Integrating conservation of biodiversity with mainstream programmes such as the MGNREGA as the route to achieve of Aichi targets was mooted by additional secretary, ministry of environment and forests, M F Farooqui, in a press conference at Conference of Parties-11 (COP-11) on Thursday.
“The issue of finances and resource mobilisation was debated strongly in the 2010 COP-10 and has been the focal point of the present meeting as well. A likely consensus is expected at the end of the Conference of Parties -11 in Hyderabad,” said M.F Farooqui on a positive note.
The international conference on network protocols will meet again for discussions on access and benefit sharing under the Nagoya Protocol.
“This should be seen as a positive sign as it shows the commitment of various parties to the protocol,” said the M F Farooqui. He added the focus of India’s implementation programme will be on awareness regarding biodiversity.
“Indian government has channeled ` 11,000 crore towards conservation of biodiversity and mainstreaming the targets are necessary. We also support the need to fix the targets before committing to financial resource mobilisation,” said M.F Farooqui.
The meetings of the working group during the course of the day centred on identification and management of threat posed by alien invasive species on the indigenous species.
The emerging issues such as synthetic biology and global strategy for plant conservation also received a high degree of consensus. The issue on utilisation of biofuels is likely to be discussed on Friday.