COP15: India defends farm subsidies
26-08-2023
12:09 PM
1 min read
What’s in today’s article?
- About GBF
- India’s position
- News Summary
Why in News?
- India has stated at the ongoing UN biodiversity conference (COP15 to the CBD) in Montreal that agriculture in developing nations is the source of life and livelihood for vulnerable sections, which cannot be targeted for elimination.
- The remarks clarified India's position at a time when some EU countries are pushing for the abolition of farm subsidies as a crucial component of the post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF), which is anticipated to be finalised soon.
What is the Global biodiversity framework (GBF)?
- GBF is a new draft released by the Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to guide actions worldwide through 2030, to minimise biodiversity loss and preserve nature.
- Its proposed aims include reducing pesticide use by at least two-thirds and eliminating the most detrimental subsidies, including fisheries and agricultural subsidies.
- One of the key targets of the GBF - the 30x30 target - is to protect at least 30% of the planet (especially areas of particular importance - land and sea - for biodiversity) by 2030.
- Once approved unanimously by all 195 countries under the CBD, the GBF will be signed as a global deal to take specific measures under 23 proposed targets by 2030.
- The targets which are not accepted by one or more countries will not be part of the Framework.
What is India’s position on the GBF?
- Overall:
- The GBF must be framed in the light of science and equity, and the sovereign right of nations over their resources, as provided for in the CBD.
- If climate is profoundly linked to biodiversity, then the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC) must equally apply to biodiversity.
- Biodiversity must be promoted through positive investment.
- On subsidies, pesticide use and invasive alien species:
- That the essential support to vulnerable sections cannot be called subsidies and targeted for elimination, but may be rationalised.
- India's position on pesticide use, stating that a numerical global target for pesticide reduction is unnecessary and should be left up to individual countries to decide.
- India's position on the proposed numerical target (not feasible without the necessary baseline and relevant scientific evidence) of dealing with the impacts of invasive alien species on native biodiversity.
News Summary - India's Environment Minister at the COP15:
- Nature is under stress because of the historical disproportionate and iniquitous greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the developed countries.
- Therefore, nature-based solutions to global warming and other environmental challenges are not an answer without resolute action by developed countries to measure up to their historical and current responsibilities.
- The increased expectations through GBF targets call for matching means of implementation, especially through public finance and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) that caters to multiple Conventions is the only hope.
- GEF, established on the eve of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, is a catalyst for action on the environment.
- Through its strategic investments, the GEF works with partners to tackle the planet’s biggest environmental issues.
- The value of biodiversity to humankind also lies in its economic dimension alongside the cultural and social.
- Sustainable use and access and benefit sharing are key to promoting biodiversity, alongside the efforts to conserve, protect and restore.
- Access and benefit sharing (ABS) - one of the 3 objectives of the CBD, refers to the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
Q1) What are invasive alien species?
Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are animals and plants that are introduced accidentally or deliberately into a natural environment where they are not normally found, with serious negative consequences for their new environment.
Q2) What is access and benefit sharing?
The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way.