Q. Consider the following statements :

  1. In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol.
  2. The Biodiversity Management Committees have important functions in determining access benefit sharing, including the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within its jurisdiction.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  • 1 only
  • 2 only
  • Both 1 and 2
  • Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Notes:

  • The Nagoya Protocol is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. It was adopted in 2010 and entered into force in 2014. India is a party to the Nagoya Protocol.
  • The Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) are local bodies established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
    • According to the Biological Diversity Act of 2002, every local body in the State shall establish a Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) within its area of jurisdiction for the purpose of promoting biological diversity conservation, sustainable use, and documentation. In other words, it can be said that, in India, the BMCs functions as the agency for the implementation of the objectives of Nagoya Protocol.
    • They are responsible for promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity within their jurisdiction.
    • The BMCs have important functions in determining access and benefit sharing, including the power to levy collection fees on the access of biological resources within its jurisdiction.
  • The BMCs are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol in India. They play an important role in ensuring that the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources are shared in a fair and equitable way.
  • The BD Act gives BMCs the independent authority to charge those who collect biological resources within their territorial jurisdiction by way of collection fees. The ability of BMCs to collect fees will allow them to develop their own financial resources that they can use to carry out the objectives of the Act.