Parliament Question: Biodiversity targets

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4385 TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.04.2026 Biodiversity targets 4385. SMT. PRIYANKA CHATURVEDI: Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state: (a) whether India's 7th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, finds only 2 out of 23 national biodiversity targets clearly are on track for achievement by 2030; (b) the specific targets where progress is most critically lagging, particularly regarding land degradation, protection of lesser-known species, and conservation coverage beyond flagship species such as tigers; and (c) the steps being taken to bridge identified gaps across 142 national indicators used, and whether dedicated funding has been allocated to achieve the remaining 21 targets within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity framework timeline? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH) (a) to (c) India submitted its Seventh National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity Secretariat on 26th February 2026, fulfilling its reporting obligations. The report states that all 23 National Biodiversity Targets are currently on track to be achieved by 2030, demonstrating strong alignment between national priorities and global biodiversity commitments. The report emphasizes a “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approach, reflecting long-standing practices in India’s biodiversity conservation efforts. It highlights the engagement of 33 Central Ministries/Departments, integrating biodiversity safeguards across infrastructure, agriculture, forestry and coastal sector policies. India is on track to achieve its national commitment to Land Degradation Neutrality, aiming to restore 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 in accordance with the Bonn Challenge and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)India's conservation network now encompasses 58 Tiger Reserves, 33 Elephant Reserves, 18 Biosphere Reserves, 106 National Parks and 574 Wildlife Sanctuaries. India’s Forest and Tree Cover alone stand at 8,27,357 sq. km which is 25.17 % of the country’s geographical area. India's Seventh National Report presents a robust, indicator-driven national assessment of all 23 targets demonstrating measurable progress across conservation, restoration, sustainable use, governance reform, climate mitigation and community participation. The Government of India has established a National Biodiversity Monitoring Framework under India’s Updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (2024–2030), supported by a digital data collection portal and coordinated inputs from Ministries/ Departments, State Governments and technical institutions for all the 142 national indicators. ******