NEW DELHI: A national campaign for updation and verification of People’s Biodiversity Register was launched in Goa on Tuesday, marking a significant step towards the documentation and preservation of India’s rich biological diversity.
The People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) serves as a comprehensive record of various aspects of biodiversity, including the conservation of habitats, preservation of land races, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals, micro-organisms, and the accumulation of knowledge related to the area’s biological diversity.
So far, 2,67,608 PBRs have been prepared by Biodiversity Management Committees in different states. There is a plan to set up PBR in every village across the country under Mission LiFE (lifestyle for environment) which is conceived to conserve the planet earth through mindful utilisation of natural resources and various other actions at individual and community levels in the country.
“If we encourage unnecessary consumption, one earth will not be enough. In the years to come we need to pave the way for conservation of biodiversity along with development,” said environment minister Bhupender Yadav while announcing the move to have PBR in every village in India. He was addressing a function to celebrate the International Day of Biological Diversity in Mumbai on Monday.
Addressing the launch event in Goa a day after, the minister of state for environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey informed the gathering about the progress being made in digitizing the People’s Biodiversity Registers, transforming them into e-PBR.
As per the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) are created for “promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity” by local bodies across the country. BMCs have been constituted by the local bodies in the States and Union Territories and are entrusted with preparation of the PBRs in consultation with local communities.
PBR is designed as a tool for formal recording and maintenance of comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use. It’s also a record of knowledge, perception and attitude of people about natural resources, plants and animals, their utilization and conservation in a village.
PBR is considered as the first step towards bridging the gap between intellectual property rights of local people and benefits derived from genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge and enabling them to share those benefits.
The People’s Biodiversity Register (PBR) serves as a comprehensive record of various aspects of biodiversity, including the conservation of habitats, preservation of land races, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals, micro-organisms, and the accumulation of knowledge related to the area’s biological diversity.
So far, 2,67,608 PBRs have been prepared by Biodiversity Management Committees in different states. There is a plan to set up PBR in every village across the country under Mission LiFE (lifestyle for environment) which is conceived to conserve the planet earth through mindful utilisation of natural resources and various other actions at individual and community levels in the country.
“If we encourage unnecessary consumption, one earth will not be enough. In the years to come we need to pave the way for conservation of biodiversity along with development,” said environment minister Bhupender Yadav while announcing the move to have PBR in every village in India. He was addressing a function to celebrate the International Day of Biological Diversity in Mumbai on Monday.
Addressing the launch event in Goa a day after, the minister of state for environment Ashwini Kumar Choubey informed the gathering about the progress being made in digitizing the People’s Biodiversity Registers, transforming them into e-PBR.
As per the Biological Diversity Act 2002, Biodiversity Management Committees (BMC) are created for “promoting conservation, sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity” by local bodies across the country. BMCs have been constituted by the local bodies in the States and Union Territories and are entrusted with preparation of the PBRs in consultation with local communities.
PBR is designed as a tool for formal recording and maintenance of comprehensive information on availability and knowledge of local biological resources, their medicinal or any other use. It’s also a record of knowledge, perception and attitude of people about natural resources, plants and animals, their utilization and conservation in a village.
PBR is considered as the first step towards bridging the gap between intellectual property rights of local people and benefits derived from genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge and enabling them to share those benefits.