Direct answer. Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, a National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is created at the national level to oversee biodiversity-related issues in India. It is the apex statutory body for the regulation, conservation and sustainable use of biological resources and for ensuring fair and equitable sharing of benefits.
Introduction: Need for an apex biodiversity body
India is one of the world’s mega-diverse countries, with a very rich variety of plants, animals, microorganisms and ecosystems. At the same time, there is constant pressure on these resources due to population increase, industrial development, agriculture, bio-prospecting and international trade. To implement the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and to protect national interests, Parliament enacted the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. This Act provides for a three-tier structure of biodiversity management, at the national, state and local levels. At the top of this structure stands the National Biodiversity Authority.
What is the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)?
The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is a statutory, autonomous body established by the Central Government under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. It is headquartered at Chennai and functions under the overall control of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Authority consists of a Chairperson and other members, including experts from different fields such as conservation biology, forestry, agriculture, law, tribal affairs and others, as prescribed by the Act.
Being a national-level organisation, NBA plays a co-ordinating, regulatory and advisory role for all matters relating to access to biological resources, protection of traditional knowledge and benefit-sharing.
Key functions of the National Biodiversity Authority
Important functions of the NBA, as highlighted in EVS syllabus, include the following:
- Regulation of access to biological resources: The NBA regulates access by foreign individuals, companies or organisations to India’s biological resources and associated traditional knowledge. Prior approval of NBA is required for research, commercial utilisation, bio-survey, bio-utilisation or for applying for intellectual property rights (IPRs) abroad based on Indian biological material.
- Benefit-sharing arrangements: The Authority decides the terms and conditions for fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of India’s biological resources and traditional knowledge. Benefits may be monetary (royalties, fees) or non-monetary (technology transfer, training, support to local communities).
- Advisory role to the Central Government: NBA advises the Central Government on conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and on matters relating to access and benefit sharing, including policy measures and international negotiations.
- Support and guidance to State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs): It lays down guidelines for constitution and functioning of State Biodiversity Boards and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at local body level.
- Protection of traditional knowledge: NBA is involved in measures to protect the rights of local and indigenous communities over their knowledge and to prevent misappropriation (“bio-piracy”) through unethical patents.
NBA within the three-tier biodiversity governance system
The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 establishes a three-tier system:
- National level: National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
- State level: State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) in each State/UT.
- Local level: Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at village panchayats, municipalities and other local bodies.
In this system, NBA acts as the apex body setting overall policy and regulatory framework, while SBBs and BMCs implement activities at the state and local levels. This structure ensures that biodiversity governance is both centralised for national interests and decentralised for local participation.
Importance of NBA for biodiversity conservation and national sovereignty
The existence of the National Biodiversity Authority has several important implications:
- It helps India to assert its sovereign rights over biological resources and associated knowledge, especially when dealing with multinational corporations and foreign research institutions.
- It provides a legal mechanism to prevent bio-piracy, such as unauthorised patents on plant varieties, medicinal plants or traditional formulations.
- It ensures that local communities, who have conserved biodiversity for generations, receive a fair share of benefits when their resources or knowledge are commercially used.
- It guides the government in integrating biodiversity concerns into sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, industry and trade.
Exam-oriented recap
- Under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the body created at national level is the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA).
- NBA is a statutory, autonomous apex body with headquarters at Chennai.
- Main roles: regulate access to biological resources, decide benefit-sharing, advise Central Government, support SBBs and BMCs, and prevent bio-piracy.
- It is part of a three-tier system: NBA (national), SBBs (state) and BMCs (local).
Conclusion: The blank in the statement is filled by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA). As the apex body created under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, the NBA plays a central role in regulating access to India’s biological resources, ensuring fair benefit-sharing and safeguarding our rich biodiversity and traditional knowledge for present as well as future generations.