Global alliance for big cats

Subject: Environment

Section: International conventions

Context: India to launch global alliance for big cats, invest $100 million.

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India has proposed to launch a mega global alliance under its leadership to protect big cats and assured support over five years with guaranteed funding of $100 million (over Rs 800 crore).
Last month, the Government reached out to potential IBCA member nations with its proposal. According to a proposed timeline, the alliance is expected to be launched next month in a “suitable office complex” in India.
According to sources in the Environment Ministry, the alliance was “inspired by the arrival of cheetahs” last year from Namibia.
Since the arrival of cheetahs, India is the only country in the world to have tigers, lions, leopards, snow leopards and cheetahs in the wild. India have all the big cats, except the pumas and jaguars, today. So it is only befitting that India takes the lead to bring together all big cat range countries under an UN-like umbrella.

Global alliance for big cats

The proposed International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) will work towards the protection and conservation of the seven major big cat’s tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.
Membership to the alliance will be open to 97 “range” countries, which contain the natural habitat of these big cats, as well as other interested nations, international organisations, etc.
The alliance’s purpose is to provide a platform for “dissemination of information on benchmarked practices, capacity building, resources repository, research and development, awareness creation”, etc., on the protection and conservation of big cats.
Its major activities will include “advocacy, partnership, knowledge e-portal, capacity building, eco-tourism, partnerships between expert groups and finance tapping”.
IBCA’s governance structure will comprise a General Assembly consisting of all member countries, a council of at least seven but not more than 15 member countries elected by the General Assembly for a term of 5 years, and a Secretariat.
Upon the recommendation of the Council, the General Assembly will appoint the IBCA Secretary General for a specific term.
After the first five years, which will be supported by India’s “total grant assistance” of $100 million, the IBCA is expected to sustain itself through membership fees, and contributions from bilateral and multilateral institutions and the private sector.