The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change organised the 16th National Meet of State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils in Chandigarh on 6 and 7 September 2026. The gathering brought together senior officials, scientists and board leaders from across India to discuss how states and territories can better implement biodiversity rules and institutional systems at the ground level.
What was discussed
The two-day meeting focused on strengthening how biodiversity is managed and protected at state and local levels. Officials stressed the need to combine traditional knowledge and community participation with modern conservation methods. The Union Environment Minister called on all states and territories to align their rules, institutional mechanisms and implementation processes with the amended biodiversity governance framework introduced through the Biological Diversity Amendment Act 2023 and the Biodiversity Rules 2024.
A key area of discussion was making the over 2.76 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees actually functional and effective across the country. Another priority was transforming People’s Biodiversity Registers into practical planning tools that document local biodiversity and traditional knowledge for use in local development planning.
The meeting also reviewed India’s progress on international biodiversity commitments, including the submission of reports to the Convention on Biological Diversity and on the Nagoya Protocol dealing with benefit sharing from genetic resources. The National Biodiversity Authority reported that it has distributed over 200 crore rupees in access and benefit sharing funds to farmers, local communities, committees, boards, councils and research institutions.
Officials highlighted India’s Updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for 2024 to 2030, which aligns with global biodiversity targets. They called for measurable results in ecosystem restoration, species protection, agricultural biodiversity and climate-resilient landscapes.
What this means for you
If you live in a community with a Biodiversity Management Committee, these committees are now expected to become more active in documenting and protecting local plants, animals and traditional knowledge in your area. Local governments are being encouraged to use this biodiversity information in their planning. Communities may also see more benefits from access and benefit sharing funds meant to support conservation efforts locally.