UPSC Mains 2018 · GS III · Q17 · 15 marks · 250 words

How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 helpful in conservation of flora and fauna?

हिन्दी में

भारत में जैव विविधता किस प्रकार अलग-अलग पाई जाती है? वनस्पतिजात और प्राणिजात के संरक्षण में जैव विविधता अधिनियम, 2002 किस प्रकार सहायक है?

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Discuss the extent of biodiversity loss and its multi-faceted impacts. What steps have been taken at the national and international levels to arrest biodiversity loss?”

Aditi VarshneyAIR 57 · CSE 2022 · 229 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening · a definition

Biodiversity loss refers to the destruction and loss of species, ecosystems and genetic diversity.

Body · points and prose

→ According to Living Planet Index (WWF) - world has lost about 68% of its vertebrate biodiversity in the past 5 decades.

Diagram
Impacts of Biodiversity loss - Loss in Biodiversity services - like medicinal use of herbs, trees. - Animals give many products - Ecotourism etc - Threat to other species - all interlinked - Threat to human survival - one web chain and interdependence - degrades ecosystem - no nutrient cycling or energy flow

Causes of Biodiversity loss

→ Natural - like Volcanoes, Earthquakes etc. eg. Dinosaurs got extinct due to natural events

→ Anthropogenic → degrading environment → Climate change → Encroaching habitats → pollution - threat to polar species

  • forest fires
  • corals etc. → over exploitation of species eg. Dolphins dying in Rivers eg. Bottom Trawling

Steps Taken

At international level :-

(1) Convention on Biodiversity (CBD)

  • it aims at proper and sustainable use of Biodiversity
  • India is a party to it

(2) CITES → convention on international trade in endangered species regulates international trade in Biodiversity. (3) Convention on Migratory species (CMS) or Bonn convention → Takes care of Migratory species and protection. e.g. Great Indian Bustard. (4) Man and Biosphere Programme etc.

Steps at National level

(1) N. Biodiversity Act (NBA) - 2002 → creates an institutional framework in sync with CBD (2) Wildlife Protection Act 1972 → protected areas like National Parks etc. (3) labs, Botanical Gardens, Research and development etc. (4) Preventing illegal poaching, threats by patrolling - Securing forces like BSF.

Close · a summary

Biodiversity is a unique gift of Nature and has to be preserved for sustainable development.

How toppers approach this question, and more on its topic: open the question.

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2018, General Studies Paper III, Q17. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.