National Biodiversity Authority (NBA): Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species

Why in News?

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has constituted an Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species (IAS) to tackle the increasing ecological, economic, and social threats posed by invasive species across India. 
• The initiative follows a suo motu proceeding by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which highlighted the adverse impact of invasive alien species on native biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture, food security, and human and wildlife health.
• The committee will function for two years and is expected to strengthen India's biodiversity conservation efforts while contributing to national and global biodiversity commitments.

What is the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)?

• The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) is an autonomous statutory body established under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• It is responsible for implementing the provisions of the Act relating to the conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of biological resources, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.
• Established Under: Biological Diversity Act, 2002 
• Nature: Autonomous statutory body 
• Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu 
• Administrative Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) 

Objectives of the NBA

The National Biodiversity Authority aims to:

• Conserve India's rich biological diversity. 
• Promote sustainable utilization of biological resources. 
• Ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from biological resources and traditional knowledge. 
• Protect the rights of indigenous and local communities. 
• Regulate access to biological resources by foreign individuals and organizations. 
• Support biodiversity governance at national, state, and local levels. 

Functions of the National Biodiversity Authority

The NBA performs facilitative, regulatory, and advisory functions.

1. Advisory Functions

The NBA advises the Central and State Governments on matters relating to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.

Its major advisory functions include:

• Recommending biodiversity conservation policies and action plans. 
• Advising governments on strategies for sustainable utilization of biological resources. 
• Identifying biodiversity-rich areas for declaration as Biodiversity Heritage Sites. 
• Recommending measures for the management and conservation of Biodiversity Heritage Sites. 
• Assisting in implementing national and international biodiversity commitments. 

2. Regulatory Functions

The NBA regulates access to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.

Its regulatory responsibilities include:

• Granting prior approval to foreign individuals, foreign companies, and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) for accessing India's biological resources or associated traditional knowledge for research, commercial utilization, bio-surveys, or bio-utilization. 
• Determining the terms and conditions for Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS). 
• Ensuring equitable sharing of benefits with local communities. 
• Granting prior approval before applying for any Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs), in India or abroad, based on biological resources obtained from India or associated traditional knowledge. 
• Issuing guidelines for access to biological resources. 

For Indian citizens and Indian companies, approvals for commercial utilization are generally granted by the State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs).

3. Facilitative Functions

Apart from regulation, the NBA actively supports biodiversity conservation through:

• Strengthening State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs). 
• Capacity building of Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs). 
• Conducting awareness campaigns and training programmes. 
• Promoting documentation of local biodiversity. 
• Monitoring violations under the Biological Diversity Act. 
• Ensuring that monetary and non-monetary benefits reach local communities conserving biodiversity. 

Composition of the National Biodiversity Authority

The NBA consists of:

Chairperson

• An eminent person possessing expertise in biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of biological resources, and equitable benefit sharing. 

Ex-Officio Members (10)

• Senior representatives of various Ministries and Departments of the Government of India. 
• Ensure inter-ministerial coordination and policy integration. 

Non-Official Members (5)

• Experts from biodiversity conservation, agriculture, forestry, tribal welfare, traditional knowledge, biotechnology, and related fields. 

All members are appointed by the Central Government.

Three-Tier Institutional Structure under the Biological Diversity Act

The Biological Diversity Act establishes a three-tier institutional mechanism for biodiversity governance.

1. National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

• Functions at the national level. 
• Regulates foreign access to biological resources. 
• Advises the Central Government. 

2. State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs)

• Established in every State. 
• Regulate access by Indian individuals and companies for commercial utilization. 
• Advise State Governments on biodiversity conservation. 

3. Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs)

• Constituted at the level of local bodies such as Panchayats and Municipalities. 
• Promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. 
• Prepare People's Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) documenting local biological resources and traditional knowledge. 

Expert Committee on Invasive Alien Species

Why was the Committee constituted?

India is witnessing a rapid spread of Invasive Alien Species (IAS), which threaten:

• Native biodiversity. 
• Forests and wetlands. 
• Agriculture and food security. 
• Livestock productivity. 
• Human and wildlife health. 
• Ecosystem services. 

Recognizing these threats, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) initiated suo motu proceedings, following which the NBA constituted the Expert Committee.

Mandate of the Committee

The Committee has been tasked with:

• Preparing a comprehensive national list of invasive alien species using State-wise inputs. 
• Identifying and prioritizing high-risk invasive species. 
• Recommending science-based prevention, control, eradication, and management strategies. 
• Suggesting ecological restoration measures. 
• Developing national guidelines for invasive species management. 
• Documenting best practices from across India. 
• Identifying research gaps. 
• Recommending long-term research and data generation programmes. 
• Strengthening national policy responses to invasive species. 

The committee will function for two years.

What are Invasive Alien Species?

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are plants, animals, fungi, or microorganisms that are introduced outside their natural geographical range and establish themselves in new ecosystems, causing ecological, economic, or health-related harm.

Major Impacts

• Loss of native biodiversity. 
• Competition with indigenous species. 
• Habitat degradation. 
• Crop damage. 
• Spread of diseases. 
• Economic losses in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry. 
• Reduced ecosystem resilience. 

Significance of the Initiative

The Expert Committee will help:

• Strengthen India's biodiversity governance. 
• Protect native ecosystems from biological invasions. 
• Improve ecosystem resilience against climate change. 
• Enhance agricultural and food security. 
• Fulfil India's commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 
• Promote evidence-based policymaking for invasive species management. 

Challenges Before the NBA

• Increasing spread of invasive alien species. 
• Illegal access to biological resources and biopiracy. 
• Weak biodiversity documentation in several regions. 
• Limited awareness among stakeholders. 
• Coordination challenges among Central, State, and local authorities. 
• Need for scientific monitoring and real-time biodiversity data. 

Way Forward

• Strengthen surveillance and early detection systems for invasive species. 
• Improve coordination among the NBA, SBBs, BMCs, research institutions, and local communities. 
• Enhance scientific research and biodiversity databases. 
• Encourage community participation through People's Biodiversity Registers. 
• Strengthen implementation of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanisms. 
• Promote restoration of degraded ecosystems using native species. 
  

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) – FAQ