Indo-Burma.

Question: The '30x30' target is associated with:
A) Paris Agreement
B) Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework
C) Montreal Protocol
D) Ramsar Convention
Answer: B
Explanation: The 30x30 target (protect 30% of land and sea by 2030) is a key goal of the post-2020 framework adopted at COP15.
Why others fail: A is tempting due to climate visibility, but 30x30 is biodiversity-specific.

Question: Which of the following best describes a Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC)?
A) A body under the Ministry of Environment to assess environmental impact.
B) A local body responsible for preparing People’s Biodiversity Registers.
C) A committee under NBA to regulate foreign access to genetic resources.
D) A scientific body to identify new species in hotspots.
Answer: B
Explanation: BMCs are established under Section 12 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, in every local body to prepare PBRs.
Why others fail: C is tempting as NBA handles foreign access, but BMCs are local and documentation-focused.

Question: The Cartagena Protocol under the CBD primarily deals with:
A) Conservation of marine biodiversity
B) Transboundary movement of living modified organisms
C) Protection of traditional knowledge
D) Financing mechanisms for conservation
Answer: B
Explanation: Cartagena Protocol (2000) regulates LMOs to protect biodiversity from biotech risks.
Why others fail: C relates to Nagoya Protocol, not Cartagena.

Question: Which of the following is NOT a criterion for a region to be designated a biodiversity hotspot?
A) Presence of at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species
B) Loss of at least 70% of original habitat
C) Inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List
D) High threat level due to human activities
Answer: C
Explanation: UNESCO listing is not a criterion; hotspots are defined by endemism and habitat loss.
Why others fail: A and B are core criteria; C is a distractor using a well-known label.

Last?Minute Revision

• CBD adopted: 1992, Rio Earth Summit.
• CBD entered into force: 1993.
• India ratified CBD: 1994.
• Biological Diversity Act: 2002.
• NBA established: 2003, Chennai.
• COP11 of CBD: Hyderabad, 2012.
• Nagoya Protocol: adopted 2010, India ratified 2012.
• Cartagena Protocol: 2000, on biosafety.
• Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: adopted COP15, Montreal, 2022.
• 30x30 target: 30% protected area by 2030.
• Norman Myers: coined term "biodiversity hotspot" (1988).
• Number of global hotspots: 36.
• Hotspot criteria: 1,500+ endemic plants, 70% habitat loss.
• India has 4 hotspots.
• Western Ghats: UNESCO site (2012), 39 components.
• Indo-Burma hotspot: includes Northeast, Andaman.
• Sundaland hotspot: includes Nicobar Islands only.
• Himalaya hotspot: includes Sikkim, Uttarakhand.
• Western Ghats endemic: lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri tahr.
• NBA approval not needed for Indian researchers for academic purposes (Section 7).
• BMCs prepare PBRs under Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• People’s Biodiversity Register: first in Gudalur, TN.
• United States: signed CBD but not ratified.
• Aichi Targets: 20, under 2011–2020 Strategic Plan.
• None of Aichi Targets fully met by 2020 (UN report).
• Ramsar Convention: wetlands, not biodiversity hotspots.