Rescuing Biodiversity

Homo sapiens may not have been responsible for the five distinct spasms of extinctions in geological
time that began an estimated 440 million years ago, but humans are centrally implicated in the ongoing
sixth wave of severe biodiversity loss. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was drafted in
1992 to stem the decline. It entered into force a year later with the avowed aim of significantly reducing
loss of species and even using them where compatible to alleviate poverty. But nearly two decades later,
the treaty has largely failed to meet its targets. There is now another opportunity available to make it
work. The parties to the CBD are holding their 10th conference in the Japanese city of Nagoya and with
sufficient political will they can reverse the tide of species losses. The member-countries have done well
to acknowledge the all-round disappointment that their renewed commitment, made in 2002 to reduce
biodiversity loss, remains a dead letter. They are now challenged to deliver on their assurances and act
more intelligently on climate change, habitat loss and degradation, excessive explsoitation, spread of
invasive alien species, and pollution, all of which affect plant and animal survival. What provides some
hope is the persistence of a large amount of biological diversity.
The key to conservation is to recognize the role of nature in providing ecosystem goods such as
fodder, fibre, genetic resources, fresh water and services such as cleansing of air, nutrient flow, erosion
prevention, flood control, pollination and disease regulation. That this economic dimension of nature is
being increasingly accepted the world over is heartening. At the Nagoya conference, the Group of 77 and
China have made the forward-looking suggestion that countries of the South should forge closer
cooperation to protect biodiversity, and use financial resources available from developed-country
partners. In particular, fast-developing China's focus on protecting 35 priority conservation areas making
up 23 per cent of the country is extremely promising. India is also focussed on growth, but it needs to do
more for ecosystems facing the onslaught of poorly planned development. It must begin by showing
genuine recognition of nature's value. National development policy cannot afford to ignore the central
role played by biodiversity. At the global level, the CBD has the opportunity once again to arrive at a
consensus on sustainable use of plant diversity. Such an agreement will help local communities access
and benefit from use of invaluable genetic resources. The ethical imperative to save the world's species is
to restrict consumption of all natural resources to a sustainable level and allow for natural renewal.
Census of Marine Life
The first-ever Census of Marine Life (CoML), a mammoth decade-long exercise involving more than
2,700 scientists from over 80 countries, has been successfully completed. The painstaking research has
unearthed nearly 250,000 marine species of an estimated one million. About 6,000 new species have also
been discovered. The landmark exercise marks a remarkable beginning in identifying and mapping the
diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine organisms. Though long-distance migration of many
predators like tuna and sharks was tracked, large areas of the oceans, mainly the Indian Ocean, have not
been fully explored. While ten marine hotspots were identified, including one in the Indian Ocean, many
biodiversity hotspots await detailed investigation. This is because the oceans cover 75 per cent of the
earth's surface, and investigating their surface and depths requires tremendous scientific expertise and
huge investments. The good news is that even though the census has been completed, several national and
regional initiatives started during the CoML programme will continue to operate with support from
government and non-government agencies. Unlike other major projects such as the mapping of the human
genome, the scope of this study is undefined. Thus the CoML provides an ideal platform for incorporating
diverse inputs from future studies to help us understand the big picture. It will also serve as the baseline
for evaluating the future impact of human intervention on sea animals.
The CoML facilitated the use of diverse technologies on a large scale, technologies that are of
continuing use. For instance, there are special sonar devices which allow us to see how marine life
assemble in schools and move both vertically and laterally over thousands of square kilometres. Thanks
to the use of modern techniques, scientists were also able to have a glimpse of the hitherto unknown
world of marine animals. One finding of the study which is a cause for concern is that the fate of many
animals living in easily accessible habitats appears gloomy. Large fishes and marine mammals like sea
turtles and tuna have declined by 90 per cent on an average due to over-fishing and/or pollution. Apart
from being an invaluable source of food, the oceans produce 70 per cent of oxygen present in the
atmosphere, and also absorb one-third of global carbon dioxide emissions. All these are warning signs
that oceans, the lifeline for all things living on earth, may well turn into a watery grave if damage to
marine life continues unabated.
Questions for Mains:
Q.1. Biodiversity is gaining acceptance as a prerequisite for sustainable economic development around
the globe. Comment.
[Link] do you think census of marine life will contribute in biodiversity preservation?
MCQs
[Link] of the following statements about the Convention on Biological Diversity is/are NOT correct?
I. It is not legally binding.
II. The Convention entered into force on 29 December 1993.
III. It covers the field of biotechnology.
A) I only B) II only
C) II and III D) I, II and III
Ans: A
[Link] of the following is/are true about the first census of marine life published in 2010?
I. The Census used DNA barcoding for the identification of marine life.
II. Coastal species showed maximum diversity in the tropical Western Pacific.
III. The Census database still has no records at for more than 20 percent of the ocean volume
IV. The census was an endeavour of scientists from USA and Japan only.
A) I only B) I and II only
C) I, II and III only D) I, II, III, and IV.
Ans: B

News 1
Jaipur: The beauty of the Aravali-flanked Sariska Reserve may soon be a thing of the past, with the
Rajasthan government granting 40 new mining leases in the eco-sensitive zone, something that'll leave the
area pock-marked with quarries and pose a threat to an ambitious tiger reintroduction project.
The government sanctioned the leases on Tuesday on the plea that the Aravali range, where stone
mining had been sanctioned, is less than 100m in height, which is not considered a hill as per state
government norms.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court banned quarrying for stone in the Aravalis of neighbouring
Haryana, holding mining companies guilty of violating zoning laws and not filling up excavated craters.
Later it said some mining may be allowed but only when the Haryana government adopts a mining policy
based on an SC-appointed panel's guidelines.
While Rajasthan authorities have interpreted norms to their convenience to sanction fresh leases,
mining could damage the ecology of the region and jeopardize survival of the big cats. Five tigers have
already been relocated to Sariska from Ranthambore and forest officials plan to shift more in the coming
months.
Leases cornered by Haryana Cos
 Reports suggest the new mining leases issued in the Aravalli flanked Sariska Reserve have gone to a
few Haryana-based companies at villages like Jaisinghpura, Malana, Goverdhanpura, Palpura and Jamwa
Ramgarh, in the vicinity of Sariska sanctuary. On October 12, TOI had carried a report about illegal
mining in these areas.
''This shows how powerful and manipulative the mining lobby is. Even if the justification the
department of mines and geology and forests is giving is that the hills are less than 100m in height, they
should know that there is no such classification by the Supreme Court. This is the department's own
creation and a gross violation of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980,'' said Y K Singh Chauhan, conservator
of forests, ministry of environment and forests. However, V S Singh, principal secretary, forests and
environment, who heads the special committee on Aravalli notification in Alwar, says, ''These are all
fresh cases in Ramgarh area screened by a committee and don't have the Aravalli hills portion. Based on
the state government 100 meter yardstick and complying with the Supreme Court and MoEF guidelines,
these leases will have to follow environmental norms.'' He claimed new leases will not disturb forest areas
and are not near any water body.

News 2
Mumbai: Miners have been getting away with murder without either refilling the toxic craters or
afforesting dead mining sites as prescribed under the law and according to environmentalists, this is one
of the reasons why leases for mining in dense green zones, such as the Western Ghats, should not be
given the nod.
The National Mineral Policy, 2008 rules that any abandoned mine should be made richer than what it
was before through refilling the craters and afforestation. But most miners leave the dead mines in a state
of decay. According to the data available with the Ministries and Indian Bureau of Mines, there are 297
abandoned mine0s across the country and most of them are yet to be rehabilitated.
With such carelessness on the part of miners, environmentalists do not seem to be too happy about
the state sanctioning 49 mining leases in the eco-sensitive Sindhudurg district, where three are already
operational. When TOI visited Kalane village, where mining has been on for the past nine months, the
hills around the place resemble a half-eaten cake and the landscape has been stripped of its green cover. A
few hundred meters downhill, the Kalane river flows through the forest and provides water to the
neighboring Goa. It is anybody's guess what will happen when this hill is left like a dead crater and the
river turns toxic, says D Stalin, project director of Vanashakti.
People of the Kalane even have an example of the environment horror close at hand. A part of Redi
mines, situated about 20 km from Kalane, was abandoned more than two decades ago after extraction of
iron ore. But even after so many years, not a single sapling has taken root here. The once green hillocks,
that overlooked the pristine Sawantwadi beach, have given way to two huge craters one of them being
filled with murky water and the other has turned into a rocky, dry stretch, with just one casuarina plant
standing in the barren pit.
Given the large scale destruction of flora and fauna around, a zero mining policy should be advocated
in the Western Ghats, said Sumaira Abdulali of Awaaz foundation who has written to the Union minister
of environment and forests Jairam Ramesh.
Adds Claude Alvaris, an environmentalist from Goa, according to the agreement, all that miners have
to do is deposit Rs 25,000 per hectares and the amount is deducted if they do not comply with the rules.
Mining firms make huge profits and the deposit amount is a pittance for them.
Issues Involved:
1. Project Tiger 2. Tiger Census
3. Zoning Regulations e.g. Protected areas, Reserved areas etc.
4. Desertification 5. Environmental Degradation
Questions for Mains:
[Link] intervention remains the only hope to protect our environment. Critically analyze.
[Link] the economic significance of mining always outweigh its environmental impact? Support your
answer with examples.
MCQs
1. Which of the following statements about the Forest (Conservation) Act is/are correct?
I. It extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
II. "non-forest purpose" includes the clearing of any forest land for- the cultivation of medicinal plants;
[Link] came into force on the 25th October, 1982.
IV. State governments can issue orders for the clearance of forests for the purpose of using it for
reafforestation.
A) I and II only B) I and III only
C) II and III only D) II and IV only
Ans: A
2. Read the following statements
I. Desertification has encroached upto the borders of New Delhi.
II. Aravali foothills have high instances of deforestation for mining purposes.
A) Both are true and II is the correct explanation of I.
B) Both are true and II is not the correct explanation of I.
C) I is true and II is false.
D) I is false and II is true
Ans: A