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2024 Global Nature Conservation Index: India ranked 176 out of 180 countries, labelled among worst performers

  • October 26, 2024
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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2024 Global Nature Conservation Index: India ranked 176 out of 180 countries, labelled among worst performers

Sub:  Env

Sec: Biodiversity

Global Nature Conservation Index (NCI) 2024:

  • India ranks 176th out of 180 countries in the first-ever Nature Conservation Index (NCI), with a score of 45.5/100, marking it as one of the five lowest performers alongside Kiribati, Turkey, Iraq, and Micronesia.
  • The NCI, launched in October 2024, was developed by the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change (Ben-Gurion University) and BioDB.com.
  • It assesses conservation efforts across four main areas:
  1. land management,
  2. biodiversity threats,
  3. governance, and
  4. future trends.

India’s Key Challenges:

  • Land Management: India faces a high rate of land conversion (53%) for urban, industrial, and agricultural use. There is heavy pesticide usage, and soil health is at risk, as indicated by a sustainable nitrogen index of 0.77.
  • Marine Conservation: Only 0.2% of India’s national waterways are protected, and none within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), although 7.5% of terrestrial land is protected.
  • Habitat Loss: Significant habitat loss and fragmentation result from agriculture, urbanization, and infrastructure. Between 2001-2019, India lost 23,300 sq. km of tree cover.
  • Biodiversity Decline: While 40% of marine species and 65% of terrestrial species live in Protected Areas, population declines are substantial, affecting 67.5% of marine and 46.9% of terrestrial species.
  • India struggles with SDG 14 (Life below water) and SDG 15 (Life on land), highlighting the need for better marine and terrestrial biodiversity protection.

Future Trends and Concerns:

  • The report underscores India’s high population density, urban sprawl, and threats to its biodiversity and ecological balance.
  • India’s illegal wildlife trade ranks as the fourth-largest globally, valued at around £15 billion annually.

Path Forward:

  • To improve its conservation status, India must enhance political commitment, enforce stricter environmental laws, and secure funding for conservation projects.
  • The NCI is optimistic, suggesting that with strategic political action and investment, India can address these challenges and work toward a sustainable, ecologically sound future.

Source: DTE

2024 Global Nature Conservation Index: India ranked 176 out of 180 countries Environment

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