Nature Conservation Index –
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NEWS: India's environmental efforts have come under sharp criticism following
its ranking of 176 out of 180 countries in the newly released Nature
Conservation Index. With a score of 45.5 out of 100, the ranking
highlights major challenges in biodiversity management and conservation.
WHAT’S IN THE
NEWS?
Key
Highlights of the Index
- Overall Ranking: India ranks 176th among 180 countries.
- Score: India scored 45.5 out of 100.
- Top Performers: Luxembourg, Estonia, and Denmark secured the top
spots, while Kiribati ranked the lowest.
- Marine Conservation: India scored 0 out of 100 for its
management of marine protected areas and species conservation within
marine ecosystems.
- Terrestrial Protection: India scored 73 out of 100 for
terrestrial species protection but faces significant challenges in
combating illegal wildlife trade, ranking fourth globally in this
area.
- Protected Areas: While 7.5% of India's terrestrial area is
protected, only 0.2% of its marine waters are under protection.
- Regional Comparison: India lags behind neighboring South Asian
countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Myanmar, with Bhutan
achieving the highest regional ranking.
- Illegal Wildlife Trade: India ranks as the fourth-largest illegal
wildlife trader, with an annual turnover of £15 billion.
- The findings reflect India’s challenges in
meeting Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 14 (Life below water) and 15
(Life on land).
About the
Nature Conservation Index
- Launched: October 2024
- Developed by: Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of
Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
and BioDB.com, a non-profit website dedicated to maintaining biodiversity
data.
The Nature
Conservation Index is a tool that assesses countries' efforts in protecting
the natural environment, using four key pillars:
- Managing Protected Areas: Evaluates the coverage and effectiveness of
conservation zones.
- Addressing Biodiversity Threats: Measures actions to mitigate risks to species
and ecosystems.
- Nature and Conservation Governance: Analyzes the policies, regulations, and
frameworks supporting conservation.
- Future Trends in Resource Management: Assesses sustainability strategies for long-term
natural resource management.
The index uses 25
parameters within these pillars and relies on data from credible sources
like the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the World
Bank, and Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/top-10-listing/top-10-best-and-worst-countries-in-nature-conservation-index-2024-9642165/lite/