India needs to rethink its relationship with nature

On this International Day for Biological Diversity, let’s shift from viewing nature as just a resource to respecting it as a vital ally

India hosts 7-8% of global biodiversity on just 2.4% of Earth's land, supporting food systems, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Yet, extractive development models have led to widespread habitat loss, species decline, and ecosystem disruption.

To halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and move toward a nature-positive world by 2050, the Kunming-Montréal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), adopted in December 2022, calls for transformative and inclusive action across all sectors of society. One of its 23 targets, Target 3, popularly known as ‘30 by 30’, seeks to conserve at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and marine areas through well-connected, equitably managed systems.

India has aligned its national priorities with global biodiversity targets through the National Biodiversity Action Plan, aiming to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030, and expand protected areas, which currently cover over 18% of land and 1.35% of marine zones. Key initiatives such as project-based conservation initiatives, eco-sensitive zones, biodiversity finance initiative, etc., reflect this commitment. Additionally, integrating access and benefit sharing (ABS) mechanisms ensures fair compensation for communities contributing traditional knowledge and genetic resources, fostering equity and trust.

India’s Mission LiFE promotes sustainable lifestyles by encouraging behaviour-driven change, positioning nature as a partner, and shifting consumer demand to support nature-positive products, strengthening corporate action on environmental sustainability. Together, these efforts signal a shift toward inclusive and sustainable biodiversity governance, supported by the Biological Diversity Act (2002).

For effective implementation, the KMGBF emphasizes a ‘whole-of-government and whole-of-society’ approach, urging nations to mobilise public institutions, local communities, indigenous people, the private sector, and civil society in co-ordinated efforts. For India, aligning national policy and resources around biodiversity conservation is a critical step.

Achieving the KMGBF’s financial mobilisation target, an additional $700 billion per year globally, requires co-ordinated efforts across sectors. This scale of investment can only be realised through a collective approach, with the private sector playing a critical role alongside governments and communities.

In India, the private sector accounts for over 30% of the GDP, and influences land use, supply chains, and natural resources. Therefore, corporate engagement is essential not just for compliance, but to also access green finance, reduce ecological risk, and align with growing global expectations for ethical and sustainable practices.

While some companies have begun directing corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds toward nature-based solutions (NbS), the overall adoption remains limited. A 2024 study found that about 70% of India’s top 100 companies now integrate NbS into their sustainability strategies, but only 15% have allocated more than 2% of CSR budgets to such initiatives. Regulatory uncertainty, high upfront costs, low short-term returns, and limited capacity in biodiversity risk assessment continue to discourage investment. Meanwhile, greenwashing concerns deter companies from disclosing actions without robust monitoring systems.

A sustainable path forward requires all stakeholders — governments, businesses, communities, academia, and civil society — to act in collaboration. National and state governments must strengthen legal frameworks, invest in large-scale restoration, and ensure biodiversity considerations are mainstreamed across all sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, and industry. Fiscal tools such as tax incentives, concessional loans, green credits, and biodiversity-linked credits for companies investing in restoration, sustainable agriculture, and mangrove conservation can help bridge India’s $50 billion biodiversity finance gap.

The private sector must move beyond compliance toward active stewardship, by adopting science-based targets, building nature-positive supply chains, and practicing transparent biodiversity disclosures aligned with KMGBF goals. To enhance green cover and address ecological challenges, pooled financing mechanisms like a biodiversity investment fund can channel CSR and green finance into scalable restoration efforts.

Policymaker support for innovative models such as land sharing, leasing, or acquisition for reforestation and wildlife corridors can promote biodiversity conservation, enhance carbon sequestration, and mitigate human-wildlife conflict. To address past inequities, governments and corporates must jointly implement ABS frameworks that ensure fair compensation for local and Indigenous communities, fostering long-term trust and cooperation, as outlined in the Nagoya Protocol.

In a globalized world where consumption, finance, and supply chains are interconnected, international cooperation and knowledge sharing are essential. ‘Harmony with nature and sustainable development’ — the theme of this International Day for Biological Diversity (May 22) —  must not remain a theme, it must become a shared commitment. We must shift from using nature for short-term gain to working with it for long-term well-being. Nature is not a backdrop to development; it is our co-architect, our sustainer, and our enduring partner.

(Aniruddh Soni is Fellow, and Neha Sharma is Research Associate, Land Resources Division, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).)

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.