India has stepped up efforts to combat climate change and conserve biodiversity through a mix of national and state-led programs, Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh told Parliament on Monday.

The initiatives include strengthening climate-resilient agriculture, expanding biodiversity protection, and boosting measures to manage human-wildlife conflicts, Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Climate Action Framework

India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change outlines a multipronged strategy focusing on adaptation, resilience-building and social protection, Singh said.

Key programs include the National Mission for Sustainable Habitat, which aims to help cities withstand climate shocks, and the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, which promotes water-efficient irrigation and integrated farming to counter extreme weather.

Thirty-four states and union territories have prepared State Action Plans on Climate Change in line with the national framework, identifying region-specific measures to address vulnerabilities.

Biodiversity Protection Measures

The government has reinforced conservation efforts across the Western Ghats, Himalayas and Northeast, Singh said. Measures include biodiversity boards, heritage site declarations and community-led conservation projects.

India’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan sets 23 national targets and 142 indicators in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The plan prioritizes protecting terrestrial and marine areas, restoring degraded ecosystems and strengthening local participation in conservation.

Agencies such as the Botanical Survey of India and Zoological Survey of India are aiding in surveys and ex-situ conservation programs, including recovery projects for snow leopards, musk deer and other Himalayan species.

Eco-Sensitive Zones and Biosphere Reserves

The ministry has notified 120 Eco-Sensitive Zones around protected areas in biodiversity hotspots including the Himalayas and Western Ghats, creating buffer zones around national parks and sanctuaries.

India currently has 18 biosphere reserves, 12 of which are recognized under UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves, with six more under consideration.

Wildlife and Habitat Conservation

Tiger numbers have risen to 3,682 as of 2022, up from 2,967 in 2018, Singh said. India now has 58 tiger reserves covering nearly 2.5 percent of its territory.

The government has introduced standard operating procedures to handle tiger-human conflict, including relocating big cats from high-density areas and compensating livestock losses. For elephants, 33 reserves have been established across 14 states since Project Elephant launched in 1992. The 2017 census estimated 29,964 elephants, broadly stable from 2012. Guidelines for mitigating human-elephant conflict were issued in 2023, alongside a field manual for frontline staff.

Community Role in Conservation

Singh said state forest departments work with local communities to monitor wildlife movements and prevent conflict. Awareness campaigns, compensation schemes and technical assistance from centrally sponsored programs such as Project Tiger and Project Elephant supplement state-level initiatives.

“India stands committed to conserving its biological resources while ensuring resilience against climate change,” Singh said.

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