National Biodiversity Authority (Environment)
National Biodiversity Authority (Environment)
Why In News:
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) disbursed Rs 8.22 crore to research institutions and State Biodiversity Boards as an Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) payment linked to the commercial use of Indian rice varieties, one of the largest single ABS disbursements for rice in the country.
Source: PIB, 2 August 2026, 'National Biodiversity Authority Support for Rice Research'
https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2293326®=48&lang=1
About the National Biodiversity Authority
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) was established in 2003 by the Central Government under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
It is a statutory body that performs regulatory, advisory, and facilitative functions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use in India.
The headquarters of the NBA is located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
The Authority comprises members appointed by the Central Government, including:
A Chairperson.
Three ex-officio members, including representatives from the Ministries of Tribal Affairs and Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Seven ex-officio members representing key ministries.
Five non-official members, selected from experts and scientists with specialised knowledge in biodiversity-related fields.
It operates in a three tier structure alongside State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and local level Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).
Legal and International Framework
ABS is rooted in the Nagoya Protocol (2010) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which India has ratified.
Nagoya Protocol supports Target 13 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), on fair and equitable sharing of benefits from genetic resources.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
The CBD is a legally binding international treaty with 196 Parties, adopted at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit (UNCED).
The Convention is guided by three core objectives:
Conservation of biodiversity (covering genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity)
Sustainable use of biological resources
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources
The CBD Secretariat is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.
Two major protocols under the CBD support its implementation:
Cartagena Protocol (2000; in force 2003): Regulates transboundary movement of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) to ensure biosafety.
Nagoya Protocol (2010): Provides a legal framework for access and benefit-sharing (ABS) of genetic resources.
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 gives effect to India's obligations under the CBD (1992), signed at the Rio Earth Summit.