India Unveils Innovative Biodiversity Conservation Guidelines in Armenia
The Indian government has taken a significant step towards enhancing the country’s biodiversity conservation efforts by releasing the “Guidelines for the designation of India’s Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (I-OECMs) 2026.” The release was announced by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, during a side event at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-17) held in Yerevan, Armenia, on November 3, 2026.
The event, titled “From Policy to Practice: Advancing India’s Biodiversity Commitments through Innovation, Finance, ABS and OECMs,” was organized by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in collaboration with the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Joining the Minister were the Environment Minister of Armenia and the Executive Secretary of the CBD.
New Era of Biodiversity Conservation
During the event, Minister Yadav emphasized that OECMs represent a transformative approach to conservation, focusing on effective landscape management beyond traditional forests and protected areas. This method aims to achieve in-situ biodiversity conservation through innovative practices and governance.
The guidelines established by MoEFCC, in partnership with NBA, outline a systematic framework to recognize and report areas that are not legally protected but contribute positively to biodiversity conservation. This is a pivotal move to fulfill India’s commitments under Target 3 (30×30) of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and National Biodiversity Target 3 as part of the updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024–2030).
Broad Scope and Application
These guidelines encompass various ecosystems, including terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine environments. Potential illustrative sites range from biodiversity parks and sacred groves to community-managed irrigation tanks, seagrass beds, and fisheries seasonal ban areas. To achieve recognition, areas must meet four essential criteria, including governance by officially recognized local institutions and the absence of overlapping territories with areas documented in the World Database on Protected Areas.
Applications for I-OECM recognition can be submitted by a range of entities, including government departments and local self-governments. NBA will assess these applications and work with State Biodiversity Boards or Union Territory Biodiversity Councils to validate and recommend sites for recognition.
Significant Project Financing and Goals
In conjunction with these guidelines, the Government of India has initiated a GEF-8 Project focused on implementing the guidelines across six designated demonstration landscapes and seascapes. This project, titled “Enhancing the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to meet India’s commitment to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets by 2030,” aims to add 3% to India’s land and marine conservation areas and has secured a total financing of USD 60.79 million.
The six demonstration sites include diverse landscapes across various states, such as Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Maharashtra, among others. The project’s overarching goals include establishing 50,000 hectares of new conservation areas and directly benefiting at least 50,000 people, half of whom are women.
This ambitious initiative underscores India’s commitment to fostering biodiversity and creating an effective conservation strategy that aligns with international frameworks and local governance.
