16th National Meet of State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils held at Chandigarh; Deliberations to focus on effective Implementation of the Biodiversity Governance Framework at the State and local levels

The 16th National Meet of State Biodiversity Boards and Union Territory Biodiversity Councils was inaugurated in Chandigarh, organized by the National Biodiversity Authority. The two-day meet focused on the effective implementation of the biodiversity governance framework at state and local levels following the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Act, 2023 and Biological Diversity Rules, 2024. Discussions highlighted the importance of strengthening over 2.76 lakh Biodiversity Management Committees, updating People’s Biodiversity Registers as dynamic planning tools, and aligning state rules with national frameworks. Officials noted that over ₹200 crore in Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds have been distributed. The meeting also aligned discussions with India's Updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) 2024–2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.